Page 1 of 1

Modern replacement for RPSORT.COM?

Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 10:55 am
by PhilClark
I have been using the command line command RPSORT.COM to sort pure text data files for around 25 years, but since the author has died there have been no updates for around 20 years. It allows me to specify two or more data fields to use for the sort.

Is anyone aware of a similar up-to-date piece of (free preferably!) software which is available please?

Many thanks.

Re: Modern replacement for RPSORT.COM?

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 7:06 am
by burger2227
Exactly what do you sort and how does it work?

Re: Modern replacement for RPSORT.COM?

Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 6:27 pm
by PhilClark
I have a whole series of data files which are pure text, fixed fields. At present RPSORT.COM does a sort on each file using first catalogue number in field 3 and then date/time within each catalogue number in field 5.

Re: Modern replacement for RPSORT.COM?

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:23 am
by PhilClark
I have just tried to run RPSORT.COM on my W7 64-bit machine and had an error message to say that the software will not run on a 64-bit machine. To be honest, this is a major disaster for me since all of the 22 years archive data repy upon using this as the sort programme.

So ........

An extract from one of the pure text data files that I am using is:

1 06284U 72069D 12165.73374331 .00001320 00000-0 28012-3 0

Characters 3-7 are the five-digit catalogue number and 19-32 are the date (YYddd.dddddddd).

The RPSORT command is run as part of a large batch file and it looks like (one line command for each file to be sorted):

RPSORT CISPRSAT.DAT /+3:5 /+19:14 CISPRSAT.SRT

Where CISPRSAT.DAT is the input file (to be sorted), /+3:5 defines the primary sort field start point and number of characters, /+19:14 defines the secondary sort field in the same way and CISPRSAT.SRT is the output file (sorted file).

Of course, other software will look different, but it gives an idea.

Any assistance in finding a replacement would be appreciated please - I admit that I cannot find anything obvious. Many thanks in advance.