(coreutils.info)cut invocation

---

Next: paste invocation Up: Operating on fields within a line

---

Enter node , (file) or (file)node

8.1 `cut': Print selected parts of lines
========================================

`cut' writes to standard output selected parts of each line of each
input file, or standard input if no files are given or for a file name
of `-'.  Synopsis:

     cut OPTION... [FILE]...

   In the table which follows, the BYTE-LIST, CHARACTER-LIST, and
FIELD-LIST are one or more numbers or ranges (two numbers separated by
a dash) separated by commas.  Bytes, characters, and fields are
numbered starting at 1.  Incomplete ranges may be given: `-M' means
`1-M'; `N-' means `N' through end of line or last field.  The list
elements can be repeated, can overlap, and can be specified in any
order; but the selected input is written in the same order that it is
read, and is written exactly once.

   The program accepts the following options.  Also see Note: Common
options.

`-b BYTE-LIST'
`--bytes=BYTE-LIST'
     Select for printing only the bytes in positions listed in
     BYTE-LIST.  Tabs and backspaces are treated like any other
     character; they take up 1 byte.  If an output delimiter is
     specified, (see the description of `--output-delimiter'), then
     output that string between ranges of selected bytes.

`-c CHARACTER-LIST'
`--characters=CHARACTER-LIST'
     Select for printing only the characters in positions listed in
     CHARACTER-LIST.  The same as `-b' for now, but
     internationalization will change that.  Tabs and backspaces are
     treated like any other character; they take up 1 character.  If an
     output delimiter is specified, (see the description of
     `--output-delimiter'), then output that string between ranges of
     selected bytes.

`-f FIELD-LIST'
`--fields=FIELD-LIST'
     Select for printing only the fields listed in FIELD-LIST.  Fields
     are separated by a TAB character by default.  Also print any line
     that contains no delimiter character, unless the
     `--only-delimited' (`-s') option is specified

`-d INPUT_DELIM_BYTE'
`--delimiter=INPUT_DELIM_BYTE'
     With `-f', use the first byte of INPUT_DELIM_BYTE as the input
     fields separator (default is TAB).

`-n'
     Do not split multi-byte characters (no-op for now).

`-s'
`--only-delimited'
     For `-f', do not print lines that do not contain the field
     separator character.  Normally, any line without a field separator
     is printed verbatim.

`--output-delimiter=OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING'
     With `-f', output fields are separated by OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING.
     The default with `-f' is to use the input delimiter.  When using
     `-b' or `-c' to select ranges of byte or character offsets (as
     opposed to ranges of fields), output OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING between
     non-overlapping ranges of selected bytes.

`--complement'
     This option is a GNU extension.  Select for printing the
     complement of the bytes, characters or fields selected with the
     `-b', `-c' or `-f' options.  In other words, do _not_ print the
     bytes, characters or fields specified via those options.  This
     option is useful when you have many fields and want to print all
     but a few of them.


   An exit status of zero indicates success, and a nonzero value
indicates failure.