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Awk
Awk syntax: awk [options] '[/pattern/] {action}' [input-file]
-F Specify field separator awk -F: '{print $1}' /etc/passwd
/pattern/ Execute actions only for matched pattern awk -F: '/root/ {print $1}' /etc/passwd
BEGI BEGI !lock is executed once at the start awk -F: 'BEG! { print "uid"} { print $1 }' /etc/passwd
E" E" !lock is executed once at the end awk -F: '{print $1} E!# { print "-done-"}' /etc/passwd
Awk built-in variables
FS
Input field separator# Specify the input-file field delimiter# "efault is space#
$FS $utput field separator# Fields printed out are separated usin% this &alue# "efault is space#
'S 'ecord separator# Specify the input file record delimiter# "efault is new line#
$'S $utput record separator# 'ecords printed out are separated usin% this &alue# "efault is new line#
F um!er of fields in the current record#
' um!er of the record# Indicates the total num!er of records processed at that point#
FI(EA)E *ontains current input-file that is %ettin% processed# Set to +-, while processin% from stdin/pipe#
F'
n %
File +um!er of the record,# For multiple files- F' is reset for e&ery file#
S.BSE/
n %
Su!script separator for array indexes# "efault is 012340
'S5A'5
n %
)atch function sets 'S5A'5 with the startin% location of str6 in str7#
'(EG58
n %
)atch function sets '(EG58 with len%th of the str6#
A'G*
n %
5otal num!er of ar%uments passed to awk script#
A'G9
n %
Array containin% all awk script ar%uments# Indexed from 2 throu%h A'G*
A'GI"
%
Index to A'G9 to retrie&e the current file name
$F)5
n %
Awk uses this to decide how to print &alues# "efault is 0:#;%0
E9I'$
%
Array containin% all en&ironment &aria!les and &alues# e#%# E9I'$<0/A580=
IG$'E*ASE
%
"efault is 2# >hen set to 6- it is case insensiti&e for strin% and re%-ex comparisons#
E''$
%
*ontains error messa%e of an I/$ operation# e#%# while usin% %etline function#
Awk operators
Strin% .se an empty space for strin% concatenation# e#%# str$ % str1 str&
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Assi%nment x ? x @ 7 is same as x += 7# Similarly use -?- A?- /?- and :?
*onditional B- B?- C- C?- ??- D?- EE Ffor andG- HH Ffor orG
'e%-ex ~ for match operator# ~= for +no match operator,
Awk conditional statements and loops
if if Fconditional-expressionG action
if else if Fconditional-expressionG action6 else action7
while while FconditionG action
do while do action while FconditionG
for for FinitialiIationJ conditionJ increment/decrementG action
!reak Kump out of the innermost loopin% that encloses it#
continue Skip o&er the rest of the loop !ody and start the cycle a%ain#
exit Stop executin% the script and exit
Awk associative arrays
Basics Assi%n element : arrayname<strin%=?&alue e#%# ite'[1()]%"*aser +rinter"
'efer element : &aria!le?arrayname<strin%= e#%# ',-ar%ite'[1()]
"elete element : delete arrayname<index= e#%# delete ite'[1()]
Browse elements : for F&ar in arraynameG actions e#%# for ./ in ite'0 print ite'[/]
asort asort function sorts the array &alues and stores them in indexes from 6 throu%h n# >here n is the total
num!er of elements in the array#
asorti Kust like sortin% array &alues- you can take all the array indexes- sort them- and store it in a new array
usin% asorti function#
Awk printf command
Format
specifier
s ? Strin% e ? Exponential floatin% point o ? $ctal
c ? Sin%le character f ? Fixed floatin% point x ? 8exadecimal
d ? "ecimal % ? .se either e or f : ? /ercenta%e sym!ol
Special
character
1n ? ewline 1t ? 5a! 1& ? 9ertical ta!
1! ? Backspace 1r ? *arria%e return 1f ? Form feed
um!er Fixed >idth# um!er immediately after :# e#%# 0:Ls0# By default it is ri%ht Mustified
- Fixed >idth Fleft MustifiedG# )inus sym!ol immediately after : and !efore num!er# e#%# 0:-Ls0
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2 (eadin% Ieros# Add a 2 FIeroG !efore the num!er# e#%# 0:2Ls0
Awk Functions
indexFstr6-str7G Gi&e location of str7 in str6
len%thFstr6G (en%th of the strin%
splitFstr-arr-sepG Splits the strin% FstrG usin% separator FsepG and stores output in the array FarrG
su!strFstr-loc-lenG Extracts num!er of characters FlenG from strin% FstrG- startin% at location FlocG
su!Fstr6-str7-&arG
n %
In the input strin% F&arG- str6 is replaced with str7- and output is stored !ack in &ar
%su!Fstr6-str7-&arG
n %
Same as su!- !ut %lo!al# It does multiple su!stitutions on the same input strin% F&arG#
matchFstr6-str7G
n %
'eturns positi&e num!er when str6 is present in str7#
toupperFstrG
%
*on&erts str to upper-case
tolowerFstrG
%
*on&erts str to lower-case
umeric initFnG- lo%FnG- sNrtFnG- sinFnG- cosFnG- atan7Fm-nG
'andom um!er randFG - random num!er !etween 2 and 6
srandFnG O %enerate random num!er from n
Additional Awk Commands
print /rint a record- or field- or &alue
HE
%
5wo way communication !etween awk command and external process
systemFcmdG Execute the .nix $S command FcmdG from awk
systimeFG
%
*urrent time in epoch time# *om!ine with strftime
%
# e#%# print strftimeF0:c0-systimeFGG
%etline 'ead the next line from the input-file# Sets P2- F- '- F'
%etline &ar 'ead next line from the input-file and store it in &aria!le F&arG# Sets '- F'
%etline C file
n %
'ead next line from another input-file# Sets P2- F
%etline &ar C file
n %
'ead next line from another input-file and store it in &aria!le F&arG#
cmd H %etline Execute .nix $S command FcmdG and store output in P2
n %
is A>Q and GA>Q $nly#
%
is GA>Q $nly#
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