Re: Sort by version number (patch included)

[Ian Dall]

Padraig Brady writes:
 > Ian Dall wrote:
 > 
 > >I needed to sort by version number so that 1.2.12 > 1.2.3
 > >
 > >[...]
 > >
 > >2005-11-02  Ian Dall  <address@hidden>
 > >
 > >    * coreutils.texi (sort invocation): Document new option
 > >    --version-sort (-v).
 >
 > Thanks.
 > I agree that this would be very useful.
 > Please compare to the existing functionality in ls though.
 > I prefer the more general mechanism of a --sort= parameter
 > as I can see many other possible methods (like random for e.g.).
 > 
 > For reference here is what ls does:
 > 
 > $ ls -1
 > file1-1.23.tar.gz
 > file1-1.4.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4-12.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4-1.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4-2.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4.tar.gz
 > 
 > $ ls -1 --sort=version
 > file1-1.4.tar.gz
 > file1-1.23.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4-1.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4-2.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4-12.tar.gz
 > file2-1.4.tar.gz

This is just a question about the syntax for the option right? The
sort behaviour is exactly the same because they use the same
comparison function.

I can see why it would be good to be consistant with the option syntax
between ls and sort, on the other hand, sort is an auxillary feature
of ls, but the prime feature of sort. Also, in sort, each sort method
needs a single character "short" option so it can be used as a per
field flag.

There is no real reason why one can't have a mixture --sort=version is
the long option and -k n,mv for the field option and either -v for the
short global option or disallow the short global option. To be
consistent though really the other long sort options should be
--sort=numeric --sort=month etc., but changing that is going to break
scripts which use the existing long options.

I can see a tension between stability and consistency within sort and
across utilites. I am happy to use the --sort=version form, but want to know:

1. Is this just for new sort options?

2. If not, should all the various --sort=xxx options be added

3. If so, are the old long options to be removed, depeciated or kept
   indefinitely

4. Should there be a global short option and should it be "-v"?

5. If not, is it OK to use 'v' as a flag for version sorting of a
   field?

Ian