I am using Linux Mint Cinnamon 17.3 Rosa.

I have a large text file containing hundreds of lines. I want to reverse their order from top to bottom. As an example, if my text file was:

Lion
Hippo
Zebra
Monkey
Antelope
Yeti

then I want to reverse the order of these lines so that the text file is now:

Yeti
Antelope
Monkey
Zebra
Hippo
Lion

gedit can only sort lines into alphabetical order or reverse-alphabetical order. Neither of those are what I want.

As far as I recall in Windows I used to use Ted text editor to do the above.

I do not understand command line stuff, so a text editor or program with a GUI is what I seek please.

Thanks.

Would something like... ...work for you?

2 members found this post helpful.

No, sorry. As I wrote above, I do not understand command lines.

Fair enough, your loss.

1 members found this post helpful.

!

He gave you the exact command to use. It couldn't be any simpler.

Using Linux without the CLI is like buying a house in Miami and not going to the beach. It can be done, but you're truly missing out.

Anyhow, Happy New Year!

2 members found this post helpful.

To be fair, you should try it as it is a complete, simple, immediate answer to your question.

You don't have to understand it, just type it with your own file names replacing inputfile and outputfile and you will have your file in reverse order. For example if your input file is named myfile.txt then:

Just be sure to use a different name for the second file to prevent overwriting the original!

You should learn to use the tools available to you. If you are not using these simple filters then you are missing out on the main reason for using GNU/Linux!

1 members found this post helpful.

The file I want to reverse is not only located deep within a hierarchy or tree of folders, but is on my secondary HD as well. How do I navigate to that folder in the Console please, or find out what its file path is?

Thanks

You'd navigate with "cd" but maybe to find the file in the first place, you could use locate

It depends upon how your file manager and the like work but it may be as simple as finding it in the file manager then right-clicking and selecting "Open in terminal". If not then you should be able to find out the path from any application you open it in -- the full path is often listed and, if not, should be available if you look a little more into it.
Then, once in the terminal, changing directory is accomplished using the "cd" command which has autocomplete functionality so you can type things like "cd /home/grumpyscheptic/my" then tab to complete something like "my favourite files", for example. To list the contents of the current directory it's just "ls".

Edit: One of many basic guides.

So many time's I've wanted to do the same thing ... this is AWESOME!!! Thank you!

You're welcome, I came across it on one of those "silly commands" lists and thought it might come in handy so it stuck in my mind.

@273 - sorry I missed your post above.
Until you become comfortable with the 'CLI' you can use your file manager if you know 'where the file is'

1. Open your file manager and "copy" the directory the file is in - image
2. Open a terminal type "cd " <--- a space after cd
3. Right click in the terminal with your mouse and "Paste" from the menu and hit enter:
4. now you are in the directory where the file is you want to use:
5. just "tac" it
and the results.

OFF TOPIC
So I'll share a recent find with you: compgen
No man page - so: compgen Now that's a list!
Back to the topic.

1 members found this post helpful.

Thanks, I have followed Sector11's advice and the file is now nicely reversed.

It is actually a large Comma Separated Value file, and I have asked another question about any programs that can manipulate the columns etc in .csv files.