csv-sort-rows - Sort CSV rows
This document describes version 0.049 of csv-sort-rows (from Perl distribution App-CSVUtils), released on 2022-12-02.
csv-sort-rows --help (or -h, -?)
csv-sort-rows --version (or -v)
csv-sort-rows [--by-code=any|--by-code-json=json] [(--by-field=str)+|--by-fields-json=json] [--by-sortsub=str] [--ci|-i] [--escape-char=str] [--format=name|--json] [--hash|-H] [--header|--input-header|--no-header|--noheader] [--key=any|--key-json=json|-k=any] [--(no)naked-res] [--output-escape-char=str] [--output-header|--no-output-header|--nooutput-header] [--output-quote-char=str] [--output-sep-char=str] [--output-tsv|--no-output-tsv|--nooutput-tsv] [--overwrite|-O|--no-overwrite|--nooverwrite] [--page-result[=program]|--view-result[=program]] [--quote-char=str] [--reverse|-r] [--sep-char=str] [(--sortsub-args key=s)+|--sortsub-args-json=json] [--tsv|--input-tsv|--no-tsv|--notsv] -- <filename> [output_filename]
This utility sorts the rows in the CSV. Example input CSV:
name,age Andy,20 Dennis,15 Ben,30 Jerry,30
Example output CSV (using --by-fields +age which means by age numerically and ascending):
--by-fields +age
name,age Dennis,15 Andy,20 Ben,30 Jerry,30
Example output CSV (using --by-fields -age, which means by age numerically and descending):
--by-fields -age
name,age Ben,30 Jerry,30 Andy,20 Dennis,15
Example output CSV (using --by-fields name, which means by name ascibetically and ascending):
--by-fields name
name,age Andy,20 Ben,30 Dennis,15 Jerry,30
Example output CSV (using --by-fields ~name, which means by name ascibetically and descending):
--by-fields ~name
name,age Jerry,30 Dennis,15 Ben,30 Andy,20
Example output CSV (using --by-fields +age,~name):
--by-fields +age,~name
name,age Dennis,15 Andy,20 Jerry,30 Ben,30
You can also reverse the sort order (-r) or sort case-insensitively (-i).
-r
-i
For more flexibility, instead of --by-fields you can use --by-code:
--by-fields
--by-code
Example output --by-code '$a->[1] <=> $b->[1] || $b->[0] cmp $a->[0]' (which is equivalent to --by-fields +age,~name):
--by-code '$a->[1] <=> $b->[1] || $b->[0] cmp $a->[0]'
If you use --hash, your code will receive the rows to be compared as hashref, e.g. `--hash --by-code '$a->{age} <=> $b->{age} || $b->{name} cmp $a->{name}'.
--hash
A third alternative is to sort using Sort::Sub routines. Example output (using --by-sortsub 'by_length<r>' --key '$_->[0]', which is to say to sort by descending length of name):
--by-sortsub 'by_length<r>' --key '$_->[0]'
name,age Dennis,15 Jerry,30 Andy,20 Ben,30
Common notes for the utilities
Encoding: The utilities in this module/distribution accept and emit UTF8 text.
* marks required options.
*
Sort using Perl code (JSON-encoded).
See --by-code.
Sort using Perl code.
$a and $b (or the first and second argument) will contain the two rows to be compared. Which are arrayrefs; or if --hash (-H) is specified, hashrefs; or if --key is specified, whatever the code in --key returns.
$a
$b
-H
--key
Add a sort field specification.
Each field specification is a field name with an optional prefix. FIELD (without prefix) means sort asciibetically ascending (smallest to largest), ~FIELD means sort asciibetically descending (largest to smallest), +FIELD means sort numerically ascending, -FIELD means sort numerically descending.
FIELD
~FIELD
+FIELD
-FIELD
Can be specified multiple times.
Sort by a list of field specifications (JSON-encoded).
See --by-field.
--by-field
Sort using a Sort::Sub routine.
Usually combined with --key because most Sort::Sub routine expects a string to be compared against.
(No description)
Provide row in $_ as hashref instead of arrayref.
Generate sort keys with this Perl code (JSON-encoded).
See --key.
Generate sort keys with this Perl code.
If specified, then will compute sort keys using Perl code and sort using the keys. Relevant when sorting using --by-code or --by-sortsub. If specified, then instead of rows the code/Sort::Sub routine will receive these sort keys to sort against.
--by-sortsub
The code will receive the row as the argument.
Arguments to pass to Sort::Sub routine (JSON-encoded).
See --sortsub-args.
--sortsub-args
Arguments to pass to Sort::Sub routine.
Each value is a name-value pair, use key=value syntax. Can be specified multiple times.
Specify character to escape value in field in input CSV, will be passed to Text::CSV_XS.
Defaults to \\ (backslash). Overrides --tsv option.
\\
--tsv
Input CSV file or URL.
Use - to read from stdin, use clipboard: to read from clipboard.
-
clipboard:
Can also be specified as the 1st command-line argument.
By default (--header), the first row of the CSV will be assumed to contain field names (and the second row contains the first data row). When you declare that CSV does not have header row (--no-header), the first row of the CSV is assumed to contain the first data row. Fields will be named field1, field2, and so on.
--header
--no-header
field1
field2
Specify field quote character in input CSV, will be passed to Text::CSV_XS.
Defaults to " (double quote). Overrides --tsv option.
"
Specify field separator character in input CSV, will be passed to Text::CSV_XS.
Defaults to , (comma). Overrides --tsv option.
,
Inform that input file is in TSV (tab-separated) format instead of CSV.
Overriden by --sep-char, --quote-char, --escape-char options. If one of those options is specified, then --tsv will be ignored.
--sep-char
--quote-char
--escape-char
Choose output format, e.g. json, text.
Default value:
undef
Output can be displayed in multiple formats, and a suitable default format is chosen depending on the application and/or whether output destination is interactive terminal (i.e. whether output is piped). This option specifically chooses an output format.
Set output format to json.
When outputing as JSON, strip result envelope.
0
By default, when outputing as JSON, the full enveloped result is returned, e.g.:
[200,"OK",[1,2,3],{"func.extra"=>4}]
The reason is so you can get the status (1st element), status message (2nd element) as well as result metadata/extra result (4th element) instead of just the result (3rd element). However, sometimes you want just the result, e.g. when you want to pipe the result for more post-processing. In this case you can use --naked-res so you just get:
--naked-res
[1,2,3]
Specify character to escape value in field in output CSV, will be passed to Text::CSV_XS.
This is like --escape-char option but for output instead of input.
Defaults to \\ (backslash). Overrides --output-tsv option.
--output-tsv
Output filename or URL.
Use - to output to stdout (the default if you don't specify this option), use clipboard: to write to clipboard.
Can also be specified as the 2nd command-line argument.
Whether output CSV should have a header row.
By default, a header row will be output if input CSV has header row. Under --output-header, a header row will be output even if input CSV does not have header row (value will be something like "col0,col1,..."). Under --no-output-header, header row will not be printed even if input CSV has header row. So this option can be used to unconditionally add or remove header row.
--output-header
--no-output-header
Specify field quote character in output CSV, will be passed to Text::CSV_XS.
This is like --quote-char option but for output instead of input.
Defaults to " (double quote). Overrides --output-tsv option.
Specify field separator character in output CSV, will be passed to Text::CSV_XS.
This is like --sep-char option but for output instead of input.
Defaults to , (comma). Overrides --output-tsv option.
Inform that output file is TSV (tab-separated) format instead of CSV.
This is like --tsv option but for output instead of input.
Overriden by --output-sep-char, --output-quote-char, --output-escape-char options. If one of those options is specified, then --output-tsv will be ignored.
--output-sep-char
--output-quote-char
--output-escape-char
Whether to override existing output file.
Filter output through a pager.
This option will pipe the output to a specified pager program. If pager program is not specified, a suitable default e.g. less is chosen.
less
View output using a viewer.
This option will first save the output to a temporary file, then open a viewer program to view the temporary file. If a viewer program is not chosen, a suitable default, e.g. the browser, is chosen.
Display help message and exit.
Display program's version and exit.
This script has shell tab completion capability with support for several shells.
To activate bash completion for this script, put:
complete -C csv-sort-rows csv-sort-rows
in your bash startup (e.g. ~/.bashrc). Your next shell session will then recognize tab completion for the command. Or, you can also directly execute the line above in your shell to activate immediately.
It is recommended, however, that you install modules using cpanm-shcompgen which can activate shell completion for scripts immediately.
To activate tcsh completion for this script, put:
complete csv-sort-rows 'p/*/`csv-sort-rows`/'
in your tcsh startup (e.g. ~/.tcshrc). Your next shell session will then recognize tab completion for the command. Or, you can also directly execute the line above in your shell to activate immediately.
It is also recommended to install shcompgen (see above).
For fish and zsh, install shcompgen as described above.
Please visit the project's homepage at https://metacpan.org/release/App-CSVUtils.
Source repository is at https://github.com/perlancar/perl-App-CSVUtils.
perlancar <perlancar@cpan.org>
To contribute, you can send patches by email/via RT, or send pull requests on GitHub.
Most of the time, you don't need to build the distribution yourself. You can simply modify the code, then test via:
% prove -l
If you want to build the distribution (e.g. to try to install it locally on your system), you can install Dist::Zilla, Dist::Zilla::PluginBundle::Author::PERLANCAR, Pod::Weaver::PluginBundle::Author::PERLANCAR, and sometimes one or two other Dist::Zilla- and/or Pod::Weaver plugins. Any additional steps required beyond that are considered a bug and can be reported to me.
This software is copyright (c) 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 by perlancar <perlancar@cpan.org>.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.
Please report any bugs or feature requests on the bugtracker website https://rt.cpan.org/Public/Dist/Display.html?Name=App-CSVUtils
When submitting a bug or request, please include a test-file or a patch to an existing test-file that illustrates the bug or desired feature.
To install App::CSVUtils, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm App::CSVUtils
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install App::CSVUtils
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.