join(1) join(1)
NAME
join - relational database operator
SYNOPSIS
join [-an] [-e string] [-jn m] [-o list] [-tc] file1 file2
DESCRIPTION
join forms, on the standard output, a join of the two
relations specified by the lines of file1 and file2. If
file1 is -, the standard input is used.
file1 and file2 must be sorted in increasing ASCII collating
sequence on the fields on which they are to be joined,
normally the first in each line.
There is one line in the output for each pair of lines in
file1 and file2 that have identical join fields. The output
line normally consists of the common field, then the rest of
the line from file1, then the rest of the line from file2.
The default input field separators are blank, tab, or
newline. In this case, multiple separators count as one
field separator, and leading separators are ignored. The
default output field separator is a blank.
Some of the below flag options use the argument n. This
argument should be a 1 or a 2 referring to either file1 or
file2, respectively. The following flag options are
recognized:
-an In addition to the normal output, produce a line
for each unpairable line in file n, where n is 1 or
2.
-e s Replace empty output fields by string s.
-jn m join on the mth field of file n. If n is missing,
use the mth field in each file. Fields are
numbered starting with 1.
-o list Each output line comprises the fields specified in
list, each element of which has the form n. m,
where n is a file number and m is a field number.
The common field is not printed unless specifically
requested.
-tc Use character c as a separator (tab character).
Every appearance of c in a line is significant.
The character c is used as the field separator for
both input and output.
EXAMPLE
Page 1 (last mod. 1/16/87)
join(1) join(1)
If file1 contains:
Austen -
Bailey -
Clark -
Dawson -
Smith -
and file2 contains:
Austen Jack Anchor Brewery
Clark Maryann Shoeshop
Daniels Steve Computer Software
Dawson Sylvia Toot Sweets
Smith Sally Talcum Powdery
then
join -j1 1 -j2 1 -o 2.2 2.1 1.2 2.3 2.4 file1 file2
will generate
Jack Austen - Anchor Brewery
Maryann Clark - Shoeshop
Sylvia Dawson - Toot Sweets
Sally Smith - Talcum Powdery
join -j1 4 -j2 3 -o 1.1 2.1 1.6 -t: /etc/passwd
/etc/group
joins the password file and the group file, matching on the
numeric group ID, and the login name, the group name, and
the login directory. It is assumed that the files have been
sorted in ASCII collating sequence on the group ID fields.
FILES
/usr/bin/join
SEE ALSO
awk(1) comm(1), sort(1), uniq(1).
BUGS
With default field separation, the collating sequence is
that of sort -b; with -t, the sequence is that of a plain
sort.
The conventions of join(1), sort(1), comm(1), uniq (1) and
awk(1) are wildly incongruous.
Filenames that are numeric may cause conflict when the -o
flag option is used right before listing filenames.
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