UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi all,

I'm a little stuck with a data file I've been collecting data in. The file contains one field of data running continuously down the file and I can't work out how to format the data into three columns.

This is a mock up of the file: Each r# is a random number and varies in length, this goes down the file for a long ways.

Code:

r1
r2
r3
r1
r2
r3
r1
r2
r3

This is how i'd like it to look with three columns of data.

Code:

r1         r2          r3
r1         r2          r3
r1         r2          r3

Also with awk I can get data based on a field number ($1, $2) is there anyway of selecting data based on a line number?

Thanks for any responses,
nistleloy

Code:

awk '{ORS = (NR %3 == 0 )? "\n" : "\t" } 1' file

Code:

awk '{printf (NR %3 == 0 )? $0"\n" : $0"\t" }' file

Assuming your records are bases on lines NR is the line number.

Code:

awk 'NR==1{s=$1;printf "%s",$1;next}
$1!=s{ printf "\t%s",$1}
$1==s{ print "";printf "%s",$1}' file

Thanks for your responses - that's help immensely.

/nistleloy