Shell Programming and Scripting

Hi All,

I want to shift the last and second last line to 8 spaces in the right inside a file. please can somebody suggest a script for the same.

Thanks and Best Regards,
Shazin

tab size is generally 8 spaces.

you can try something like..

Code:

awk -v last_minus_2=$(cat file | wc -l) '{if(NR>(last_minus_2 - 2)) printf "\t%s\n", $0; else print $0 }' file

Hi Anchal,

Many thanks, also please can you describe how this command will work as I have never worked with awk.

Best Regards,
Shazin

---------- Post updated at 12:58 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:39 PM ----------

Hi Anchal,

Also it is giving Syntax error. Please can you help.

Best Regards,
Shazin

The logic is quite simple,

treat "last_minus_2" as "total_records" ( i have given that name with some other logic in my mind and forgot to change it.)

so,

Code:

awk -v total_records=$(cat file | wc -l) '{if(NR>(total_records - 2)) printf "\t%s\n", $0; else print $0 }' file

now,

Code:

-v total_records=$(cat file | wc -l)

define the awk variable "total_records" that contains the total number of records ( total lines) in the file.

Code:

'{if(NR>(total_records - 2)) printf "\t%s\n", $0; else print $0 }'

NR is an awk system variable which denotes the number of the current record.
so, if that number is "last" or "second last" then append a "\t".


update:

what error are you getting?

Hi Anchal,

Many Thanks.... Got the logic perfectly.....

I am getting the below error:

Error
awk: syntax error near line 1
awk: bailing out near line 1

can you post exactly what you typed?

---------- Post updated at 01:41 PM ---------- Previous update was at 01:40 PM ----------

also which OS?

Hi Anchal,

I typed the below code:

Code:
awk -v total_records = $( cat redirects.virgin-atlantic.com.conf | wc -l ) '{ if ( NR > ( total_records - 2 ) ) printf "\t%s\n", $0 ; else print $0 }' redirects.virgin-atlantic.com.conf

I am using the below version:
SunOS 5.8 Generic_108528-23 sun4u sparc SUNW,Sun-Fire-280R

Many Thanks,
Shazin