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

Audra · #1 (**permalink**) 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 (**permalink**) 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 (**permalink**) 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 (**permalink**) 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 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008

Could you please post the input that causes this behaviour?

Thank you!

Audra · #6 (**permalink**) 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 (**permalink**) 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?

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