cut(1) DG/UX 5.4R3.00 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 cut to cut out columns from a table or fields from each line of a
file. In database parlance, cut implements the projection of a
relation. The fields as specified by list 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 tab (-f option). Either the -c or -f option must be
specified. Cut can be used as a filter; if no files are given, the
standard input is used.
Options are:
list A comma-separated list of integer field numbers (in
increasing order), with optional - to indicate 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 character
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 character (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 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
option. Unless specified, lines with no delimiters will be
passed through untouched.
International Features
cut can process characters from supplementary code sets.
Options:
-clist Positions list must be specified as column positions rather
than characters. When multibyte characters are split at a
specified position, the remaining column positions are filled
with an appropriate number of ASCII spaces instead of
characters.
-dchar The field delimiter char can be a character from a
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cut(1) DG/UX 5.4R3.00 cut(1)
supplementary code set.
EXAMPLES
$ who | cut -c1-11
nespole
hoopes
wadsworth
carpenter
simmons
degeorge
parnagian
eydenberg
rosenberger
Usually, the who command gives username, tty number, and date and
time that the user logged on the system. This information can be
piped through the cut command, and the result is a list of users
currently on the system.
Hints
Use grep(1) to make horizontal "cuts" (by context) through a file, or
paste(1) to put files together 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
or the Newline is missing.
bad list for c/f option
Missing -c or -f 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.
no delimiter
Missing char on -d option.
cannot handle multiple adjacent backspaces
Adjacent backspaces cannot be processed correctly.
cannot open filename
Either filename cannot be read or does not exist. If
multiple filenames are present, processing continues.
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cut(1) DG/UX 5.4R3.00 cut(1)
SEE ALSO
grep(1), paste(1).
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