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(gawk) Foreword
General Introduction
********************
This file documents `awk', a program that you can use to select
particular records in a file and perform operations upon them.
Copyright (C) 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Free
Software Foundation, Inc.
This is Edition 4 of `GAWK: Effective AWK Programming: A User's
Guide for GNU Awk', for the 4.0.2 (or later) version of the GNU
implementation of AWK.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being "GNU General Public License", the Front-Cover
texts being (a) (see below), and with the Back-Cover Texts being (b)
(see below). A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
"GNU Free Documentation License".
a. "A GNU Manual"
b. "You have the freedom to copy and modify this GNU manual. Buying
copies from the FSF supports it in developing GNU and promoting
software freedom."
Menu
* Foreword Some nice words about this
Info file.
* Preface What this Info file is about; brief
history and acknowledgments.
* Getting Started A basic introduction to using
`awk'. How to run an `awk'
program. Command-line syntax.
* Invoking Gawk How to run `gawk'.
* Regexp All about matching things using regular
expressions.
* Reading Files How to read files and manipulate fields.
* Printing How to print using `awk'. Describes
the `print' and `printf'
statements. Also describes redirection of
output.
* Expressions Expressions are the basic building blocks
of statements.
* Patterns and Actions Overviews of patterns and actions.
* Arrays The description and use of arrays. Also
includes array-oriented control statements.
* Functions Built-in and user-defined functions.
* Internationalization Getting `gawk' to speak your
language.
* Advanced Features Stuff for advanced users, specific to
`gawk'.
* Library Functions A Library of `awk' Functions.
* Sample Programs Many `awk' programs with complete
explanations.
* Debugger The `dgawk' debugger.
* Language History The evolution of the `awk'
language.
* Installation Installing `gawk' under various
operating systems.
* Notes Notes about `gawk' extensions and
possible future work.
* Basic Concepts A very quick introduction to programming
concepts.
* Glossary An explanation of some unfamiliar terms.
* Copying Your right to copy and distribute
`gawk'.
* GNU Free Documentation License The license for this Info file.
* Index Concept and Variable Index.
* History The history of `gawk' and
`awk'.
* Names What name to use to find `awk'.
* This Manual Using this Info file. Includes
sample input files that you can use.
* Conventions Typographical Conventions.
* Manual History Brief history of the GNU project and this
Info file.
* How To Contribute Helping to save the world.
* Acknowledgments Acknowledgments.
* Running gawk How to run `gawk' programs;
includes command-line syntax.
* One-shot Running a short throwaway `awk'
program.
* Read Terminal Using no input files (input from terminal
instead).
* Long Putting permanent `awk' programs in
files.
* Executable Scripts Making self-contained `awk'
programs.
* Comments Adding documentation to `gawk'
programs.
* Quoting More discussion of shell quoting issues.
* DOS Quoting Quoting in Windows Batch Files.
* Sample Data Files Sample data files for use in the
`awk' programs illustrated in this
Info file.
* Very Simple A very simple example.
* Two Rules A less simple one-line example using two
rules.
* More Complex A more complex example.
* Statements/Lines Subdividing or combining statements into
lines.
* Other Features Other Features of `awk'.
* When When to use `gawk' and when to use
other things.
* Command Line How to run `awk'.
* Options Command-line options and their meanings.
* Other Arguments Input file names and variable assignments.
* Naming Standard Input How to specify standard input with other
files.
* Environment Variables The environment variables `gawk'
uses.
* AWKPATH Variable Searching directories for `awk'
programs.
* Other Environment Variables The environment variables.
* Exit Status `gawk''s exit status.
* Include Files Including other files into your program.
* Obsolete Obsolete Options and/or features.
* Undocumented Undocumented Options and Features.
* Regexp Usage How to Use Regular Expressions.
* Escape Sequences How to write nonprinting characters.
* Regexp Operators Regular Expression Operators.
* Bracket Expressions What can go between `[...]'.
* GNU Regexp Operators Operators specific to GNU software.
* Case-sensitivity How to do case-insensitive matching.
* Leftmost Longest How much text matches.
* Computed Regexps Using Dynamic Regexps.
* Records Controlling how data is split into records.
* Fields An introduction to fields.
* Nonconstant Fields Nonconstant Field Numbers.
* Changing Fields Changing the Contents of a Field.
* Field Separators The field separator and how to change it.
* Default Field Splitting How fields are normally separated.
* Regexp Field Splitting Using regexps as the field separator.
* Single Character Fields Making each character a separate field.
* Command Line Field Separator Setting `FS' from the command-line.
* Field Splitting Summary Some final points and a summary table.
* Constant Size Reading constant width data.
* Splitting By Content Defining Fields By Content
* Multiple Line Reading multi-line records.
* Getline Reading files under explicit program
control using the `getline' function.
* Plain Getline Using `getline' with no arguments.
* Getline/Variable Using `getline' into a variable.
* Getline/File Using `getline' from a file.
* Getline/Variable/File Using `getline' into a variable from a
file.
* Getline/Pipe Using `getline' from a pipe.
* Getline/Variable/Pipe Using `getline' into a variable from a
pipe.
* Getline/Coprocess Using `getline' from a coprocess.
* Getline/Variable/Coprocess Using `getline' into a variable from a
coprocess.
* Getline Notes Important things to know about
`getline'.
* Getline Summary Summary of `getline' Variants.
* Command line directories What happens if you put a directory on the
command line.
* Print The `print' statement.
* Print Examples Simple examples of `print' statements.
* Output Separators The output separators and how to change
them.
* OFMT Controlling Numeric Output With
`print'.
* Printf The `printf' statement.
* Basic Printf Syntax of the `printf' statement.
* Control Letters Format-control letters.
* Format Modifiers Format-specification modifiers.
* Printf Examples Several examples.
* Redirection How to redirect output to multiple files
and pipes.
* Special Files File name interpretation in `gawk'.
`gawk' allows access to inherited
file descriptors.
* Special FD Special files for I/O.
* Special Network Special files for network communications.
* Special Caveats Things to watch out for.
* Close Files And Pipes Closing Input and Output Files and Pipes.
* Values Constants, Variables, and Regular
Expressions.
* Constants String, numeric and regexp constants.
* Scalar Constants Numeric and string constants.
* Nondecimal-numbers What are octal and hex numbers.
* Regexp Constants Regular Expression constants.
* Using Constant Regexps When and how to use a regexp constant.
* Variables Variables give names to values for later
use.
* Using Variables Using variables in your programs.
* Assignment Options Setting variables on the command-line and a
summary of command-line syntax. This is an
advanced method of input.
* Conversion The conversion of strings to numbers and
vice versa.
* All Operators `gawk''s operators.
* Arithmetic Ops Arithmetic operations (`+', `-',
etc.)
* Concatenation Concatenating strings.
* Assignment Ops Changing the value of a variable or a
field.
* Increment Ops Incrementing the numeric value of a
variable.
* Truth Values and Conditions Testing for true and false.
* Truth Values What is ``true'' and what is ``false''.
* Typing and Comparison How variables acquire types and how this
affects comparison of numbers and strings
with `<', etc.
* Variable Typing String type versus numeric type.
* Comparison Operators The comparison operators.
* POSIX String Comparison String comparison with POSIX rules.
* Boolean Ops Combining comparison expressions using
boolean operators `||' (``or''),
`&&' (``and'') and `!' (``not'').
* Conditional Exp Conditional expressions select between two
subexpressions under control of a third
subexpression.
* Function Calls A function call is an expression.
* Precedence How various operators nest.
* Locales How the locale affects things.
* Pattern Overview What goes into a pattern.
* Regexp Patterns Using regexps as patterns.
* Expression Patterns Any expression can be used as a pattern.
* Ranges Pairs of patterns specify record ranges.
* BEGIN/END Specifying initialization and cleanup
rules.
* Using BEGIN/END How and why to use BEGIN/END rules.
* I/O And BEGIN/END I/O issues in BEGIN/END rules.
* BEGINFILE/ENDFILE Two special patterns for advanced control.
* Empty The empty pattern, which matches every
record.
* Using Shell Variables How to use shell variables with
`awk'.
* Action Overview What goes into an action.
* Statements Describes the various control statements in
detail.
* If Statement Conditionally execute some `awk'
statements.
* While Statement Loop until some condition is satisfied.
* Do Statement Do specified action while looping until
some condition is satisfied.
* For Statement Another looping statement, that provides
initialization and increment clauses.
* Switch Statement Switch/case evaluation for conditional
execution of statements based on a value.
* Break Statement Immediately exit the innermost enclosing
loop.
* Continue Statement Skip to the end of the innermost enclosing
loop.
* Next Statement Stop processing the current input record.
* Nextfile Statement Stop processing the current file.
* Exit Statement Stop execution of `awk'.
* Built-in Variables Summarizes the built-in variables.
* User-modified Built-in variables that you change to
control `awk'.
* Auto-set Built-in variables where `awk'
gives you information.
* ARGC and ARGV Ways to use `ARGC' and `ARGV'.
* Array Basics The basics of arrays.
* Array Intro Introduction to Arrays
* Reference to Elements How to examine one element of an array.
* Assigning Elements How to change an element of an array.
* Array Example Basic Example of an Array
* Scanning an Array A variation of the `for' statement. It
loops through the indices of an array's
existing elements.
* Controlling Scanning Controlling the order in which arrays are
scanned.
* Delete The `delete' statement removes an
element from an array.
* Numeric Array Subscripts How to use numbers as subscripts in
`awk'.
* Uninitialized Subscripts Using Uninitialized variables as
subscripts.
* Multi-dimensional Emulating multidimensional arrays in
`awk'.
* Multi-scanning Scanning multidimensional arrays.
* Arrays of Arrays True multidimensional arrays.
* Built-in Summarizes the built-in functions.
* Calling Built-in How to call built-in functions.
* Numeric Functions Functions that work with numbers, including
`int()', `sin()' and
`rand()'.
* String Functions Functions for string manipulation, such as
`split()', `match()' and
`sprintf()'.
* Gory Details More than you want to know about `\'
and `&' with `sub()',
`gsub()', and `gensub()'.
* I/O Functions Functions for files and shell commands.
* Time Functions Functions for dealing with timestamps.
* Bitwise Functions Functions for bitwise operations.
* Type Functions Functions for type information.
* I18N Functions Functions for string translation.
* User-defined Describes User-defined functions in detail.
* Definition Syntax How to write definitions and what they
mean.
* Function Example An example function definition and what it
does.
* Function Caveats Things to watch out for.
* Calling A Function Don't use spaces.
* Variable Scope Controlling variable scope.
* Pass By Value/Reference Passing parameters.
* Return Statement Specifying the value a function returns.
* Dynamic Typing How variable types can change at runtime.
* Indirect Calls Choosing the function to call at runtime.
* I18N and L10N Internationalization and Localization.
* Explaining gettext How GNU `gettext' works.
* Programmer i18n Features for the programmer.
* Translator i18n Features for the translator.
* String Extraction Extracting marked strings.
* Printf Ordering Rearranging `printf' arguments.
* I18N Portability `awk'-level portability issues.
* I18N Example A simple i18n example.
* Gawk I18N `gawk' is also internationalized.
* Nondecimal Data Allowing nondecimal input data.
* Array Sorting Facilities for controlling array traversal
and sorting arrays.
* Controlling Array Traversal How to use PROCINFO["sorted_in"].
* Array Sorting Functions How to use `asort()' and
`asorti()'.
* Two-way I/O Two-way communications with another
process.
* TCP/IP Networking Using `gawk' for network
programming.
* Profiling Profiling your `awk' programs.
* Library Names How to best name private global variables
in library functions.
* General Functions Functions that are of general use.
* Strtonum Function A replacement for the built-in
`strtonum()' function.
* Assert Function A function for assertions in `awk'
programs.
* Round Function A function for rounding if `sprintf()'
does not do it correctly.
* Cliff Random Function The Cliff Random Number Generator.
* Ordinal Functions Functions for using characters as numbers
and vice versa.
* Join Function A function to join an array into a string.
* Gettimeofday Function A function to get formatted times.
* Data File Management Functions for managing command-line data
files.
* Filetrans Function A function for handling data file
transitions.
* Rewind Function A function for rereading the current file.
* File Checking Checking that data files are readable.
* Empty Files Checking for zero-length files.
* Ignoring Assigns Treating assignments as file names.
* Getopt Function A function for processing command-line
arguments.
* Passwd Functions Functions for getting user information.
* Group Functions Functions for getting group information.
* Walking Arrays A function to walk arrays of arrays.
* Running Examples How to run these examples.
* Clones Clones of common utilities.
* Cut Program The `cut' utility.
* Egrep Program The `egrep' utility.
* Id Program The `id' utility.
* Split Program The `split' utility.
* Tee Program The `tee' utility.
* Uniq Program The `uniq' utility.
* Wc Program The `wc' utility.
* Miscellaneous Programs Some interesting `awk' programs.
* Dupword Program Finding duplicated words in a document.
* Alarm Program An alarm clock.
* Translate Program A program similar to the `tr'
utility.
* Labels Program Printing mailing labels.
* Word Sorting A program to produce a word usage count.
* History Sorting Eliminating duplicate entries from a
history file.
* Extract Program Pulling out programs from Texinfo source
files.
* Simple Sed A Simple Stream Editor.
* Igawk Program A wrapper for `awk' that includes
files.
* Anagram Program Finding anagrams from a dictionary.
* Signature Program People do amazing things with too much time
on their hands.
* Debugging Introduction to `dgawk'.
* Debugging Concepts Debugging In General.
* Debugging Terms Additional Debugging Concepts.
* Awk Debugging Awk Debugging.
* Sample dgawk session Sample `dgawk' session.
* dgawk invocation `dgawk' Invocation.
* Finding The Bug Finding The Bug.
* List of Debugger Commands Main `dgawk' Commands.
* Breakpoint Control Control of breakpoints.
* Dgawk Execution Control Control of execution.
* Viewing And Changing Data Viewing and changing data.
* Dgawk Stack Dealing with the stack.
* Dgawk Info Obtaining information about the program and
the debugger state.
* Miscellaneous Dgawk Commands Miscellaneous Commands.
* Readline Support Readline Support.
* Dgawk Limitations Limitations and future plans.
* V7/SVR3.1 The major changes between V7 and System V
Release 3.1.
* SVR4 Minor changes between System V Releases 3.1
and 4.
* POSIX New features from the POSIX standard.
* BTL New features from Brian Kernighan's version
of `awk'.
* POSIX/GNU The extensions in `gawk' not in
POSIX `awk'.
* Common Extensions Common Extensions Summary.
* Ranges and Locales How locales used to affect regexp ranges.
* Contributors The major contributors to `gawk'.
* Gawk Distribution What is in the `gawk' distribution.
* Getting How to get the distribution.
* Extracting How to extract the distribution.
* Distribution contents What is in the distribution.
* Unix Installation Installing `gawk' under various
versions of Unix.
* Quick Installation Compiling `gawk' under Unix.
* Additional Configuration Options Other compile-time options.
* Configuration Philosophy How it's all supposed to work.
* Non-Unix Installation Installation on Other Operating Systems.
* PC Installation Installing and Compiling `gawk' on
MS-DOS and OS/2.
* PC Binary Installation Installing a prepared distribution.
* PC Compiling Compiling `gawk' for MS-DOS,
Windows32, and OS/2.
* PC Testing Testing `gawk' on PC systems.
* PC Using Running `gawk' on MS-DOS, Windows32
and OS/2.
* Cygwin Building and running `gawk' for
Cygwin.
* MSYS Using `gawk' In The MSYS
Environment.
* VMS Installation Installing `gawk' on VMS.
* VMS Compilation How to compile `gawk' under VMS.
* VMS Installation Details How to install `gawk' under VMS.
* VMS Running How to run `gawk' under VMS.
* VMS Old Gawk An old version comes with some VMS systems.
* Bugs Reporting Problems and Bugs.
* Other Versions Other freely available `awk'
implementations.
* Compatibility Mode How to disable certain `gawk'
extensions.
* Additions Making Additions To `gawk'.
* Accessing The Source Accessing the Git repository.
* Adding Code Adding code to the main body of
`gawk'.
* New Ports Porting `gawk' to a new operating
system.
* Dynamic Extensions Adding new built-in functions to
`gawk'.
* Internals A brief look at some `gawk'
internals.
* Plugin License A note about licensing.
* Sample Library A example of new functions.
* Internal File Description What the new functions will do.
* Internal File Ops The code for internal file operations.
* Using Internal File Ops How to use an external extension.
* Future Extensions New features that may be implemented one
day.
* Basic High Level The high level view.
* Basic Data Typing A very quick intro to data types.
* Floating Point Issues Stuff to know about floating-point numbers.
* String Conversion Precision The String Value Can Lie.
* Unexpected Results Floating Point Numbers Are Not Abstract
Numbers.
* POSIX Floating Point Problems Standards Versus Existing Practice.
To Miriam, for making me complete.
To Chana, for the joy you bring us.
To Rivka, for the exponential increase.
To Nachum, for the added dimension.
To Malka, for the new beginning.
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