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CUT(1)                      General Commands Manual                     CUT(1)

NAME
     cut - select portions of each line of a file

SYNOPSIS
     cut -b list [-n] [file ...]
     cut -c list [file ...]
     cut -f list [-d string] [-s] [file ...]

DESCRIPTION
     The cut utility selects portions of each line (as specified by list) from
     each file and writes them to the standard output.  If the file argument
     is a single dash (`-') or no file arguments were specified, lines are
     read from the standard input.  The items specified by list can be in
     terms of column position or in terms of fields delimited by a special
     character.  Column and field numbering start from 1.

     list is a comma or whitespace separated set of increasing numbers and/or
     number ranges.  Number ranges consist of a number, a dash (-), and a
     second number and select the columns or fields from the first number to
     the second, inclusive.  Numbers or number ranges may be preceded by a
     dash, which selects all columns or fields from 1 to the first number.
     Numbers or number ranges may be followed by a dash, which selects all
     columns or fields from the last number to the end of the line.  Numbers
     and number ranges may be repeated, overlapping, and in any order.  It is
     not an error to select columns or fields not present in the input line.

     The options are as follows:

     -b list     list specifies byte positions.

     -c list     list specifies character positions.

     -d string   Use the first character of string as the field delimiter
                 character.  The default is the <TAB> character.

     -f list     list specifies fields, separated by the field delimiter
                 character.  The selected fields are output, separated by the
                 field delimiter character.

     -n          Do not split multi-byte characters.

     -s          Suppress lines with no field delimiter characters.  Unless
                 specified, lines with no delimiters are passed through
                 unmodified.

EXIT STATUS
     The cut utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs.

SEE ALSO
     paste(1)

STANDARDS
     The cut utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 ("POSIX.2").

NetBSD 10.99                     June 12, 2012                    NetBSD 10.99