On 11 Jan 96 23:44, Roy McNeill wrote to Kieran Haughey:

Hi Roy,

RM> Hi Kieran

KH>> I was wondering if someone might be able to point me in the right
KH>> direction of how to numerically and alphabetically sort a large
KH>> file, say ranging from 1k to over 4meg in size...

RM>> I'd suggest finding a book on sorting or general algorithms. Simple
RM>> sorting I can explain, but when you introduce the limitation that
RM>> the array to be sorted can't fit into memory in one piece, then the
RM>> best in-memory sorting algorithms can run into funny limitations
RM>> (if, for example, they need to access widely spaced records
RM>> sequentially).

RM>   I suppose so, but I wouldn't have the first clue on a book which
KH>> would cover it.. at the moment the best idea I can think of is loading
KH>> as many lines as possible into an array sort that, then load the rest 
KH>> until
KH>> you hit the end of the file sorting as you go.. then passing over the file
KH>> numerous times at different line offsets, but I don't think it would work
KH>> in practise to well :(

RM> I'll give you a summarized summary of what my book says, to try to
RM> convince you to go get a book. Sorting is a large subject.

I can imagine it would be a large subject, thanks for the stuff from the
book below.. :), it was basically the same Idea I had for it anyway,
multi-passing in memory..

I have now thought of a way around the need for sorting.. but I might still
try writing a sorting program to speed up the way around :)..


RM> Have I convinced you to go find a book yet?

I'll have a look for one next time I'm at Dymocks :)..
ÿ
Cheers,
Kieran

3:711/413.17{at}fidonet
@EOT:

--- MsgedSQ 3.30