UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I need to make eleven output files, each corresponding to a different percentage combination. The format of these files has to be as in the post above.
Suppose we start with the 100-0%. The script needs to take the appropriate parameter and write it in the appropriate place. The first one is cdmass, so it needs to read the value in the table on column 2 (100-0), line 3 (cdradius), and substitute it in the output file at column 2, line 3. The next is cdradius, so it reads the value in the table at column 2 (100-0) line 5 (cdradius) and substitute it in the output file at column 3, line 3.
The same applies to all other parameters: so when making the 90-10 output file, it reads cdmass at column 3, line 3, and substitutes at column 2, line 3 of a new output file.
Essentially, I need a way to point at a specific value from a file identifying by column/line coordinates and to tell the program to substitute it at a specific column/line coordinate of another file.
I hope I've explained what I want to do: I understand that it might be a bit complicated to grasp. If there is a better way of doing it, which there almost certainly is, don't hesitate to tell me rather than chasing my probably needlessly complicated route.

I think this may do close to what you want:

Code:

# hydrogen.awk

FNR == 1 { FILECOUNT++ }

# Load master data table into memory
NR == FNR {     for(N=1; N<=NF; N++)
                {
                        DATA[NR, N]=$N;
#                       printf("DATA[%d,%d]=%s\n", NR, N, $N)>"/dev/stderr";
                }
                next    }

(FNR <= 2) || (FNR > 4) { print > FILENAME ".new"; next }

# All other lines
{
        print $1 " " substr(DATA[FNR,FILECOUNT],1,5) "        " substr(DATA[FNR+2, FILECOUNT], 1, 5) "                                       " $4>FILENAME ".new"
}

Use it like

Code:

awk -f hydrogen.awk mastertable.dat column1file column2file ...

It will produce output files like column1file.new and column2file.new

You must be sure to give it the files in order, as that's how it knows which one is which column.

Thanks for this, I managed to solve my problem.