cut(1)                                                     cut(1)



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

     SYNOPSIS
          cut -type [-d char] [-s] [file]...

     DESCRIPTION
          Use cut to cut out columns from a table or fields from each
          line of a file; in database parlance, it implements the pro-
          jection of a relation.  cut may be used as a filter; if no
          files are given, the standard input is used.

          type may be either c or f, followed by list.  The fields as
          specified by list may be fixed length, i.e., character posi-
          tions as on a punched card (-c flag option) or the length
          may vary from line to line and be marked with a field delim-
          iter character like TAB (-f flag option).  Note that -type
          (i.e., either the -c or -f flag option) must be specified.

          The meanings of the flag options are:

          list     A comma-separated list of integer field numbers (in
                   increasing order), with optional - to indicate
                   ranges as in the -o flag option of nroff/troff 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).

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

          -flist   The list 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.

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

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

     HINTS
          Use grep(1) to make horizontal cuts (by context) through a
          file, or paste(1) to put files together column-wise (i.e.,



     April, 1990                                                     1

     cut(1)                                                     cut(1)



          horizontally).  To reorder columns in a table, use cut and
          paste.

     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
          Line too long
               A line can have no more than 1023 characters or fields.
          Bad list for c/f flag option
               Missing -c or -f flag option or incorrectly specified
               list.  No error occurs if a line has fewer fields than
               the list calls for.
          No fields
               The list is empty.

     FILES
          /usr/bin/cut

     SEE ALSO
          awk(1), colrm(1), grep(1), paste(1), sed(1).




























     2                                                     April, 1990