CUT(1) CUT(1)
NAME
cut, paste - rearrange columns of data
SYNOPSIS
cut -clist [ file ... ]
cut -flist [ -dchar ] [ file ... ]
paste [ -s ] [ -dlist ] file ...
DESCRIPTION
Cut selects fields from each line of the files (standard
input default). In data base parlance, it projects a rela-
tion. The fields can be fixed length, as on a punched card
(-c option), or be marked with a delimiter character (-f
option).
The meanings of the options follow. A list is a comma-
separated, increasing list of integers with optional - to
indicate ranges, for example 1,3-5,7.
-clist The list specifies character positions.
-flist The list specifies field numbers.
-dchar The character is the delimiter for the -f option.
Default is tab.
-s Suppress lines with no delimiter characters in case
of -f option. Normally such lines pass through
untouched.
Paste concatenates corresponding lines of the input files
and places the result on the standard output. The file name
`-' refers to the standard input. Lines are glued together
with tab characters, or with characters taken circularly
from an optionally specified list. The list may contain the
special escape sequences \n (newline), \t (tab), \\ (back-
slash), and \0 (empty string, not a null character).
Option -s causes paste to combine successive lines from one
file rather than corresponding lines from multiple files.
EXAMPLES
cut -d: -f1,3 /etc/passwd
mapping of login names to userids
NAME=`who am i | cut -f1 -d" "`
set NAME to current login name (subtly different from
`getuid')
CUT(1) CUT(1)
ls | paste - - - -
ls | paste -s '-d\t\n' -
4-column and 2-column file listing
SEE ALSO
grep(1), awk(1), sed(1), pr(1), column(1)
BUGS
Cut should handle disordered lists.
In default of file names, paste should read the the standard
input.