Ok, I have an issue *heh* I have these values; 
041351920234
Rabbit
0343120
041271024500
0430870
Apple
041460301399

[download]
I have tried several "comparators" to "alphabatize" the list(individually)to try to get; 
Apple
Rabbit
0343120
0430870
041271024500
041351920234
041460301399

[download]
To no avail, i tried using gt and lt as comparators but it puts them in the "wrong" order; 
Apple
Rabbit
0343120
041351920234
0430870
041271024500
041460301399

[download]
I tried > and < to compare the values and it doesn't sort the Apple and Rabbit correctly becuase (obviously) perl interpets these two as "0" integers. 
Rabbit
Apple
0343120
0430870
041271024500
041351920234
041460301399

[download]

I'm dealing with both "numbers" and "text" but i can't figure out how to get perl to handle the numbers correctly or the text vica-versa. I don't want to use the "sort { $a->[0] <=> $b->[0] }" approach because I'm using a very large database and don't want to have "not-enough" ram/memory problems.

Anyone have a soloution, routine, or procedure to accomplish what I'm trying to do here? Goal is to create an alphabatized file of items(/numbers).

I did try re-inventing the wheel...But it kept getting stuck on the corners

In reply to Sorting Numbers & Text by PriNet

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