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Full Discussion: Help with awk, where line length and field position are variable
Top Forums UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers Help with awk, where line length and field position are variable Post 302848881 by Cheese64 on Friday 30th of August 2013 09:38:17 AM
Old 08-30-2013
Help with awk, where line length and field position are variable
I have several questions about using awk. I'm hoping someone could lend me a hand. (I'm also hoping that my questions make sense.)

I have a file that contains pipe separated data. Each line has similar data but the number of fields and the field position on each line is variable.
Code:
cheese64@server$ cat file.txt 

1234567890|bbb|ccc|ddd|eee|fff|ggg|hhh|iii|jjj|kkk|lll 
1234567890|bbb|ccc|ddd|eee|hhh|iii|jjj|kkk|lll

Using the example above, I need to extract specific data from the following fields. (Shown below.) I'm struggling because the data on each line could be in a different position.

Code:
1234567890|bbb|ccc|eee|jjj|kkk|lll

Running a command like this works on the first line but not the second.
Code:
awk '{FS="|"} {print $2"|"$3"|"$5"|"$9"|"$10"|"$11}' file.txt

What's the best way for me to extract data for these fields?

Next, how can I print everything from x-field to the end of the line, when the number of fields is unknown (fields 9, 10 and 11, as an example). I'm sure there's a better way to get the last three fields, for example, without enumerating each field.

The following awk command gives me everything from $6 on but will also print $1-$5 again.
Code:
awk '{FS="|"} {print $2"|"$3"|"$5"|"$NF}' file.txt

Lastly, is there a way to print part of a field, followed by other fields? Using the example above, I'd like to print the following:

Code:
123456|bbb|ccc|ddd|eee|fff|ggg|hhh|iii|jjj|kkk|lll

How can I cut the last four digits from the first field and continue to print the rest of the fields?

Thanks for the help -
 

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gappletviewer

GAPPLETVIEWER(1)							GNU							  GAPPLETVIEWER(1)

NAME

       gappletviewer - Load and runs an applet

SYNOPSIS

       appletviewer [OPTION]... URL...

       appletviewer [OPTION]... -code CODE

       appletviewer [OPTION]... -plugin INPUT,OUTPUT

DESCRIPTION

       The appletviewer tool loads and runs an applet.

       Use the first form to test applets specified by tag.  The URL should resolve to an HTML document from which the appletviewer will extract
       applet tags.  The APPLET, EMBED and OBJECT tags are supported.  If a given document contains multiple applet tags, all the applets will be
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	       appletviewer http://www.gnu.org/software/classpath/

       Use the second form to test an applet in development.  This form allows applet tag attributes to be supplied on the command line.  Only one
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	       appletviewer -code Test.class -param datafile,data.txt

       gcjwebplugin uses the third form to communicate with the appletviewer through named pipes.

OPTIONS

       URL OPTIONS

       -debug
	   This option is not yet implemented but is provided for compatibility.

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	   Use this option to specify an alternate character encoding for the specified HTML page.

       APPLET TAG OPTIONS

       -code CODE
	   Use the -code option to specify the value of the applet tag CODE attribute.

       -codebase CODEBASE
	   Use the -codebase option to specify the value of the applet tag CODEBASE attribute.

       -archive ARCHIVE
	   Use the -archive option to specify the value of the applet tag ARCHIVE attribute.

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	   Use the -param option to specify values for the NAME and VALUE attributes of an applet PARAM tag.

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       -plugin INPUT,OUTPUT
	   gcjwebplugin uses the -plugin option to specify the named pipe the appletviewer should use for receiving commands (INPUT) and the one
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       DEBUGGING OPTION

       -verbose
	   Use the -verbose option to have the appletviewer print debugging messages.

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       -help
	   Use the -help option to have the appletviewer print a usage message, then exit.

       -version
	   Use the -version option to have the appletviewer print its version, then exit.

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BUGS

SEE ALSO

AUTHOR

0.98								    2010-07-05							  GAPPLETVIEWER(1)
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