Shell Programming and Scripting

awk '
    /=/ {
        for( i = 1; i <= NF; i++ )
        {
            if( substr( $(i), 1, 1 ) == "=" )
                $(i) = "__________[" count++ "]";    # corrected
        }
    }
    { print; }
' text-file

I currently use LaTeX together with a sed script to
set cloze =test papers for my students. I currently pepend
=and equals sign to the front of the words I want to leave out
in the finished =test, =perpendicular, for example. I am
able to number the =blanks using a variable in LaTeX. I
would like to switch from using =LatTeX to using =groff typesetting.

I currently use LaTeX together with a sed script to 
set cloze __________[0] papers for my students. I currently pepend 
__________[1] equals sign to the front of the words I want to leave out 
in the finished __________[2] __________[3] for example. I am 
able to number the __________[4] using a variable in LaTeX. I 
would like to switch from using __________[5] to using __________[6] typesetting.

I am =honored to be with you =today at your commencement =from =one =of =the =finest universities in the world. I never =graduated from =college. Truth be told, this is the =closest I've =ever =gotten to a =college =graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories =from =my =life. That's it. =No =big =deal. Just three stories.

I am __________[1] to be with you __________[2] at your commencement __________[3] __________[4] __________[5] __________[6] __________[7] universities in the world. I never __________[8] from __________[9] Truth be told, this is the __________[10] I've __________[11] __________[12] to a __________[9]=graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories __________[3] __________[13] __________[14] That's it. __________[15] __________[16] __________[17] Just three stories.

The __________[18] __________[19] is __________[20] connecting the __________[21]

nawk '/=/{for(i=1;i<=NF;i++) if ($i ~/^=/) $i=("_______[" ++count "]" FS substr($i,2))}1' myFile

($i ~/^=/)

 awk '
    /=/ {
        for( i = 1; i <= NF; i++ )
        {
            if( substr( $(i), 1, 1 ) == "=" )
                $(i) = "__________[" count++ "]";    # corrected
        }
    }
    { print; }

I am =honored to be with you =today at your
commencement =from =one =of =the =finest universities
in the world. I never =graduated from =college. Truth
be told, this is the =closest I've =ever =gotten to a
=college =graduation. Today I want to tell you three
stories =from =my =life. That's it. =No =big =deal.
Just three stories.

I am __________[0] to be with you __________[1] at your
commencement __________[2] __________[3] __________[4] __________[5] __________[6] universities
in the world. I never __________[7] from __________[8] Truth
be told, this is the __________[9] I've __________[10] __________[11] to a
__________[12] __________[13] Today I want to tell you three
stories __________[14] __________[15] __________[16] That's it. __________[17] __________[18] __________[19]
Just three stories.