This chapter introduces using SORT/XL in an interactive session. The examples use a variety of SORT/XL commands and options to provide an overview of how SORT/XL operates. Refer to Chapter 6 for information on all SORT-MERGE/XL commands, including their syntax, parameters, options, and examples of their operation.
Throughout this chapter two files (EMPLOYEE and COMPANY) are used to illustrate how SORT/XL operates. They are patterned on typical information that might be used by the Personnel Department of your company. The data is listed by the employee's last name, first name, job title, and employee number. The file EMPLOYEE contains unsorted data on existing employees and is designated as the >INPUT file in all examples. The file COMPANY contains the sorted data in various orders and is designated as the >OUTPUT file in all examples. A third file (NEWHIRES) contains unsorted data on new employees and is designated as the >INPUT file in the example showing how to sort and merge multiple files in a single operation.
