Convert short lines to 3-column wide lines. 1

[motoslide]

This should be an easy one for you awk/printf experts.
I have a text file with hundreds of short lines (all less than 25 characters). I'd like to produce a file consisting of 3 columns, primarily just to make this better to fax to a Client.

Here's what I have:
Nov 28 19:45 bob
Nov 28 21:18 fred
Oct 3 2003 kevin
Aug 7 1998 skippy
Aug 7 1998 bruce
(etc)

Here's what I'd like:
Nov 28 19:45 bob Nov 28 21:18 fred Oct 3 2003 kevin
Aug 7 1998 skippy Aug 7 1998 bruce

I know how to join the lines together, but I don't know how to tell it do join the lines in groups of 3.

Thanks in advance.

 

[futurelet]

ORS=NR%3?"\t":RS

 

[PHV]

man pr
pr -a -3 -t </path/to/inputfile

Hope This Helps, PH.
Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884 or FAQ222-2244

 

[futurelet]

An explanation of the Awk program.

To get the effect we want, we manipulate the value of [tt]ORS[/tt],
the output-record separator that is appended to every line written
by [tt]print[/tt].

ORS = NR%3 ? "\t" : RS

When the number of the line just read ([tt]NR[/tt]) isn't divisible by 3,
we want [tt]ORS[/tt] to be a tab; when it
is divisible, we want the ORS to be a newline, which is the default value
of [tt]RS[/tt], the input-record separator.


The [tt]? ... : ... [/tt] syntax is also used in the C language.
Here's what the code above does:
[tt]
if ( NR % 3 ) ORS = "\t" else ORS = RS
[/tt]


If you have nawk, use it instead of awk because on some systems awk is very old and lacks many useful features. For an introduction to Awk, see faq271-5564.

 

[motoslide]

Thanks much, Guys. In my case, using the "pr" command was sweet and simple. I'll keep the "awk" example from Futurelet in mind as other needs arise.

Life is good.