4.3BSD-UWisc/man/cat1/cut.1

CUT(1)              UNIX Programmer's Manual               CUT(1)



NAME
     cut - cut out selected fields of each line of a file

SYNOPSIS
     cut -clist [file1 file2 ...]
     cut -flist [-dchar] [-s] [file1 file2 ...]

DESCRIPTION
     Use _c_u_t to cut out columns from a table or fields from each
     line of a file; in data base parlance, it implements the
     projection of a relation.  The fields as specified by _l_i_s_t
     can be fixed length, i.e., character positions as on a
     punched card (-c option), or the length can vary from line
     to line and be marked with a field delimiter character like
     _t_a_b (-f option).  _C_u_t can be used as a filter; if no files
     are given, the standard input is used.

     The meanings of the options are:

     _l_i_s_t     A comma-separated list of integer field numbers (in
              increasing order), with optional - to indicate
              ranges as in the -o option of _n_r_o_f_f/_t_r_o_f_f for page
              ranges; e.g., 1,4,7; 1-3,8; -5,10 (short for
              1-5,10); or 3- (short for third through last
              field).

     -c_l_i_s_t   The _l_i_s_t following -c (no space) specifies charac-
              ter positions (e.g., -c1-72 would pass the first 72
              characters of each line).

     -f_l_i_s_t   The _l_i_s_t following -f is a list of fields assumed
              to be separated in the file by a delimiter charac-
              ter (see -d ); e.g. , -f1,7 copies the first and
              seventh field only.  Lines with no field delimiters
              will be passed through intact (useful for table
              subheadings), unless -s is specified.

     -d_c_h_a_r   The character following -d is the field delimiter
              (-f option only).  Default is _t_a_b.  Space or other
              characters with special meaning to the shell must
              be quoted.

     -s       Suppresses lines with no delimiter characters in
              case of -f option.  Unless specified, lines with no
              delimiters will be passed through untouched.

     Either the -c or -f option must be specified.

HINTS
     Use _g_r_e_p(1) to make horizontal ``cuts'' (by context) through
     a file, or _p_a_s_t_e(1) to put files together column-wise (i.e.,
     horizontally).  To reorder columns in a table, use _c_u_t and



Printed 12/27/86                                                1






CUT(1)              UNIX Programmer's Manual               CUT(1)



     _p_a_s_t_e.

EXAMPLES
     cut -d: -f1,5 /etc/passwd
                           mapping of user IDs to names

     name=`who am i | cut -f1 -d" "`
                           to set name to current login name.

DIAGNOSTICS
     _l_i_n_e _t_o_o _l_o_n_g
                 A line can have no more than 511 characters or
                 fields.

     _b_a_d _l_i_s_t _f_o_r _c/_f _o_p_t_i_o_n
                 Missing -c or -f option or incorrectly specified
                 _l_i_s_t.  No error occurs if a line has fewer
                 fields than the _l_i_s_t calls for.

     _n_o _f_i_e_l_d_s   The _l_i_s_t is empty.

SEE ALSO
     grep(1), paste(1).
































Printed 12/27/86                                                2