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NAME
   field - manipulate fields of data

SYNOPSIS
   field [-t[c] | fieldlist] outputformat [file ...]

DESCRIPTION
   Feild  is used to manipulate data kept in formatted fields. It
   selects data from certain fields of the input files and copies
   it to certain places in the standard output.
   
   The 'fieldlist' parameter is used to describe the  interesting
   columns  on the input file. Fields are specified by naming the
   columns in which they occur (e.g.  5-10)  or  the  columns  in
   which  they start and an indication of their length (e.g. 3+2,
   meaning a field which starts in column 3 and spans 2 columns).
   When specifying more than one field, separate the  specs  with
   commas (e.g. 5-10,16,72+8) Fields may overlap, and need not be
   in ascending numerical order (e.g. 1-25,10,3 is OK).
   
   If input fields do not fall in certain columns, but rather are
   separated  by  some  character  (such  as a blank or a comma),
   describe the fields by using the  '-tc'  flag,  replacing  'c'
   with  the  appropriate  separator  (a  tab  character  is  the
   default).
   
   Once fields have been described with either the '-tc' flag  or
   a   fieldlist,   they   can  be  arranged  on  output  by  the
   'outputformat' argument. This argument is actually  a  picture
   of  what  the  output line should look like. Fields from input
   are referred to as $1, $2, $3, etc., referring to  the  first,
   second,  third,  etc.  fields  that  were  specified. (Up to 9
   fields are allowed, plus the argument $0 which refers  to  the
   whole  line.) These $n symbols are placed in the output format
   wherever that field  should  appear,  surrounded  by  whatever
   characters desired. For example, an outputformat of:
                             "$2 somewords $1"
   would produce an output line such as:
                           field2 somewords field1
   
   If  no  input  files  are specified, or if the filename '-' is
   found, field will read from the standard input.

DIAGNOSTICS
   illegal field specification
        The  fieldlist  specification  was  in  error,   probably
        because  it  contained  letters  or  some  other  illegal
        characters

SEE ALSO
   sedit




FIELD (1)                    7/10/80                    FIELD (1)


AUTHORS
   David Hanson and friends (U. of Arizona)






















































