FastSort Manual

FastSort Manual—429834-003
2-1
2 Sorting Interactively
You can use SORT, the FastSort interactive process, to sort or merge records without
writing an application program. FastSort accepts interactive commands from:

A TACL process

A command (IN) file

Running FastSort
To start an interactive SORT process, enter SORT at a TACL prompt:
10> SORT
This command executes an implicit TACL RUN command that starts the SORT
process. SORT displays the FastSort product banner and a “less than” symbol (<) at
your terminal:
FastSort - T9620D30 - (31OCT94)
COPYRIGHT TANDEM COMPUTERS INCORPORATED 1991 - 1994
<
...
The “less than” symbol (<) is the FastSort prompt. You
communicate with the SORT process by entering FastSort commands
at this prompt.
To stop the SORT process, type EXIT at the SORT prompt:
<EXIT
11>
You can also press Ctrl-Y at the SORT prompt to stop the SORT process.
Using a Command File
A command file is an EDIT file that interacts with the SORT process. When you
execute a command file, you do not need to manually enter commands from your
terminal. A FastSort command file must contain FastSort commands. It can also
contain input records to sort.
When you start a SORT process, you can specify a command file as the IN file and a
list file for the OUT file. A list file receives the output from the sort or merge run. The
syntax for specifying the command file, list file, and other options in the SORT
command is:
SORT [ / IN command-file [ , OUT list-file ]
[ , run-option ] ... / ]