---
name: "mksort"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "smail"
version: "3.2.0.115-7.1"
release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mksort"
---

# mksort(8)

sort the standard input, allowing arbitrarily long lines

## NAME

mksort - sort the standard input, allowing arbitrarily long lines

## SYNOPSIS

**/usr/lib/smail/mksort** \[ **-f** \] \[ *file* ...  \]

## DESCRIPTION

*Mksort* takes lines as input, sorts them by the first field and writes them to the standard output.  The first field is delimited by whitespace or by the colon character (:). The lines can be of any length, as long as the entire input can be stored in memory.  With **-f** the sort is performed independent of case, so that the letter \`\`A'' compares equal to the letter \`\`a'' and \`\`a'' is always less than \`\`B.''

If no input files are specified, the standard input is read.  In addition, if a filename of **-** is given, the standard input is inserted at that point.

The *mksort* program can be used in combination with [*mkline*(8)](/mkline/8.md) to produce sorted files containing arbitrarily large aliases or paths which can then be read by a [*smail*(8)](/smail/8.md) pathalias router or aliasfile director.  The router or director should be configured to use the *bsearch* file access protocol.  See [*smail*(5)](/smail/5.md) for more information on routers and directors.

## EXAMPLE

As an example of the use of *mksort* with *mkline* consider a file, *aliases*, containing the following aliasing information:

```
Postmaster:	hustead		# Ted Hustead, jr.
UUCP-Postmasters:	tron, chongo	# namei contacts
	yamato	# kremvax contact
tron:	tron@namei.uucp (Ronald S. Karr)
yamato:	yamato@kremvax.ussr.comm (Yamato T. Yankelovich)
chongo:	chongo@eek.uts.amdahl.com (Landon Curt Noll)
```

Given this file, the command *mkline aliases \| mksort -f* will yield:

```
chongo:chongo@eek.uts.amdahl.com
Postmaster:hustead
tron:tron@namei.uucp
UUCP-Postmasters:tron,chongo yamato
yamato:yamato@kremvax.ussr.comm
```

## SEE ALSO

[*mkline*(8)](/mkline/8.md), [*mkdbm*(8)](/mkdbm/8.md), [*smail*(5)](/smail/5.md), [*smail*(8)](/smail/8.md), [*pathalias*(8)](/pathalias/8.md).

## COPYRIGHT

*Copyright* (C) 1987, 1988 Ronald S. Karr and Landon Curt Noll\
 *Copyright* (C) 1992 Ronald S. Karr

See a file *COPYING*, distributed with the source code, or type *smail -bc*, to view distribution rights and restrictions associated with this software.