cut(1)                         DG/UX R4.11MU05                        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
              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.

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


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