Software >> OS >> Unix >> commands >> sort >> How to sort by second column in reverse numeric order with tab as field separator

Command ------- sort -t$'\t' -k2 -rn tab character must be specified as $'\t' sort by field #2 sort the field in reverse numeric order Sample Input ------------ Albany, N.Y. 22.2 46.6 71.1 49.3 38.60 136 64.4 57 Albuquerque, N.M. 35.7 55.6 78.5 57.3 9.47 60 11.0 64 Anchorage, Alaska 15.8 36.3 58.4 34.1 16.08 115 70.8 39 / 60 Asheville, N.C. 35.8 54.1 73.0 55.2 47.07 126 15.3 39 Atlanta, Ga. 42.7 61.6 80.0 62.8 50.20 115 2.1 69 / 65 Atlantic City, N.J. 32.1 50.6 75.3 55.1 40.59 113 16.2 60 / 54 Austin, Texas 50.2 68.3 84.2 70.6 33.65 85 0.9 62 / 58 Baltimore, Md. 32.3 53.2 76.5 55.4 41.94 115 21.5 53 Baton Rouge, La. 50.1 66.6 81.7 68.1 63.08 110 0.2 52 / 46 Billings, Mont. 24.0 46.1 72.0 48.1 14.77 96 56.9 69 Birmingham, Ala. 42.6 61.3 80.2 62.9 53.99 117 1.5 60 Bismarck, N.D. 10.2 43.3 70.4 45.2 16.84 96 44.3 64 Boise, Idaho 30.2 50.6 74.7 52.8 12.19 89 20.6 64 Boston, Mass. 29.3 48.3 73.9 54.1 42.53 127 42.8 52 / 66 Bridgeport, Conn. 29.9 48.9 74.0 54.7 44.15 119 26.2 55 / 49 Sample Output ------------- Austin, Texas 50.2 68.3 84.2 70.6 33.65 85 0.9 62 / 58 Baton Rouge, La. 50.1 66.6 81.7 68.1 63.08 110 0.2 52 / 46 Atlanta, Ga. 42.7 61.6 80.0 62.8 50.20 115 2.1 69 / 65 Birmingham, Ala. 42.6 61.3 80.2 62.9 53.99 117 1.5 60 Asheville, N.C. 35.8 54.1 73.0 55.2 47.07 126 15.3 39 Albuquerque, N.M. 35.7 55.6 78.5 57.3 9.47 60 11.0 64 Baltimore, Md. 32.3 53.2 76.5 55.4 41.94 115 21.5 53 Atlantic City, N.J. 32.1 50.6 75.3 55.1 40.59 113 16.2 60 / 54 Boise, Idaho 30.2 50.6 74.7 52.8 12.19 89 20.6 64 Bridgeport, Conn. 29.9 48.9 74.0 54.7 44.15 119 26.2 55 / 49 Boston, Mass. 29.3 48.3 73.9 54.1 42.53 127 42.8 52 / 66 Billings, Mont. 24.0 46.1 72.0 48.1 14.77 96 56.9 69 Albany, N.Y. 22.2 46.6 71.1 49.3 38.60 136 64.4 57 Anchorage, Alaska 15.8 36.3 58.4 34.1 16.08 115 70.8 39 / 60 Bismarck, N.D. 10.2 43.3 70.4 45.2 16.84 96 44.3 64