cut(1) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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CUT(1)                  NetBSD General Commands Manual                  CUT(1)


NAME

     cut -- select portions of each line of a file


SYNOPSIS

     cut -b list [-n] [file ...]
     cut -c list [file ...]
     cut -f list [-d delim] [-s] [file ...]


DESCRIPTION

     The cut utility selects portions of each line (as specified by list) from
     each file (or the standard input by default), and writes them to the
     standard output.  The items specified by list can be in terms of column
     position or in terms of fields delimited by a special character. Column
     numbering starts from 1.

     List is a comma or whitespace separated set of increasing numbers and/or
     number ranges.  Number ranges consist of a number, a dash (-), and a sec-
     ond number and select the fields or columns from the first number to the
     second, inclusive.  Numbers or number ranges may be preceded by a dash,
     which selects all fields or columns from 1 to the first number.  Numbers
     or number ranges may be followed by a dash, which selects all fields or
     columns from the last number to the end of the line.  Numbers and number
     ranges may be repeated, overlapping, and in any order.  It is not an
     error to select fields or columns not present in the input line.

     The options are as follows:

     -b list     The list specifies byte positions.

     -c list     The list specifies character positions.

     -d string   Use the first character of string as the field delimiter
                 character instead of the tab character.

     -f list     The list specifies fields, delimited in the input by a single
                 tab character.  Output fields are separated by a single tab
                 character.

     -n          Do not split multi-byte characters.

     -s          Suppresses lines with no field delimiter characters.  Unless
                 specified, lines with no delimiters are passed through unmod-
                 ified.


EXIT STATUS

     cut exits 0 on success, 1 if an error occurred.


SEE ALSO

     paste(1)


STANDARDS

     The cut utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (``POSIX.2'').

NetBSD 3.0.2                     June 6, 1993                     NetBSD 3.0.2