SORT
 Copy to a database (.dbf) file in sorted order
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 Syntax

     SORT TO <xcDatabase> ON <idField1> [/[A | D][C]]
        [, <idField2> [/[A | D][C]]...]
        [<scope>] [WHILE <lCondition>] [FOR <lCondition>]

 Arguments

     TO <xcDatabase> is the name of the target file for the sorted
     records and can be specified either as a literal file name or as a
     character expression enclosed in parentheses.  Unless otherwise
     specified, the new file is assigned a (.dbf) extension.

     ON <idField> is the sort key and must be a field variable.

     /[A|D][C] specifies how <xcDatabase> is to be sorted.  /A sorts in
     ascending order.  /D sorts in descending order.  /C sorts in dictionary
     order by ignoring the case of the specified character field.  The
     default SORT order is ascending.

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

     WHILE <lCondition> specifies the set of records meeting the
     condition from the current record until the condition fails.

     FOR <lCondition> specifies the conditional set of records to SORT
     within the given scope.

 Description

     SORT is a database command that copies records from the current work
     area to another database file in sorted order.  CA-Clipper SORTs
     character fields in accordance with the ASCII value of each character
     within the string unless the /C option is specified.  This option causes
     the database file to be sorted in dictionary order--capitalization is
     ignored.  Numeric fields are sorted in numeric order, date fields are
     sorted chronologically, and logical fields are sorted with true (.T.) as
     the high value.  Memo fields cannot be sorted.

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

     In a network environment, you must lock the database file to be SORTed
     with FLOCK() or USE it EXCLUSIVEly.

 Notes

     .  Deleted source records: If DELETED is OFF, SORT copies deleted
        records to the target database file; however, the deleted records do
        not retain their deleted status.  No record is marked for deletion in
        the target file regardless of its status in the source file.

        If DELETED is ON, deleted records are not copied to the target
        database file.  Similarly, filtered records are ignored during a SORT
        and are not included in the target file.

 Examples

     .  This example copies a sorted subset of a mailing list to a
        smaller list for printing:

        USE Mailing INDEX Zip
        SEEK "900"
        SORT ON LastName, FirstName TO Invite WHILE Zip = "900"
        USE Invite NEW
        REPORT FORM RsvpList TO PRINTER

 Files   Library is CLIPPER.LIB.