Re: [open-cobol-list] Sort utility within OC

[David Essex]

Cris Schlehuber wrote:

> MF provides the mfsort utility for the sorting
> of flat files using a DFS*RT/Syncs*rt type parameter.
>
> The product I work with is batch in nature, and
> uses sort about 30 times, and will expand in the future.
>
> I searched the mailing list and forum, but could not
> find any discussions about a sort utility.
> My search for an open source equivelant did not come
> up with anything.
> So, two questions.
>
> 1) Does anyone know of an open source equivilent
> 2) Has any discussion been made about an ocsort that
>    could piggyback off of the implementation of the
>    SORT verb.
>   (I've started to look at it, but I'm more of a
>    COBOL programmer than a C).

AFAIK, there is no open source SORT utility, as commonly found on 
mainframes.

There are several closed source options for DOS, Win32 and even OS/2 
(none for UN*X). For some of these, binaries can be downloaded for free. 
Others are evaluation versions.


> A sample sort parm card, with some other statements.
>
> use $DD_SORTIN record=(f,171)
>  SORT FIELDS=(1,38,BI,A)
>   OUTFIL
>     give $DD_SORTOF1
>   OUTFIL
>     INCLUDE=(32,7,CH,EQ,C'0000101'),
>     OUTREC=(1:1,20,
>             21:21,4,
>             C'-',
>             26:25,2,
>             C'-',
>             29:27,2,
>             31:29,143)
>     give $DD_SORTOF2 record=(f,173)
>
> OR
>
> use $DD_SORTIN record=(f,698)
>  SORT FIELDS=(619,40,CH,A,71,4,CH,A,65,2,CH,A,
>               68,2,CH,A,361,16,CH,A,665,4,CH,A
>               659,2,CH,A,662,2,CH,A,377,8,CH,A,
>               385,19,CH,A)
>  OUTREC FIELDS=(1:1,91,
>                 X'999C',
>                 94:94,605)
> give $DD_SORTOUT

I had plans to write a mainframe like SORT utility program, but never 
got around to finish it.

It would be modeled around mainframe products like Syncs*rt and CA-S*rt, 
with similar functionality you have described above.

For example 'gsort -f syntax-file -i input-files -o output-file',
where the syntax-file could be as follows.

SORT FIELDS=(1,2,CH,A,59,4,CH,D)
*SORT FIELDS=copy
SUM FIELDS=(1,2,PD,59,4,BI,5,2,ZD)
RECORD=(F,219,V,12)
INCLUDE COND=(59,5,CH,EQ,C'Z008A',OR,
*  179,5,CH,LT,C'Z008B')
   59,5,CH,NE,C'Z008B')
OUTREC FIELDS=(1,3,1,C' ',26,4,1,X'22')
OPTION=PRINTALL,STDERR
END

Part of the original plan was to integrate it with TC and/or OC.

In any case I only have most of the syntax (grammar) completed, but no 
back end.

If any one has interest in pursuing this as a project, I would be glad 
to release any code, that I do have, under the GPL/LGPL (2).