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# SORT Adds Extra Character to Sorted Output

Article ID: 104731

Article Last Modified on 5/6/2003

APPLIES TO

- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.2 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.21 Standard Edition
- Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 Standard Edition

This article was previously published under Q104731

## SUMMARY

SORT adds an extra character to the end of the file being sorted if an end-of-file (EOF) or carriage return (<CR>) character is missing from the end of the file.

## MORE INFORMATION

Some text editors don't automatically add a <CR> or EOF character to the end of the file (unlike MS-DOS Edit).
If you use this type of editor and your file doesn't have a trailing <CR> or EOF character, your sorted file contains an extra character. For example, if you sort the following file (which does not have an EOF or <CR> character at the end of the file)

       AA<CR>
       BB<CR>
       CC<CR>
       AA

with the command SORT < TEXT.TXT > TESTOUT.TXT, your sorted output is

       AA<CR>
       AAx<CR>
       BB<CR>
       CC<CR>

where x is a random character from memory.

## RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, edit the file you want to sort and add a <CR> to the end.

## STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in MS-DOS versions 5.x, 6.0, 6.2, and 6.21. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: 6.22 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 garbage extended ASCII corrupt corrupted symbol

Keywords: KB104731