Re: sort inconsistencies

[Bob Proulx]

Padraig Brady <address@hidden> [2002-10-14 14:43:21 +0100]:
> $ sort --version
> sort (textutils) 2.0.21
> 
> $ echo $LANG
> en_US.iso885915

That LANG setting will select "dictionary" sort order where case is
folded and punctuation is ignored.

> $ cat sort
> Current working directory
> -> /bin
> ---> /sbin
> --> /usr/bin
> 
> $ sort -k1,1
> -> /bin
> --> /usr/bin
> ---> /sbin
> Current working directory

That does seem odd.  It is in reverse order.  I get the order in the
other direction.

> $ sort -k1,1 -t:
> -> /bin
> Current working directory
> ---> /sbin
> --> /usr/bin

I can't reproduce that.  I get this:

  ---> /sbin
  --> /usr/bin
  -> /bin
  Current working directory

> $ sort -k1
> -> /bin
> Current working directory
> ---> /sbin
> --> /usr/bin

What is the output of 'locale'?  Does it show other settings?

  locale

If you set LC_ALL to C or POSIX and try the experiment again what do
you get?

  export LC_ALL=POSIX

Bob