UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I have a file from which I need to collect lines to another file. I know how to use 'grep' for this, but I don't know how to do when I wan't several lines after the search word, and the amount of lines I need varies from case to case.

The file I search in looks something like this:

>8534734
ddkdfdmdmgdgfdgdgdgd
dgdgafasdffsfsfdsfdgtfhj
fdhlffff
>586993
fglslmsvmsmgfsdggdgsdqqg
fhdfdd

...and so on.

I have the numbers (my search 'input'), and I need the numbers AND the rows with letters following. Can I somehow tell the computer to give me everthing from the number to the next '>'?
I have figured how to get the thing that I search for, and a certain amount of rows after that (by using grep -A number 'word' file), but thats not really what I wan't....

Here's an example how you can get the first part:

Code:

awk -v num=">8534734" '
$0 ~ num{p++;next}
p && />.*/{p=0}
p{print}
' file

Regards

Sorry, but I don't understand how to use that code... I just wrote it, but it didn't worked. Maybe I shuold say that I use Putty, since I have a windows computer. And I don't know anything about programing.

you might be happier with something like this ...

awk -v num=">8534734" '
BEGIN {
FS="\n"
RS=""
}
{
print $1 ", " $2 ", " $3
}
p{print}
' test

8534734 is your search term and replace test with the name of your file

I just get syntax error when I'm trying. I might be writing the code wrong. I can't change lines as you do, so I have to write all the lines in one, and then I'm not sure if I should put a "space" where you change line, or what I should do. If I try to change line, Putty takes that as a "run".

If I understand correctly that you want additional lines after the matched line, do "man grep" and read about the -A option. I think it does what you want.

ShawnMilo

I have tried o use -A, and sure, it works, but not as I want. I don't always want the same number of lines, so if I use -A I still have to look throught everything manually and delete lines that I don't want.