Re: "sort" command (feature suggestions)

[Eric Blake]

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According to Zrajm C Akfohg on 11/6/2007 7:17 PM:
> I'd like to see a couple of features in the "sort" command.

Thanks for your suggestions.

> 
> (a) The option of excluding a header or footer from the sort. This
> header/footer would remain in place, and not be affected by the sort.
> E.g. an "--head=LINES" and a "--foot=LINES" option. Where LINES would
> be the number of lines that should remain in place.

To some degree, this is already available via pipelines with head and
tail.  Why should we bloat sort when you can get this in another manner?
That said, patches speak louder than words, and you are welcome to submit
something for review.

> 
> (b) Sort number suffixed with SI prefixes ("K", "M", "G", "T" etc.
> Maybe even "Ki", "Mi", "Gi"?) E.g. an option "--si-sort" which would
> sort values such as "4.0K", "312K", "1.8M", "0", "1.4M", "3.1G" etc in
> the proper order.

This has already been suggested, and a patch even proposed.  It's now just
a matter of polishing the patch, then waiting for a coreutils release that
includes it.

- --
Don't work too hard, make some time for fun as well!

Eric Blake             address@hidden
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