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Column for unix

 
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# 1  
Old 09-28-2008
Column for unix
Hey there is column in linux, but its not a command in unix, i was wondering what a simple script would be that i could make to do something along the lines of column.
# 2  
Old 09-29-2008
what exactly you wanna do?? your question is not that clear..
# 3  
Old 09-29-2008
Try this:

Code:
#!/usr/bin/awk -f
BEGIN {
        if (!(maxwidth > 0)) maxwidth=80
}
length > maxlength {maxlength=length}
{a[NR]=$0}
END{
        maxlength++ # so we have a gap between columns
        cols=int(maxwidth/maxlength)
        f="%-"maxlength"s"
        for (i=1;i<=NR;i++) {
                printf(f,a[i])
                if (!(i%cols)) print ""
        }
        if (--i%cols) print ""
}

Let's say you call it mycolumns, you can specify the width to use using something like ls /tmp | mycolumns maxwidth=100. Otherwise it will default to 80.
# 4  
Old 09-29-2008
thanks for your reply but i dont want it to be in java, just using the basic commands within unix, i cant find the right command to use to make a basic like 1 line script that acts just like column in linux
# 5  
Old 09-29-2008
What about pr command, it can do columns (I used it a lot in my early days...)
# 6  
Old 09-29-2008
Question please show some examples
Some of us are not familiar with the columns command. Please show example(s) of input and desired output. And the rules used, if not very clear form the examples.

You may then see other creative solutions.
# 7  
Old 09-29-2008
the column utility takes input and formats it into columns (three columns as defualt i think) but its only in linux, not in unix. i know there are a few regular commands i can use to make a simple script to use it in unix, i just dont know the one command that could format it. would it be fmt
 
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