Reading line format characters in /etc/printcap 1

[gawker]

Greetings All.

Using a shell script and awk, I am trying to do a locate/compare certain information contained in the /etc/printcap file on a LINUX system.

The file is specially formated, so I cannot search for " :" (colon with leading blank) as what appears to be leading blanks on the line is actually something else.

lp0: :sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp0: :mx#0: :sh: :lp=:

This "something else" looks like "^I" when in vi (01) Esc 02) : and 03) set list):

lp0:\$
^I:sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp0:\$
^I:mx#0:\$
^I:sh:\$
^I:lp=:$

Is there a way to test for whatever line control is present so that I can do data-checking (substr, index, etc) which includes the special characters/controls?

Thank you.

gawker

 

[vgersh99]

sounds/looks like a tab

 

[flogrr]

Hi gawker-

A control I (^I) is a tab. You can use octal code 011 in your substr.....thus: /\011/

HTH


flogrr
flogr@yahoo.com

 

[gawker]

Thanks flogrr,

That is exactly what I was looking for.

gawker