Sort command help

[millhouze]

I need to take a file, put a certain field in ABC order and number each line.
After that is finished I need to return the file to it's original order with the numbered field added.

I am told I need to use sort and gawk.

I have this so far

awk '{printf("%5d : %s\n", NR,$0)}' to put the number on each line.

Anyone help me out?

[Thinker]

Hi millhouze,
This sure looks like a homework.

Read the man page of sort and the following webpages on gawk/awk to "sort it out" : -

http://hal.csd.auth.gr/thelug/faqs/gawk.html

http://www.cs.hmc.edu/qref/awk.html

With Regards,
Thinker