in reply to Re^2: Perl modules or standard tools for searching hierachical data
in thread Perl modules or standard tools for searching hierachical data

I have a sneaking suspicion that the grep command is matching not only the text in isolation but any line that has that text in it.

If there's a problem, I don't think it involves the grep operation in the code I suggested. In the "for" loop over top-level parents, the grep does not involve a regex match, and is not susceptible to "false-alarm" substring matches. It is only returning the keys for those elements in the %node hash that are not the children of other nodes. Hash key lookups are always based on exact matches -- "abc" does not match "abcd" as a hash key.

The two sample records you cited involve two child values having the same parent value, so if I understand what you've said so far, their ordering relative to each other should not matter. If that parent value happens to be the child in some other record, it would matter to have that other record output before these two.

Since you have pipe-delimited data, I'm assuming you've extracted the data from the older server into a text file, and you're reading from that file in order to sort it, which makes perfect sense. Of course, my code would need to be adjusted slightly for pipe-delimited input instead of space-delimited: 

while (<DATA>) {
    chomp;
    my ( $c, $p ) = split /\|/;
    ...

# update: also need to change the print statement in sub trace_down():
     ...
        print  "$kid|$$tree{$kid}{child_of}\n";
        ...

[download]
Apart from that, if there's still a problem, you would need to post a minimal demonstration -- a snippet like mine, including sufficient "real-world" data, that exhibits the problem, and perhaps some clarification as to how the actual output differs from the desired output.
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Re^4: Perl modules or standard tools for searching hierachical data
by SlackBladder (Novice) on Mar 13, 2007 at 17:59 UTC
    Hi,
    You are correct when you say you are assuming that I am extracting data into a file, and then working on it. I am perfectly happy to post the connection routines I am using plus the data and time stuff (for a log file)here but I think it may be a little cluttered if I do that, I will post it in the "Code Catacombs" so that it can be re-used if required.......
    Let see if I can get the "readmore" TAG to work....
    A1-400-EC-001A|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001B|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001C|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001D|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001E|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001F|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001G|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001H|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001J|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EC-001K|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EHC-001|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001A|A1-400-KF-001A<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001B|A1-400-KF-001B<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001C|A1-400-KF-001C<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001D|A1-400-KF-001D<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001E|A1-400-KF-001E<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001F|A1-400-KF-001F<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001G|A1-400-KF-001G<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001H|A1-400-KF-001H<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001J|A1-400-KF-001J<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001K|A1-400-KF-001K<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001L|A1-400-KF-001L<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001M|A1-400-KF-001M<br/>
A1-400-EN-003A|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EN-003B|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-EPA-001A|A1-400-PA-001A<br/>
A1-400-EPA-001B|A1-400-PA-001B<br/>
A1-400-EPA-001C|A1-400-PA-001C<br/>
A1-400-EPA-001D|A1-400-PA-001D<br/>
A1-400-EPA-002A|A1-400-PA-002A<br/>
A1-400-EPA-002B|A1-400-PA-002B<br/>
A1-400-EPB-001|A1-400-PB-001<br/>
A1-400-EPB-002A|A1-400-PB-002A<br/>
A1-400-EPB-002B|A1-400-PB-002B<br/>
A1-400-HA-001|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-HC-001|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-HX-001A|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001B|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001C|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001D|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001E|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001F|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001G|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001H|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001J|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-HX-001K|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001A|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001B|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001C|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001D|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001E|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001F|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001G|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001H|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001J|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-KF-001K|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-PA-001A|A1-400-HC-001<br/>
A1-400-PA-001B|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PA-001C|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PA-001D|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PA-002A|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PA-002B|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PB-001|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PB-002A|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-PB-002B|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-TA-001|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-VB-001|A1-4000<br/>
A1-400-ZD-001|A1-400-TA-001<br/>
A1-4000|A1<br/>
A1-4000-AG-001-6-A21-WN|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-001-3-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-002-3-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-003-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-004-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-005-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-007-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-009-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-011-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-012-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-013-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-015-2-A05-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-019-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-020-20-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-021-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-022-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-023-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-024-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-026-20-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-029-12-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-030-20-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-031-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-032-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-033-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-034-16-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-036-16-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-040-20-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-041-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-042-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-043-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-044-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-045-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-050-20-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-051-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-052-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-053-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-054-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-055-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-061-4-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-062-4-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-064-1-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-065-1-A21-PP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-071-10-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-072-12-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-073-16-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-074-16-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-075-12-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-077-10-A21-HC|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-CM-078-12-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-DMC-2211-01|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-FCV-703A|A1-4000-CM-071-10-A21-BP<br/>
A1-4000-FCV-703B|A1-4000-CM-036-16-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4000-FIC-703A|A1-4000-FCV-703A<br/>
A1-4000-FIC-703B|A1-4000-FCV-703B<br/>
A1-4000-FT-703|A1-4000-FCV-703A<br/>
A1-4000-FY-703A|A1-4000-FCV-703A<br/>
A1-4000-FY-703B|A1-4000-FCV-703B<br/>
A1-4000-GY-001-3/4-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-GY-002-1 1/2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-GY-003-2-A21-BP|A1-4000<br/>
A1-4000-LA-703|A1-4000-LT-705<br/>
A1-4000-LA-707|A1-4000-LT-707B<br/>
A1-4000-LG-702|A1-400-VB-001<br/>
A1-4000-LI-703|A1-4000-LT-703<br/>
A1-4000-LI-705|A1-4000-LT-705<br/>
A1-4000-LI-707A|A1-4000-LT-707A<br/>
A1-4000-LI-707B|A1-4000-LT-707B<br/>
A1-4000-LI-707C|A1-4000-LT-707C<br/>
A1-4000-LIC-701|A1-4000-LT-701<br/>
A1-4000-LT-701|A1-400-VB-001<br/>
A1-4000-LT-703|A1-400-TA-001<br/>
A1-4000-LT-705|A1-400-TA-001<br/>
A1-4000-LT-707A|A1-400-VB-001<br/>
A1-4000-LT-707B|A1-400-VB-001<br/>
A1-4000-LT-707C|A1-400-VB-001<br/>
A1-4000-PG-701A|A1-400-PA-001A<br/>
A1-4000-PG-701B|A1-400-PA-001B<br/>
A1-4000-PG-701C|A1-400-PA-001C<br/>
A1-4000-PG-701D|A1-400-PA-001D<br/>
A1-4000-PG-702A|A1-400-PA-002A<br/>
<br/>

    [download]
    This is the code (all of it) that I am using the run over the extracted data...
    #!/usr/bin/perl<br/>
use strict;<br/>
use warnings;<br/>
<br/>
my %node;<br/>
my $folder = "P:\\Prod-Operations\\Maint-Eng\\Maintenance Projects\\IN
+F\\DB\\IFDB\\TAGHIERARCHY\\PerlScripts";<br/>
my $resultfile = "resultset.txt";<br/>
my $interset01 = "interset01.txt";<br/>
my $interset02 = "interset02.txt";<br/>
<br/>
open (DATA, "< $folder\\$resultfile") || die "could not open file: $!"
+;<br/>
while (<DATA>) {<br/>
    my ( $c, $p ) = split /\|/;<br/>
    if ( $c eq $p ) {  # these are easy, so finish them first<br/>
        print;<br/>
        next;<br/>
    }<br/>
<br/>
    if ( exists( $node{$c}{child_of} )) {<br/>
        warn "$.: bad record: $c is child of both $p and $node{$c}{chi
+ld_of}\n";<br/>
        next;<br/>
    }<br/>
    $node{$c}{child_of} = $p;<br/>
    $node{$p}{parent_of}{$c} = undef;<br/>
}<br/>
<br/>
# begin the sorted output by looping over values that do not have pare
+nts:<br/>
open (INT01,">$folder\\$interset01") or die "Can not open file $folder
+\\$interset01 for writing, quitting\n";<br/>
<br/>
for my $parent ( grep {!exists( $node{$_}{child_of} ) } keys %node ) {
+<br/>
    my $children = $node{$parent}{parent_of};  # ref to hash of child 
+values<br/>
    trace_down( $children, \%node );<br/>
}<br/>
<br/>
sub trace_down<br/>
{<br/>
    my ( $kids, $tree ) = @_;<br/>
    for my $kid ( keys %$kids ) {<br/>
        print INT01 "$kid|$$tree{$kid}{child_of}";<br/>
        # print "$kid|$$tree{$kid}{child_of}\n";<br/>
        if ( exists( $$tree{$kid}{parent_of} )) {<br/>
            trace_down( $$tree{$kid}{parent_of}, $tree );<br/>
        }<br/>
    }<br/>
}<br/>
<br/>
<br/>

    [download]
    Here is a sample from the result set....
    <readmore> title "Result set sample"><br/>
A1-4708-TT-732A|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PT-702|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PSV-704B|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-RG-761|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PT-711C|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-TT-732C|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-XV-700|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-TT-702|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-TT-732B|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PSV-704C|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PSV-704D|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PSV-704A|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PT-711B|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PG-703|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PT-711A|A1-4708-LS-001-30-B40-HC<br/>
A1-690-EGF-012C|A1-690-GF-012C<br/>
A1-4800-RG-808|A1-4800-FO-029-1-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4800-RG-809|A1-4800-FO-029-1-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4800-PSV-708|A1-4800-FO-029-1-A21-HC<br/>
A1-6900-RF-769|A1-6900-HM-042-6-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4707-RB-770|A1-4600-IA-200-2-A21-BP<br/>
A1-6900-TIC-713|A1-6900-TE-713<br/>
A1-4000-VSH-711F|A1-400-KF-001F<br/>
A1-400-EKF-001F|A1-400-KF-001F<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~FCV353|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~F01|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~F02|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~KV311|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~VAG_S01C|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~F03|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~VAG_S01D|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~KY354|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~VAG_S01B|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~PCV353|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~VAG03|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~E02B|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~FO356|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-6000-JC-701|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~E02A|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~E01|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~KY355|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~F04|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-6000-RB-750|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~VAG02|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~S01B|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~CVNG354|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~E03|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~F01C|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-600-XX-004~R01|A1-600-XX-004<br/>
A1-4708-PDT-003|A1-4708-HS-002-20-C40-HC<br/>
A1-4708-PCV-766|A1-4708-HS-002-20-C40-HC<br/>
A1-4800-RG-770|A1-4800-FO-043-2-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4800-RC-751|A1-4800-FO-043-2-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4600-USH-703A|A1-460-EKF-003A<br/>
A1-4600-USL-703A|A1-460-EKF-003A<br/>
A1-4600-UA-703A|A1-460-EKF-003A<br/>
A1-4600-UL-703A|A1-460-EKF-003A<br/>
A1-4600-UB-703A|A1-460-EKF-003A<br/>
A1-470-MT-011~33VG-11|A1-470-MT-011~20VG-1<br/>
A1-4707-RA-781|A1-470-HA-071A<br/>
A1-4707-PSV-004|A1-470-HA-071A<br/>
A1-4707-TG-005|A1-470-HA-071A<br/>
A1-4707-RF-751|A1-470-HA-071A<br/>
A1-945-EY-003B|A1-945-ET-003B<br/>
A1-730-ST-020|A1-7300-FW-339-1-A21-BP<br/>
A1-470-MT-031~PDSH158|A1-470-MT-031~PDI158<br/>
A1-4200-PZI-703D|A1-4200-PZT-703D<br/>
A1-690-EGF-041J|A1-690-GF-041J<br/>
A1-6900-LALL-712|A1-6900-LSLL-712A<br/>
A1-4702-EZSH-012|A1-4702-EDV-012<br/>
A1-4702-EZSL-012|A1-4702-EDV-012<br/>
A1-4702-EXY-012|A1-4702-EDV-012<br/>
A1-4702-EPT-012|A1-4702-EDV-012<br/>
A1-4200-RC-762|A1-4200-CD-484-2-B13-WN<br/>
A1-470-MS-071~TAHH-749|A1-470-MS-071~TSHH-749<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~AT-ID-2|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~96RH-1|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~AT-ID-4|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~AT-ID-1|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~AT-ID-3|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~96RH|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~AT-ID-6|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~AT-ID-5|A1-470-ZA-021<br/>
A1-4200-RB-776|A1-4200-CD-461-2-B13-WN<br/>
A1-4200-RA-771|A1-4200-CD-461-2-B13-WN<br/>
A1-470-XY-026|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV439|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV409|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV402|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-XY-020|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV431|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-XY-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV451B|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV440|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-EG-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-XY-024|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV406|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV434|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV415|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-XY-023|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV405|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-XY-022|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV413|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-ES-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV442|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV424|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV403|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-LN-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV408|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV423|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV437|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV451A|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV435|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV433|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV438|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV422|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-ET-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV432|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-EE-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-EB-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV436|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV421|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV404|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-EE-022|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-ZA-021|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV441|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-470-MT-021~HV407|A1-470-XX-021<br/>
A1-480-KF-013B|A1-480-HC-013<br/>
A1-480-KF-013A|A1-480-HC-013<br/>
A1-480-EHC-013|A1-480-HC-013<br/>
A1-4200-PT-709|A1-4200-FG-312-10-B13-HC<br/>
A1-4200-TT-709|A1-4200-FG-312-10-B13-HC<br/>
A1-4200-FT-709|A1-4200-FG-312-10-B13-HC<br/>
A1-4200-RB-767|A1-4200-FG-312-10-B13-HC<br/>
A1-4200-RB-766|A1-4200-FG-312-10-B13-HC<br/>
A1-4707-RA-753|A1-4707-AG-001-2-B40-PP<br/>
A1-4707-RG-768|A1-4707-AG-001-2-B40-PP<br/>
A1-470-MT-031~VCK3-2|A1-470-MT-031~PH2<br/>
A1-470-MT-031~VR22|A1-470-MT-031~PH2<br/>
A1-470-MT-031~88HQ-1|A1-470-MT-031~PH2<br/>
A1-6900-RF-768|A1-6900-HM-032-6-A21-HC<br/>
A1-4707-PCV-766|A1-4707-HS-002-20-C40-HC<br/>
A1-4707-PDT-003|A1-4707-HS-002-20-C40-HC<br/>
A1-4800-JF-701|A1-4800<br/>
A1-4800-FO-064-2-A21-HC|A1-4800<br/>
A1-4800-CM-514-6-A21-HC|A1-4800<br/>
A1-4800-FO-038-3-A21-HC|A1-4800<br/>
A1-480-ES-009|A1-4800<br/>
A1-4800-AG-002-4-A21-WN|A1-4800<br/>
<br/>
<br/>

    [download]
    I was hoping that the number "A1-4100|A1" would be fairly close to the top of the "sorted" list as "A1-4100" is the parent for a ton of numbers, however, it appears at line 1705 (not show as I think I have probably killed the web site already with the data I have posted !!!)
    regards
    Nigel
[reply]
[d/l]
[select]
      Please put "code" tags around source code and sample data, like this:

      <code>
      code or data here...
      </code>

      or like this:

      <c>
      code or data here...
      </c>

      When you preview your post, you'll find links to formatting tips for PM.

      Now, as to your sample data: you didn't do what I asked. You posted one set of input, and a completely separate set of output. The two sets seem to have nothing in common apart from the formatting, and your closing comment doesn't make sense:

      I was hoping that the number "A1-4100|A1" would be fairly close to the top of the "sorted" list as "A1-4100" is the parent for a ton of numbers, however, it appears at line 1705 (...)
      Huh? Why would you care about the specific line number where a given record actually shows up in the output? All that matters is that all dependent records come after it.

      If that is not the case for a given run, create a small subset of the data to serve as a test set, run that through the script, and if you can show that the ordering is incorrect, post just that (hopefully small) minimal set of records that demonstrate the error.

      Note that the actual ordering of output from my original code should be: the first top-level parent, then all records dependent on that, then the next top-level parent, then all records dependent on that, and so on.

      (Update: note that the notion of "first top-level parent" is arbitrary; the "keys" function returens hash keys in essentially random order, so if you want to see top-level parents handled in a specific order, you'll need to sort them before they go into the grep function.)

[reply]
        Apologies for the previous "long" message..
        The reason I care about the order of the line numbers is that this is the order that the data will be loaded into the new RDBMS. A query is going to loop through the file to obtain result sets based on the values in this file. The target RDBMS (SAP) is configured so that if there is an attempt to load a child object before it's parent then the whole import fails. So, as an example, if you have the following records in a source file, where the record on the left is the child and the one on the right is the parent...
        A1-4100-YZX-002|A1-4100
        A1-4100|A1
        A1-4200-ABC-001|A1-4200
        A1-4200|A1
        A1-4100-YZX-002-01|A1-4100-YZX-002

        In this order the data will not load. What I am trying to do is re-order the same data as....
        A1|TOP
        A1-4100|A1
        A1-4100-YZX-002|A1-4100
        A1-4100-YZX-002-01|A1-4100-YZX-002
        A1-4200|A1
        A1-4200-ABC-001|A1-4200

        This would also load....
        A1|TOP
        A1-4100|A1
        A1-4200|A1
        A1-4100-YZX-002|A1-4100
        A1-4100-YZX-002-01|A1-4100-YZX-002
        A1-4200-ABC-001|A1-4200
        I don't need to worry about the very,very top number "A1" as this is pre-configured in the target database as the highest-on-high, everything else needs to follow below.

        I think that the problem may (and I stress "may") be that within the data, there are "child, father, grandfather" relationships, however, your last statement about the "random" order of the returned hash keys and returning the result set in a specific order by sorting "before" the grep function may be the "key" (sorry for the pun on the word key, couldn't help it)
        regards
        SlackyB
[reply]

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