Sort List of String In A Variable

Question

I have the below code, list of string that I'd like to sort.

LIST="APP_PATH_10_TARGET APP_PATH_1_TARGET APP_PATH_2_TARGET APP_PATH_3_TARGET"

My goal is to sort it into:

"APP_PATH_1_TARGET APP_PATH_2_TARGET APP_PATH_3_TARGET APP_PATH_10_TARGET"

So I did this:

SORTEDLIST=$(echo ${LIST} | sort -t"_" -k3n,3)

But its still showing:

SORTEDLIST=APP_PATH_10_TARGET APP_PATH_1_TARGET APP_PATH_2_TARGET APP_PATH_3_TARGET

I can't find out why the sort doesn't work.

================================================================

Update: This is the code that I'm working on.

I have this ENV variables:

APP_PATH_1_TARGET="/prd/example/1"
APP_PATH_2_TARGET="/prd/example/2"
APP_PATH_3_TARGET="/prd/example/3"
APP_PATH_10_TARGET="/prd/example/4"

The code that doesn't work, because the list is not in expected sequence:

create_app_dir(){
  # Get all variables with name starts with APP_PATH*
  local PARAMLIST=`echo ${!APP_PATH*}`
  echo "PARAMLIST=${PARAMLIST}"
  local SORTEDLIST=$(sort -t_ -k3n <<< ${PARAMLIST// /$'\n'}|tr -s "\n" " ")
  echo "SORTEDLIST=${SORTEDLIST}"

  # Iterate the list and create dir if doesn't exist
  for p in ${SORTEDLIST}; do
    if [[ "${p}" = *_TARGET ]] && [ ! -d "${p}" ]; then

      echo "[+] Creating application directory:${!p}"
      ./make_dir.sh "${!p}"

      if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
        echo "[-] Error: Unable to create dir." >&2
        return 1
      fi
    fi
  done
}

What is the actual sequence you are getting in the sortedList? — Abhinandan prasad
– Abhinandan prasad, Commented Nov 19, 2018 at 8:23
@Abhinandanprasad Exactly this LIST="APP_PATH_10_TARGET APP_PATH_1_TARGET APP_PATH_2_TARGET APP_PATH_3_TARGET" — Fadhlie Ikram
– Fadhlie Ikram, Commented Nov 19, 2018 at 8:32

Ipor Sircer · Accepted Answer · 2018-11-19 06:37:57Z

3

Because sort is only working with lines by definition. man sort:

sort - sort lines of text files

SORTEDLIST=$(sort -t"_" -k3n,3 <<< ${LIST// /$'\n'}|tr -s "\n" " ")

answered Nov 19, 2018 at 6:37

Ipor Sircer

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3 Comments

Fadhlie Ikram Over a year ago

I've just tried that and still it doesnt work. I've updated the question with portion of code that I'm working on, with your proposed solution.

oguz ismail Over a year ago

@FadhlieIkram Both mine and his solution (they're almost the same) work on my machine with your example code.

Fadhlie Ikram Over a year ago

That's weird, its not on my machine. Maybe different bash version. Anyways I've managed to make it work, but only after I iterate the list into a temporary file, which I then call for sorting. I'm accepting this answer and thanks for your help :).

Abhinandan prasad · Accepted Answer · 2018-11-19 08:35:46Z

0

Try This:

 SORTEDLIST = $(sort -t_ -k3n filename | tr -s '\n\r' ' ')

or

  SORTEDLIST = $(sort -t_ -k3n filename | tr -s '\n' ' ')

answered Nov 19, 2018 at 8:35

Abhinandan prasad

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Comments

Toby Speight · Accepted Answer · 2018-11-19 14:38:17Z

0

sort arranges lines in order. To sort words, you want to re-write each word as a line:

SORTEDLIST=$(printf "%s\n" $LIST | sort -t_ -k3n)

Since you're using Bash, you'd be better using a real list, so that you can get the quoting right:

LIST=(APP_PATH_10_TARGET APP_PATH_1_TARGET APP_PATH_2_TARGET APP_PATH_3_TARGET)
SORTEDLIST=($(printf "%s\n" "${LIST[@]}" | sort -t_ -k3n))

for p in "${SORTEDLIST[@]}"

Also, you should avoid using all-uppercase for your shell variables; this convention is used to indicate environment variables intended to change program behaviour.

answered Nov 19, 2018 at 14:38

Toby Speight

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