Joining lines based on the beginning word.

[TheDash]

Hi all,
I am trying to join words to their previous line based on a condition. If a line begins with a word that does not begin with "USAGE", then it should join to previous line. I am showing as example below. Please let me know if we can we do it with a script. Thanks for your help in advance.

Before:

USAGE100
abc
USAGE 101
def
USAGE 102 ghi jkl
USAGE 103
mno


After:


USAGE100 abc
USAGE.101 def
USAGE 102 ghi jkl
USAGE 103 mno

 

[Annihilannic]

Here is one way:

awk '[green]/^USAGE/[/green] && [blue]NR[/blue]>1 { [b]print[/b] [red]"[/red][purple][/purple][red]"[/red] } { [b]printf[/b] [blue]$0[/blue][red]"[/red][purple] [/purple][red]"[/red] } [green]END[/green] { [b]print[/b] [red]"[/red][purple][/purple][red]"[/red] }' inputfile

Annihilannic.
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