CUT(1)                    USER COMMANDS                    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 _c_u_t 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  _l_i_s_t
     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 _t_a_b
     (-f option).  _C_u_t can be used as a filter; if no  files  are
     given, the standard input is used.

     The meanings of the options are:

     _l_i_s_t     A comma-separated list of  integer  field  numbers,
              with  optional  -  to  indicate ranges as in the -o
              option of _n_r_o_f_f/_t_r_o_f_f 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).

     -c_l_i_s_t   The _l_i_s_t following -c specifies character positions
              (e.g., -c1-72 would pass the first 72 characters of
              each line).

     -f_l_i_s_t   The _l_i_s_t 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.

     -d_c_h_a_r   The character following -d is the  field  delimiter
              (-f  option only).  Default is _t_a_b.  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.

     Either the -c or -f option must be specified.

HINTS
     Use _g_r_e_p(1) to make horizontal ``cuts'' (by context) through
     a file, or _p_a_s_t_e(1) to put files together column-wise (i.e.,
     horizontally).  To reorder columns in a table, use  _c_u_t  and
     _p_a_s_t_e.



Sun Release 3.2           Last change:                          1






CUT(1)                    USER COMMANDS                    CUT(1)



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
     Error messages may come from getopt(3). All  error  messages
     contain limits for line and field lenghts.

SEE ALSO
     grep(1), paste(1).  getopt(3)










































Sun Release 3.2           Last change:                          2