creating conditions for making a new line? - UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Audra · #1 03-28-2008

Basically I want to change this:

a:b
c:d:e
f:g
h:i:j
k:l

into

a:b
c
d:e
f:g
h
i:j
k:l

so like if there is two :'s in one line making the first into a new line. If anyone knows how to do this I would be very appreciative!

fpmurphy · #2 03-28-2008

Code:

awk  'BEGIN { FS=":"; OFS=":" }
NF == 3 { printf "%s\n%s:%s\n", $1, $2, $3 }
NF != 3 { print }
' myfile

radoulov · #3 03-28-2008

Code:

awk 'NF==3?sub(/:/,RS):1' FS=: file

Use awk or /usr/xpg4/bin/awk on Solaris.

or:

Code:

sed '/:.*:/{s/:/\
/;}' file

Audra · #4 03-28-2008

[quote=radoulov;302179620]

Code:

awk 'NF==3?sub(/:/,RS):1' FS=: file

Use awk or /usr/xpg4/bin/awk on Solaris.

This is kind of working but it is sometimes deleting the second field rather than just creating a new line.

radoulov · #5 03-28-2008

Could you please post the input that causes this behaviour?

Thank you!

Audra · #6 03-28-2008

Code:

sed '/:.*:/{s/:/\
/;}' file

[/quote]

I am using Putty and it wont perform this command. It is returning this reply:

-bash-2.05b$ sed '/:.*:/{s/:/\/;}' ./assignment1/question3/a.txt
sed: -e expression #1, char 15: Unterminated `s' command

Do you know why? Am I typing the command wrong?

radoulov · #7 03-28-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audra

I am using Putty and it wont perform this command. It is returning this reply:

-bash-2.05b$ sed '/:.*:/{s/:/\/;}' ./assignment1/question3/a.txt
sed: -e expression #1, char 15: Unterminated `s' command

Do you know why? Am I typing the command wrong?

Yes ther's a new line after the \ character:
Is this a homework?

More UNIX and Linux Forum Topics You Might Find Helpful
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
creating a new profile from command line	cleansing_flame	OS X (Apple)	2	12-03-2007 06:57 PM
making sure a command line paramter is a number	rcunn87	Shell Programming and Scripting	3	07-13-2006 07:36 AM
Creating a line for printing	jhansrod	Shell Programming and Scripting	3	06-17-2005 02:38 AM
Making multi line output appear on one line	djsal	Shell Programming and Scripting	1	10-07-2004 03:21 PM
Making Emacs to show line number	saurya_s	UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers	9	01-28-2004 10:32 AM

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode