
NAME
cut  cut out selected fields of each line of a file
SYNOPSIS
cut clist [file1 file2 ...]
cut flist [dchar] [s] [file1 file2 ...]
DESCRIPTION
Use cut to cut out columns from a table or fields from each line of a file; in data base parlance, it implements the projection of a relation.  The fields as specified by list can be fixed length, i.e., character positions as on a punched card (c option) or the length can vary from line to line and be marked with a field delimiter character like tab (f option).  Cut can be used as a filter; if no files are given, the standard input is used.
The meanings of the options are:
list	A commaseparated list of integer field numbers, with optional  to indicate ranges as in the o option of nrofftroff for page ranges; e.g., 1,4,7; 13,8; 5,10 (short for 15,10); or 3 (short for third through last field).
clist	The list following c specifies character positions (e.g., c172 would pass the first 72 characters of each line).
flist	The list following f is a list of fields assumed to be separated in the file by a delimiter charac ter (see d ); e.g., f1,7 copies the first and seventh field only.  Lines with no field delimiters will be passed through intact (useful for table subheadings), unless s is specified.
dchar	The character following d is the field delimiter (f option only).  Default is tab.  Space or other characters with special meaning to the shell must be quoted.
s	Suppresses lines with no delimiter characters in case of f option.  Unless specified, lines with no delimiters will be passed through untouched.
Either the c or f option must be specified.
HINTS
Use grep(1) to make horizontal cuts'' (by context) through a file, or paste(1) to put files together columnwise (i.e., horizontally).  To reorder columns in a table, use cut and paste.


EXAMPLES
cut d: f1,5 etcpasswd
                      mapping of user IDs to names

name=who am i | cut f1 d 
                      to set name to current login name.
DIAGNOSTICS
Error messages may come from getopt(3). All error messages contain limits for line and field lenghts.
SEE ALSO
grep(1), paste(1).  getopt(3)
