string list 'sort(field, nums = True)' method

IPython/genutils.py

@@ -1137,10 +1137,31 b' class SList(list):'
                 res.append(" ".join(lineparts))
             
         return res        
-                
-            
-            
+    def sort(self,field,  nums = False):
+        """ sort by specified fields (see fields())
+        
+        Example::
+            a.sort(1, nums = True)
+        
+        Sorts a by second field, in numerical order (so that 21 > 3)
         
+        """ 
+        
+        #decorate, sort, undecorate
+        dsu = [[SList([line]).fields(field),  line] for line in self]
+        if nums:
+            for i in range(len(dsu)):
+                numstr = "".join([ch for ch in dsu[i][0] if ch.isdigit()])
+                print numstr
+                try:
+                    n = int(numstr)
+                except ValueError:
+                    n = 0;
+                dsu[i][0] = n
+                
+                
+        dsu.sort()
+        return [t[1] for t in dsu]
 
 def print_slist(arg):
     """ Prettier (non-repr-like) and more informative printer for SList """

docs/source/changes.txt

@@ -29,7 +29,11 b' New features'
 	  Development Team" as the copyright holder.  We give more details about exactly
 	  what this means in this file.  All developer should read this and use the new
 	  banner in all IPython source code files.
-    * sh profile: ./foo runs foo as system command, no need to do !./foo anymore
+	* sh profile: ./foo runs foo as system command, no need to do !./foo anymore
+	* String lists now support 'sort(field, nums = True)' method (to easily
+	  sort system command output). Try it with 'a = !ls -l ; a.sort(1, nums=1)'
+
+	
 
 Bug fixes
 ---------