Differences

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--- awk:awk_field_separator_delimiters [2020/05/04 23:39] – peter
+++ awk:awk_field_separator_delimiters [2022/06/13 09:41] (current) – peter
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== AWK - AWK Field Separator Delimiters ======
-Assuming a file exists with the following contents:
+Assuming a file exists, **test.txt**, with the following contents:
 <file>
    Peter     Terence   Roux        45
-   Virginia  Genevive  Roux        45
+   Virginia  Genevieve  Roux        45
    Felix     Devon     Roux         5
    David     Bruce     Stevenson   48
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ----
-===== Specifying Field Separator Delimiter =====
+===== Specifying Input Field Separator Delimiter =====
-To set an alternative field delimiter, issue the following command:
+To set an alternative field delimiter:
-<code bash>
+<code awk>
-awk '{FS=":"}{print $2,$4}' /sharewiz/awk/test.txt
+awk '{FS=":"}{print $2,$4}' test.txt
 </code>
 or
-<code bash>
+<code awk>
-awk -F: '{print $2,$4}' /sharewiz/awk/test.txt
+awk -F: '{print $2,$4}' test.txt
 </code>
 <WRAP info>
 **NOTE:**  This is useful when a space is not being used as the delimiter in the input file.
-</WRAP>
+  * AWK **FS** is any single character or regular expression which you want to use as a input field separator.
+  * AWK **FS** can be changed any number of times, it retains its values until it is explicitly changed.
+    * If you want to change the field separator, its better to change before you read the line; so the change affects the line that is read.
+</WRAP>
 ----
@@ Line 37: / Line 41: @@
 ===== Specifying Output Field Separator Delimiter =====
-To set an alternative field delimiter for the output, issue the following command:
+To set an alternative field delimiter for the output:
-<code bash>
+<code awk>
-awk '{OFS="-"}{print $2,$4}' /sharewiz/awk/test.txt
+awk '{OFS="-"}{print $2,$4}' test.txt
 </code>
-which will display something like:
+returns:
 <code>
@@ Line 54: / Line 58: @@
 </code>
-The **OFS** variable is used to specify the output delimiter.
+<WRAP info>
+**NOTE:**  The **OFS** variable is used to specify the output delimiter.
+</WRAP>