Uhm, if the file is clean you can use something like this: data = """\ 200501221530 John *** long string here ***
200504151625
Clyde
*** clyde's long string here ***
200503130935
Jeremy
*** jeremy string here ****"""
records = [rec.split("\n") for rec in data.split("\n\n")]
records.sort()
print records
If it's not clean, you have to put some more cheeks/cleanings.
Bye,
bearophile
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