UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hello, Experts,

I have a file with the first and second column connected together, and i want to use vi to seperate them (put a space in between).

Is there any command in vi would put a space after the 7th letter?

Thanks!

example:
0.981101.517
2.944101.517
4.907101.517

In VI:

Code:

:%s/......./& /

(after the 7th character, giving...)

Code:

0.98110 1.517
2.94410 1.517
4.90710 1.517

Please show the expected output if that is off the mark!

This will do it. But it will also change other columns and put extra two lines of 0.0000 after each line.

One more question, what is & do in the command, does that mean after the pattern I searched, keep the pattern and add things?

Thanks.

Yes, & is the matched pattern (seven characters).

I don't understand your first point. This only adds a space after the first seven characters in each line. Nothing else.

0.981101.517 0.4385 0.1625 0.5312 0.1108 0.1038 0.0142
2.944101.517 0.4815 0.1263 0.4148 0.1724 0.0928 0.0321
4.907101.517 0.4736 0.0343 0.3402 0.0970 0.0829 0.0077
6.870101.517 0.6628 0.2186 0.7098 0.2266 0.0000 0.0000


this is actually what is before

and after

0.981 101.517 0. 4385 0.1625 0. 5312 0.1108 0. 1038 0.0142
2.944 101.517 0. 4815 0.1263 0. 4148 0.1724 0. 0928 0.0321
4.907 101.517 0. 4736 0.0343 0. 3402 0.0970 0. 0829 0.0077
6.870 101.517 0. 6628 0.2186 0. 7098 0.2266 0. 0000 0.0000


sorry, my mistake. it did not put extra two 0.0000 there. I looked wrong. but it did changed the structure of the later column.

I don't see how, unless you added the g modifier

i.e.

Code:

%s/...../& /g

so after i used the command, the 0.4385 became 0. 4385, one more space between them. i guess if i do this, it might work.
:%s/^......./& /

---------- Post updated at 11:49 AM ---------- Previous update was at 11:48 AM ----------

Thank you so much~ it worked!