UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Dear all!

I want to find the maximum value in two specific columns with numbers, and then print the entire line containing this value. The file may look like:

1001 34.5 68.7 67
1002 22.0 40.1 32
1003 11.3 34.8 45

I want to find the maximum value within column 2 and 3, which means I want the following output (because the maximum value is 68.7):

1001 34.5 68.7 67

I hope there is someone able to help me on this!

Thanks!

Hey kingkong ,

Heres the solution

where your data is in file.txt
do let me know if it works
cheers ,

Gaurav

Hey Gaurav!

First of all, many thanks for your time!

I do not get the code to work as desired. The first error message I get reads "integer expression expected". When I try again with column 2 and 3 given as integers, all lines within file.txt are printed, and not only the line containing the maximum value. I would really appreciate if you have som further comments to this.

Best regards
Kingkong

>t.awk

Code:

BEGIN {
val=0;
line=1;
}
{
if( $2 > $3 )
{
   if( $2 > val )
   {
      val=$2;
      line=$0;
   }
}
else
{
   if( $3 > val )
   {
      val=$3;
      line=$0;
   }
}
}
END{
print line
}

Code:

awk -f t.awk filename

Hello Matrixmadhan!

The code works excellent! Thank you very much and best regards!

Kingkong

Hi Kingkong the code is working fine for me as you can observe below

I used your data only as input.

Can some guru please throw some light on it. Is this due to differnce of shell.
I am using sh. Kingkong which shell you are using.

Regards,
Gaurav

Hey Gaurav, and thanks again!

I use bash shell. However, by typing #!/bin/sh at the top of the script a thought I would convert to sh shell. I tried this, but the code does still not work for me.

Best regards,
Kingkong