Manual page for CUT(1V)
cut - remove selected fields from each line of a file
SYNOPSIS
cut
-clist
[
filename
...
]
cut
-flist
[
-dc
]
[
-s
]
[
filename
...
]
AVAILABILITY
This command is available with the
System V
software installation option. Refer to
[a manual with the abbreviation INSTALL]
for information on how to install optional software.
DESCRIPTION
Use
cut
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
list
can be of fixed length,
(such as on a punched card),
or of variable length between lines. They can
be marked with a field delimiter character, such as
TAB
(as specified with the
-d
option).
cut
can be used as a filter;
if no files are given, the standard input is used.
In addition,
a file name of
`-'
explicitly refers to the standard input.
OPTIONS
- -clist
-
By character position.
list
is a comma-separated list of integer field numbers (in increasing order),
with an optional
`-'
to indicate ranges:
-
- 1,4,7
-
characters 1, 4 and 7
- 1-3,8
-
characters 1 through 3, and 8
- -5,10
-
characters (1) through 5, and 10
- 3-
-
characters 3 through (last)
- -flist
-
By field position.
Instead of character positions,
list
specifies fields that are separated a delimiter (normally a
TAB):
-
- 1,4,7
-
fields 1, 4 and 7
Lines with no field delimiters are normally passed through intact (to
allow for subheadings).
- -dc
-
Set the field delimiter to
c.
The default is a
TAB.
Characters with special meaning to the shell such as a
TAB
or
SPACE
characters,
must be quoted.
- -s
-
Suppress lines with no delimiter characters.
EXAMPLES
- cut -d: -f1,5 /etc/passwd
-
Mapping of user
IDs
to names.
- name=who am i | cut -f1 -d" "
-
Set
name
to the current login name.
SEE ALSO
grep.1v
paste.1v
DIAGNOSTICS
- ERROR: line too long
-
A line can have no more than 1023 characters or fields.
- ERROR: 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.
- ERROR: no fields
-
The
list
is empty.
- ERROR: no delimiter
-
Missing
char
on
-d
option.
- ERROR: cannot handle multiple adjacent backspaces
-
Adjacent backspaces cannot be processed correctly.
- WARNING: cannot open filename: reason
-
Either
filename
cannot be read or does not exist.
If multiple filenames are present, processing continues.
- WARNING: I/O error reading filename: reason
-
An I/O error occurred when reading
filename.
If multiple filenames are present, processing continues.
Created by unroff & hp-tools.
© somebody (See intro for details). All Rights Reserved.
Last modified 11/5/97