NAME

cut - select portions of each 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 separated set of increasing numbers and/or number ranges. Number ranges consist of a number, a dash (`-'), and a second 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 unmodified.

The cut utility exits 0 on success or 1 if an error occurred.


BUGS

Bytes and characters are treated identically. No support is provided for multi-byte character sets.


AUTHOR

Greg Hewgill 1999-03-03


COPYRIGHT and LICENSE

This program is copyright by Greg Hewgill 1999.

This program is free and open software. You may use, copy, modify, distribute and sell this program (and any modified variants) in any way you wish, provided you do not restrict others to do the same.