SORT

    SORT copies records from the current work area to another database file
    in sorted order.

Syntax

    SORT [<scope>] ON <field1> [/A][/C][/D] [,<field2> [/A][/C][/D]]...
    TO <file>/(<expC>) [FOR <condition>] [WHILE <condition>]

Arguments

    <field1..fieldN> are the fields to use as sort keys.  Note that SORT
    does not work with substrings and expressions as keys.

    <file> is the name of the target file for the sorted records.  Unless
    otherwise specified, the new file is assigned the (.dbf) extension.

Options

    Order SOFT supports three sorting options:

    o  /A sorts in ascending order.
    o  /D sorts in descending order.
    o  /C sorts ignoring the case of the specified character field.

    Unless otherwise specified, the default SORT is ascending order.

    Scope: The <scope> is the portion of the current database file to
    SORT.  The default is ALL.

    Condition: The FOR clause specifies the conditional set of records
    to SORT within the given scope.  The WHILE clause specifies the set of
    records meeting the condition from the current record until the
    condition fails.

Usage

    Clipper SORTs character fields in accordance with ASCII value of each
    character within the string.  Numeric fields are SORTed in numeric
    order, and date fields are SORTed chronologically.  Logical and memo
    fields cannot be SORTed.

    SORT performs as much of its operation as possible in memory and then
    it spools to a temporary disk file (Clipsort.tmp).  This temporary file
    can be as large as the size of the source database file.  Note also
    that a SORT uses up to three file handles: the source database file,
    the target database file, and the temporary file.

    Deleted source records: SORT copies deleted records to the target
    database file and the deleted records retain their deleted status.

Network

    In a network environment, the database file to be SORTed should be
    locked with FLOCK() or USEd EXCLUSIVEly.