CUT(1) OpenBSD Reference Manual CUT(1)NAMEcut - select portions of each line of a file
SYNOPSIScut-b list [-n] [file ...]
cut-c list [file ...]
cut-f list [-s] [-d delim] [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 numbers and/or number
ranges. Number ranges consist of a number, a dash (`-'), and a second
number which 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 delim
Use the first character of delim as the field delimiter
character. The default is the <TAB> character.
-f list
The list specifies fields, separated by the field delimiter
character. The selected fields are output, separated by the
field delimiter 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
unmodified.
EXIT STATUS
The cut utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.
EXAMPLES
Extract login names and shells from the system passwd(5) file as
``name:shell'' pairs:
$ cut-d : -f 1,7 /etc/passwd
Show the names and login times of logged in users:
$ who | cut-c 1-16,26-38
SEE ALSOpaste(1)STANDARDS
The cut utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (``POSIX'')
specification.
CAVEATS
The current implementation does not support multi-byte characters.
Consequently -c does the same as -b, and -n has no effect.
OpenBSD 4.9 October 21, 2010 OpenBSD 4.9