SORT

   The OpenVMS Sort/Merge utility sorts records or merges input
   files. To sort one or more input files, specify the SORT command.
   These files are sorted according to the fields you select and
   one reordered output file is generated. To merge input files that
   have previously been sorted according to the same key fields,
   specify the MERGE command. One output file is generated.

   High-Performance SORT/MERGE Utility:

      On Alpha and I64 systems, you can choose the high-performance
      Sort/Merge utility. It uses the same command line interface.
      Any differences are noted with the appropriate SORT and
      MERGE qualifiers. Use the SORTSHR logical to select the high-
      performance Sort/Merge utility. Define SORTSHR to point to the
      high-performance sort executable in SYS$LIBRARY as follows:

      $ DEFINE SORTSHR SYS$LIBRARY:HYPERSORT.EXE

      To return to SORT/MERGE, deassign SORTSHR. (The SORT/MERGE
      utility is the default if SORTSHR is not defined.)

   For additional information, you can enter one of the following
   topics:

   Command_Qualifiers      Provides a brief description of the
                           qualifiers that can be used with the
                           SORT and MERGE commands.
   Input_File_Qualifier    Provides information about qualifiers
                           that can be used to modify input files
                           (such as /FORMAT).
   Output_File_Qualifiers  Provides information about qualifiers
                           that can be used to modify output files
                           (such as /SEQUENTIAL).

   For a complete information about the Sort/Merge Utility, see the
   OpenVMS Utility Routines Manual and the OpenVMS User's Manual.

   Formats

     SORT  input-file-spec [,...] output-file

     MERGE  input-file-spec [,...] output-file
 

Additional information available:

Parameters      Command_Qualifiers              /CHECK_SEQUENCE
/COLLATING_SEQUENCE             /DUPLICATES     /KEY            /PROCESS
/SPECIFICATION  /STABLE         /STATISTICS     /WORK_FILES
Input_File_Qualifier            Output_File_Qualifiers
Specification_File_Qualifiers