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--- awk:awk_field_separator_delimiters [2020/05/04 23:37] – [Specifying Output Field Separator Delimiter] peter
+++ awk:awk_field_separator_delimiters [2022/06/13 09:41] (current) – peter
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== AWK - AWK Field Separator Delimiters ======
-===== Specifying Field Seperator Delimiter =====
+Assuming a file exists, **test.txt**, with the following contents:
-To set an alternative field delimiter, issue the following command:
+<file>
+   Peter     Terence   Roux        45
+   Virginia  Genevieve  Roux        45
+   Felix     Devon     Roux         5
+   David     Bruce     Stevenson   48
+   Bob       James     Smith       16
+   Adam      Winter    Ridley      23
+</file>
-<code bash>
+----
-awk '{FS=":"}{print $2,$4}' /sharewiz/awk/test.txt
+===== Specifying Input Field Separator Delimiter =====
+To set an alternative field delimiter:
+<code awk>
+awk '{FS=":"}{print $2,$4}' test.txt
 </code>
 or
-<code bash>
+<code awk>
-awk -F: '{print $2,$4}' /sharewiz/awk/test.txt
+awk -F: '{print $2,$4}' test.txt
 </code>
-This is useful when a space is not being used as the delimiter in the input file.
+<WRAP info>
+**NOTE:**  This is useful when a space is not being used as the delimiter in the input file.
+  * AWK **FS** is any single character or regular expression which you want to use as a input field separator.
+  * AWK **FS** can be changed any number of times, it retains its values until it is explicitly changed.
+    * If you want to change the field separator, its better to change before you read the line; so the change affects the line that is read.
+</WRAP>
 ----
@@ Line 21: / Line 41: @@
 ===== Specifying Output Field Separator Delimiter =====
-To set an alternative field delimiter for the output, issue the following command:
+To set an alternative field delimiter for the output:
-<code bash>
+<code awk>
-awk '{OFS="-"}{print $2,$4}' /sharewiz/awk/test.txt
+awk '{OFS="-"}{print $2,$4}' test.txt
 </code>
-which will display something like:
+returns:
 <code>
@@ Line 38: / Line 58: @@
 </code>
-The **OFS** variable is used to specify the output delimiter.
+<WRAP info>
+**NOTE:**  The **OFS** variable is used to specify the output delimiter.
+</WRAP>