Re: Simple disk-based sorting method

On Apr 13, 11:34 am, s...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Citizen Bob) wrote:
> On 13 Apr 2007 07:43:19 -0700, "Ed Prochak" <edproc...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> wrote:
>
[]
>
> >your description of programming in C.  (newsgroups are
> >arranged by topic for a reason.)
>
> The use of C was incidental and not really relevant to my query. I
> chose database newsgroups because database experts know about sorting
> whereas C programmers do not necessarily know anything about sorting.
> Once I understand the procedure, I can write the code myself.

The proper group should have been comp.programming. Sorting is more
generic than databases. No big problem, I just mention it for others.
The comp.programming group is fairly active and has some very
knowedgeable folks too.


>
> >OTOH, you posted this in comp.databases so I'll now assume you want a
> >DB oriented answer.
>
> I want to know how to implement the sort procedure itself so I can
> write a program to do it using disk files instead of memory arrays.
>
> > And that answer would be to pick a DBMS that runs
> >on your platform
>
> That is what I am trying to avoid. I want to implement the procedure
> myself.

And I am glad to see you got it working. BTW, for sorting the numeric
+/- data, it still works, you just need one pass that sorts plus and
minus (ie, two files instead of ten).

In this context (comp.databases), it seems appropriate to avoid
dealing directly with large amounts of data. Let the DBMS do it.  It
would be interesting to see if something like ORACLE could beat your
custom implementation. (Drop me a line sometime, so maybe we could run
a benchmark.)

>
> > (WIN2K is pretty old),
>
> "old" == "dependable", "reliable", "functional".
>
> It works, which is more than can be said about the newer versions of
> Windows.

one word: LINUX
>
> --
>
> "Nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance. Talent
> will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
> Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education
> will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and
> determination alone are omnipotent."
> --Calvin Coolidge

Cool quote. Have a great day!
   Ed