Sorting problems again

**NeoStarO1** · 08-07-2002, 10:39 PM

okay what i have done is created a total of three files from the etc/passwd file

File one named: names (This file a got all the users names from the /etc/passwd file and put them in this file.
File two named: userid (This file I got all userid's from the /etc/passwd file and put them in this file.
File three: users.ref (This file I pasted with a space as delimiator of the names and userid files together)
Had use the command paste -d" " userid names > users.ref

now that the contents of the file users.ref is clear my object is to eventurally write a script using this one of display the entire contents of the users.ref file in aphalbetical order by last name .

Right now Im just working on the sorting of this so i can figure out how to write the script.

For exampe the file looks like this.im making up userid and such cuz i can't post it here.

Code:

sn12345 Karin Neostar

So basically im struggling how to sort this file by last name altho the first and last name are considered as one field. I can sort by fields no problem but not part of a field.

Any ideas?

TIA