CUT(1)               INTERACTIVE UNIX System               CUT(1)



          NAME
               cut - cut out selected fields of each line of a file

          SYNOPSIS
               cut -clist [file ...]
               cut -flist [-dchar] [-s] [file ...]

          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 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).  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 standard input.

               The meanings of the options are:

               list     A comma-separated list of integer field numbers (in
                        increasing order), with optional - to indicate
                        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 charac-
                        ter 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 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.

               -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.

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

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



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          CUT(1)               INTERACTIVE UNIX System               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:  line too long
                           A line can have no more than 1023 characters or
                           fields, or there is no new-line character.

               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>
                           Either filename cannot be read or does not
                           exist.  If multiple file names are present, pro-
                           cessing continues.

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





















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