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awk - count character count of fields

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# 1  
Old 11-28-2012
Linux awk - count character count of fields
Hello All,

I got a requirement when I was working with a file. Say the file has unloads of data from a table in the form

Code:
1|121|asda|434|thesi|2012|05|24|
1|343|unit|09|best|2012|11|5|

I was put into a scenario where I need the field count in all the lines in that file. It was simply achieved by
Code:
 awk -F"|" '{print NF}' file

Now the case is, I need the count of characters in a field. For example,

Code:
 head -2 file | awk -F"|" '{do something}'

Output should be,
Code:
1-3-4-3-5-4-2-2
1-3-4-2-4-4-2-1

Thanks Smilie

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Last edited by PikK45; 11-28-2012 at 04:00 AM.. Reason: Inappropriate Title
# 2  
Old 11-28-2012
Try:
Code:
awk -F"|" '{for (i=1;i<NF;i++) printf length($i)"-";printf length($NF)"\n"}' file

This User Gave Thanks to bartus11 For This Post:
Fundix
# 3  
Old 11-28-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by bartus11
Try:
Code:
awk -F"|" '{for (i=1;i<NF;i++) printf length($i)"-";printf length($NF)"\n"}' file

As per OP's input. it should be NF-1

Code:
awk -F"|" '{for (i=1;i<(NF-1);i++) printf length($i)"-";printf length($(NF-1))"\n"}' file

OR

Code:
awk -F "|" '{for(i=1;i<NF;i++){s=s?s"-"length($i):length($i)}print s;s=""}' file

Last edited by pamu; 11-28-2012 at 04:44 AM.. Reason: correction..
# 4  
Old 11-28-2012
I guess printf length($NF)"\n" is used to make the jump line, but i do not understand its usage.
Can you detail it please ?

Thank You
# 5  
Old 11-28-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fundix
I guess printf length($NF)"\n" is used to make the jump line, but i do not understand its usage.
Can you detail it please ?

Thank You
It is just attaching newline character to the end of the last field's length.
This User Gave Thanks to bartus11 For This Post:
Fundix
# 6  
Old 11-28-2012
Thank you guys Smilie

Especially, bartus11 & pamu. Actually I thought of using sizeof() as in C. Smilie
# 7  
Old 11-28-2012
Alternatively:
Code:
awk '{for(i=1;i<NF;i++)$i=length($i)}NF--' FS=\| OFS=- file

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