4 ms·
`cut` doesn’t work natively on data that’s been aligned with multiple spaces, you need a `tr -s` pass first. It also doesn’t let you reorder or splice together
by stouset 2y ago
`cut` doesn’t work natively on data that’s been aligned with multiple spaces, you need a `tr -s` pass first.
It also doesn’t let you reorder or splice together fields.
I used it for years but now that I have a working understanding of `awk` I have never looked back.
- arp242 2y agoFreeBSD cut has -w for that ("split by any amount of whitespace"), but that never made it into GNU cut. Sad, because it's mega useful. Of course awk can do much more, but if all you want is "| awk '{print $2}'" then "cut -wf2" is so much more convenient.
- stouset 2y agoReordering and splicing are common enough that it’s easier just to always use awk, since the cost of rewriting one to the other is significantly higher.