Hi Brendan

Actually another approach which may be better depending on your data..

Split the initial file into files containing "similar" data..

ie: one file contains all the lines that start with "A" the next file
contains all the lines that start with "B" etc..

Then you may need to split the files further, one file containing all the
"AA" lines then ones containing all the "AB" lines etc..

Eventually you will get to a stage where you have lots of smaller files that
you can sort with conventional tools or a simple quick sort, and then you
just need to string them all together in the correct order.

Cheers,
Ash.

---
Ashley Roll
Digital Nemesis Pty Ltd
www.digitalnemesis.com
Mobile: +61 (0)417 705 718




> -----Original Message-----
> [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Brendan Moran
> Subject: [OT]:Sorting large files
>
>
> Does anyone know of an algorithm for sorting extremely large files of
> linebreak-separated, case-sensitive ASCII values?
>
> I have a file that is 3,480,231kB of unsorted ASCII values,
> and I need it
> sorted... and, yes, I do have some idea of the time that this
> will take.

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