Why not just use sort? 
$ cat junk 
dec.x.bc.00041669 1067503 1067501
dec.x.bc.00019580 1067503 1067501
dec.x.bc.00016113 1067503 1067501

$ sort junk
dec.x.bc.00016113 1067503 1067501
dec.x.bc.00019580 1067503 1067501
dec.x.bc.00041669 1067503 1067501

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Plankton: 1% Evil, 99% Hot Gas.

In reply to Re: Sort textfile by Plankton
in thread Sort textfile by Anonymous Monk

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