Using the Terminal as the Input File and the Output File

It is possible to enter data to be sorted with the SORT/XL subsystem without creating an input file and have the sort results displayed on the terminal screen.

To input data and have it immediately displayed on the terminal screen, use the * (for $STDIN) parameter of the SORT/XL >INPUT command and the $STDLIST parameter of the SORT/XL >OUTPUT command.

In the following example, when you enter the >END command, the system prompts you with a question mark (?). List the data you want sorted and enter the :EOD command to terminate the input records. The input data is sorted and the results displayed on your terminal screen.

     :SORT  
 
     HP32214A.01.00  SORT/3000 WED, JUN  3, 1987, 10:20 AM 
     © HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. 1986 
 
     >INPUT *  
     >OUTPUT $STDLIST  
     >KEY 1, 4  
     >END   
     ?GLOBE   
     ?APPLE   
     ?BANANA 
     ?1234  
     ?3456   
     ?2345  
     ?:eod   
      1234 
      2345 
      3456 
      APPLE 
      BANANA 
      GLOBE 
 
        <<The SORT Statistics Appear Here>> 
 
     : 

When you designate the terminal as the input file (* for $STDIN) and the output file ($STDLIST), the system does not generate a system file or keep any permanent record of the sort results.