[SOLVED] get fields using awk

ashok.g · 12-08-2009, 07:26 AM

I have a shell local variable like this:

Quote:

value=18:46:52

How can I assign the fields in the variable to different variables like a, b, c which will look like as:

Quote:

a=18 b=46 c=52

I tried it as :

Quote:

echo $value|awk `{BEGIN{FS=:}{a=$1;b=$2;c=$3}`

But it's not working. Can you help me?

Thanks,

pixellany · 12-08-2009, 07:46 AM

Does AWK have the ability to assign fields? (The man page will tell you)

This:

Quote:

a=$1;b=$2;c=$3

--if it were to do anything, it would assign the 3 field values to the variables a,b,c
But--awk returns field values with--eg-- print $1, so I'm not sure what the quoted syntax does.

How about this:

Code:

a=18
b=46
c=52
value="$a:$b:$c"

catkin · 12-08-2009, 07:47 AM

Code:

c:~$ value=18:46:52
c:~$ IFS=':' array=( $value )
c:~$ unset IFS    # Effectively set back to default
c:~$ a=${array[1]}
c:~$ echo $a
46

ashok.g · 12-08-2009, 08:10 AM

Thanks alot. It's working....!

ghostdog74 · 12-08-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashok.g

I have a shell local variable like this:

How can I assign the fields in the variable to different variables like a, b, c which will look like as:

I tried it as :

But it's not working. Can you help me?

Thanks,

you got your syntax wrong..

Code:

echo $value | awk 'BEGIN{FS=":"}{a=$1;b=$2;c=$3}'

please read the awk manual again.

catkin · 12-08-2009, 10:03 AM

If shell variables are to be set and awk is preferred then awk can be used to write shell variable assignments for the shell to execute using eval

Code:

#!/bin/bash

value='18:46:52'

eval $( echo "$value" | /usr/bin/awk -F ':' '
    { print "a=" $1 " b=" $2 " c=" $3}
' )

echo "DEBUG: a is $a, b is $b and c is $c"

The technique of embedding awk in shell scripts can be very useful, for example when a lot of string data has to be handled (awk runs a lot faster than shell script). For debugging the first and last lines can be changed so the generated assignment statements can be viewed

Code:

#eval $( echo "$value" | /usr/bin/awk -F ':' '
echo "$value" | /usr/bin/awk -F ':' '
    { print "a=" $1 " b=" $2 " c=" $3}
'
#' )

David the H. · 12-08-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catkin

Code:

c:~$ unset IFS    # Effectively set back to default

Unsetting IFS is not exactly the same as setting it back to default. The differences are still a bit unclear to me, but it could lead to problems in specific circumstances. I think it mostly affects how the shell treats null separators.

Better to store the original IFS away, then restore it when you're finished.

Code:

oldIFS="$IFS"

<your actions>

IFS="$oldIFS"

catkin · 12-08-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David the H.

Unsetting IFS is not exactly the same as setting it back to default. The differences are still a bit unclear to me, but it could lead to problems in specific circumstances.

It is not exactly the same because IFS does not exist any more but it is functionally (effectively) the same as documented in the links in this LQ post.

David the H. · 12-08-2009, 04:13 PM

Hmm. I must've missed your last response on that thread somehow. I know it was that thread I was thinking about that prompted me to post here. So I guess it's safe. But it would still be nice to confirm it 100%.

catkin · 12-09-2009, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David the H.

But it would still be nice to confirm it 100%.

Truly. It is unfortunate that the documentation is not conclusive and only implies it. We are left having to confirm it by usage -- until anyone reports an exception -- unless someone analyses the source code.