Differences

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--- ops102:using_cut_with_spaces [2024/11/08 19:04] – created chris
+++ ops102:using_cut_with_spaces [2025/03/05 15:18] (current) – chris
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
  $ grep chris /etc/passwd|cut -d: -f 5
  Chris Tyler</code>
+The ''-d'' option specifies the delimter (separator) character (:) and the ''-f'' option specifies the field(s) to be cut out (5).
 ===== The Problem with Spaces =====
@@ Line 31: / Line 33: @@
 The number of spaces between the fields varies, so that the fields line up vertically; for example, there are three spaces between fields 1 and 2 on the "bylee6" line, but only one space between fields 1 and 2 on the "aliakbar" line.
-The ''cut'' command expects only one delimiter between fields, so this presents a problem.
+The ''cut'' command expects only one delimiter between fields, so this presents a problem. Notice that in the following output, the "bylee6" line is not cut properly because of the multiple spaces between field 1 and field 2:
+<code>$ w|tail -n +3 |cut -d " " -f2
+pts/1
+pts/2
+pts/3
+pts/4</code>
 ===== A Solution: ''tr'' =====