1./COLLATING_SEQUENCE=(SEQUENCE=ASCII,IGNORE=("-"," ")) This /COLLATING_SEQUENCE qualifier with an IGNORE option specified results in the following fields being compared as equal before tie breaking: 252-3412 252 3412 2523412 2./COLLATING_SEQUENCE=(SEQUENCE=("A"-"L","LL","M"-"R","RR","S"-"Z")) This /COLLATING_SEQUENCE qualifier defines a sequence in which the double character LL collates as a single character between L and M, and the double character RR collates as a single character between R and S. These double characters would otherwise appear in their usual alphabetical order. By default, this user-defined sequence does not define any other characters, such as lowercase a to z. 3./COLLATING_SEQUENCE=(SEQUENCE= ("AN","EB","AR","PR","AY","UN","UL", "UG","EP","CT","OV","EC","0"-"9"), MODIFICATION=("'"="19"), FOLD) This /COLLATING_SEQUENCE qualifier defines a collating sequence. It includes a user-defined sequence that gives each month a unique value in chronological order. For example, if you want to order a file called SEMINAR.DAT according to the date, the file SEMINAR.DAT would be set up as follows: 16 NOV 1983 Communication Skills 05 APR 1984 Coping with Alcoholism 11 Jan '84 How to Be Assertive 12 OCT 1983 Improving Productivity 15 MAR 1984 Living with Your Teenager 08 FEB 1984 Single Parenting 07 Dec '83 Stress --- Causes and Cures 14 SEP 1983 Time Management The primary key is the year field; the secondary key is the month field. Because the month field is not numeric and you want the months ordered chronologically, you must define your own collating sequence. You can do this by sorting on the second two letters of each month-in their chronological sequence-giving each month a unique key value. The MODIFICATION option specifies that the apostrophe (') be equated to 19, thereby allowing a comparison of '83 and 1984. The FOLD option specifies that uppercase and lowercase letters are treated as equal. The output from this sort operation appears as follows: 14 SEP 1983 Time Management 12 OCT 1983 Improving Productivity 16 NOV 1983 Communication Skills 07 Dec '83 Stress --- Causes and Cures 11 Jan '84 How to Be Assertive 08 FEB 1984 Single Parenting 15 MAR 1984 Living with Your Teenager 05 APR 1984 Coping with Alcoholism