"SORT GROUP HELP:"

"This function places the records  in  the  current  group in ascending"
"order.  The  data  used as the target of the sort can be on disk or in"
"memory.  The user-assigned record  numbers and  counter  fields are in"
"memory, and any field can be used as the target of the sort."

"This function has four possible targets and three  possible  execution"
"methods.  It will sort alpha, numeric, date or mixed data."

"RECORD NUMBERS:"

"An internal  routine is supplied to place the current group of records"
"in order on their user-assigned record numbers."



"NUMERIC AND DATE SORTING:"

"DATAMAGE has a numeric  sort  routine that's faster than  alpha-sorts."
"It can handle only one numeric or date field as it attempts to use RAM"
"to store the data being sorted.  It uses the  same  RAM or  DISK space"
"that is allocated to store one of the counter fields."

"If both counter fields are active when this function  is  accessed the"
"user must select one of them to be used as the storage  area  for  the"
"sort.   Using a counter field for this  purpose  destroys its' current"
"content.  To preserve the data in the counter you can write it to disk"
"in a segment defined as  general purpose.   After the sort you can put"
"the data now on disk back into the counter. (using F13)"

"The selection of the numeric  sort routine is automatic.  When you opt"
"to do a  sorting  operation on only one numeric or date field the rou-"
"tine is selected for you."

"The date fields hold numeric data in the positions that matter: 1 & 2,"
"4 & 5, 7 through 10.  You can place any character in 3 and 6, the sort"
"will ignore them.  According to the format  for  the dates in the file"
"they will be converted into numeric data and sorted."

"ALPHA SORTING:"

"After selecting the initial  target field for the sort you  will  have"
"an opportunity to select up to five tie-breaker fields.  If duplicates"
"are encountered in the target field -- a tie -- the data in the first,"
"then the second tie-breaker field will be used to determine the  order"
"of the records."




"NAME FIELDS:"

"Some of the fields selected as alpha  sort targets can be processed as"
"a name field.   If you opt for  name field  operation the target field"
"will be split into first and last names and the last  name will be the"
"primary  target of the sort.  The first names will be the tie-breaker."

"During name field operation the last name will be the last word in the"
"field  unless the field ends with  a  period.  If a period is the last"
"character the  program  will  use the last TWO words as the last name."
"That way the  JRs,  ESQs,  IIIs and the like will appear in the sorted"
"list with the last name that precedes them.  If you enter a JR with no"
"period then JR will be considered the last name."




"SORTING AS NUMERIC"

"You can opt to sort a field declared as string as a numeric field.  It"
"will be padded on the right with  zeros and alpha-sorted."

"AFTER THE SORT:"

"If a tie-breaker field is used the target field will  be  displayed in"
"the primary display area (normally reserved for the record name)  when"
"you return to BROWSE, and the first tie-breaker will be in the  secon-"
"dary display on the line beneath it."

"If no tie-breaker was selected the record name will, as usual,  appear"
"In the primary area, and the target field will be in the secondary."



"BINARY SEARCHES"

"After your group of records has been put in order you have established"
"an index into the file.  The  BINARY SEARCH  routine can find a record"
"in a mighty hurry, provided you know the content of the field(s)  upon"
"which you have ordered your records."

"MAINTAINING MARKER FILES FOR BINARY SEARCHES"

"The power of the binary search is impressive, but,  as usual,  we will"
"have to pay for it.   The price is extracted as the sort routine takes"
"your time to put the records in order. If you had a large datafile and"
"had to sort the group each time you opened the file in order to search"
"it you would have to find a lot of records to break even."

"You may wish to record a MARKER FILE (F-10)  after sorting your group."
"New  records  will be added,  old ones deleted,  and the order of your"
"group will be changed.   Then you will  need to sort it again to get a"
"current index into the file so you can search it."

"That's where a MARKER FILE can save you a LOT of time.  The speed with"
"which ANY sorting routine can place your records in order depends upon"
"the order they're in when you sort them.  By loading a marker file you"
"place most of the records in order,  and the sort routine has far less"
"work to do than it would to sort the group in no order."

"The RESTORE REMAINING RECORDS  option  within the  MARKER  function is"
"designed to aid in the maintenance of MARKER FILES  for the purpose of"
"BINARY SEARCHES.  Please read the help screen for MARKER FILES (F-10).
