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seds to extract fields based on positions

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# 1  
Old 03-02-2011
seds to extract fields based on positions
Hi
My file has a series of rows up to 160 characters in length.

There are 7 columns for each row.

In each row, column 1 starts at position 4
column 2 starts at position 12
column 3 starts at position 43
column 4 starts at position 82
column 5 starts at position 86
column 6 starts at position 90 and
column 7 starts at position 90, and is variable in length

Are there sed commands which will allow me to strip out columns 2, 3 & 7, leaving a new file with just columns 1, 4, 5, and 6 ?

Many thanks

---------- Post updated at 12:09 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:06 PM ----------

I just noticed an error in my original post : column 7 start in position 98.
# 2  
Old 03-02-2011
It could be done. Post your sample data and the expected output format to get an idea.
# 3  
Old 03-02-2011
seds to extract fields based on character positions
Thanks Michael

from input :
Code:
   8022098 abcdefgh                       abcdefgh DRYING AREAS                  COM CMP 04/02/11 Job has actual completion date
   8028237 050 abcdefg LANE               ETN- RADIATOR HANGING OFF WALL, LEAKIN        CMP CMP 04/02/11 Invalid status change
   8046881 027 abcdefg ROAD               BUILDING SERVICES - REPAIR REQUIRED FO         CNN CNO 04/02/11 Invalid status change
   8117944 027 abcdef STREET              JNR-HEAVY WATER INGRESS AT BACK BEDROO        CNO ALO 04/02/11 Invalid status change

output should be :
Code:
8022098,COM,CMP,04/02/11
8028237,CMP,CMP,04/02/11
8046881,CNN,CNO,04/02/11
8117944,CNO,ALO,04/02/11

Many thanks again

---------- Post updated at 12:36 PM ---------- Previous update was at 12:31 PM ----------

I have noticed that the input data has got squashed up in the display.
I can confirm, however, that the character positions in my earlier post are accurate !
Last edited by Franklin52; 03-02-2011 at 07:53 AM.. Reason: Please use code tags
# 4  
Old 03-02-2011
By the time you'd noted that the spaces were truncated I'd written a Perl based solution as the issue seemed complex enough to warrant it when they weren't fixed length fields, it should work regardless of spaces used
Code:
~/$ cat test.dat
8022098 abcdefgh abcdefgh DRYING AREAS COM CMP 04/02/11 Job has actual completion date
8028237 050 abcdefg LANE ETN- RADIATOR HANGING OFF WALL, LEAKIN CMP CMP 04/02/11 Invalid status change
8046881 027 abcdefg ROAD BUILDING SERVICES - REPAIR REQUIRED FO CNN CNO 04/02/11 Invalid status change
8117944 027 abcdef STREET JNR-HEAVY WATER INGRESS AT BACK BEDROO CNO ALO 04/02/11 Invalid status change
~/$ perl -e 'while(<>){@record=split(/\s+/,$_); for ($i=0;$i < $#record;$i++){$date_index=$i if $record[$i] =~m{^\d{2}\/\d{2}\/\d{2}$};}print "$record[0],$record[$date_index - 2],$record[$date_index -1 ],$record[$date_index]\n";}'  test.dat
8022098,COM,CMP,04/02/11
8028237,CMP,CMP,04/02/11
8046881,CNN,CNO,04/02/11
8117944,CNO,ALO,04/02/11

# 5  
Old 03-02-2011
Or the sed/tr solution Smilie:
Code:
echo "   8022098 abcdefgh                       abcdefgh DRYING AREAS                  COM CMP 04/02/11 Job has actual completion date" | sed 's/^.\{3\}\(.\{8\}\).\{70\}\(.\{16\}\).*/\1\2/' | tr ' ' ','

Assuming you have spaces around your elements ...
# 6  
Old 03-02-2011
Bug seds to extract fields based on positions
Hi everyone
I went with Dahus' solution and it works great.
Many thanks to all contributions.
It is nice to know that there are so many warm-hearted and genuine colleagues who are willing to help novices.
# 7  
Old 03-02-2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by malts18
It is nice to know that there are so many warm-hearted and genuine colleagues who are willing to help novices.
I hope you understood why it works and how you can enhance the sed expression Smilie
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