Reformat file - awk? 1

[kasparov]

Can anyone help me with this? I have an input file similar to this:

uid=ADMIN
first_name=Admin
last_name=test user
uid=Administrator
first_name=Administrator
last_name=Administrator
uid=Guest
last_name=Guest
uid=anonymous
uid=config_fwk_service
uid=pcd_service
uid=ume_service
uid=11687
first_name=Patti
last_name=Smith
uid=11693
first_name=Joe
last_name=Strummer
uid=11719
first_name=Mick
last_name=Jagger
uid=11728
last_name=Lennon
uid=11729
first_name=Eric
last_name=Clapton

And I want it to be transformed to this:

ADMIN Admin test user
Administrator Administrator Administrator
Guest Guest
anonymous
config_fwk_service
pcd_service
ume_service
11687 Patti Smith
11693 Joe Strummer
11719 Mick Jagger
11728 Lennon
11729 Eric Clapton

So some records have missing fields (like Lennon's first name) & some fields have spaces (like "test user"). The field separators are tabs.

I'm assuming awk is the best tool to use here but don't know where to start.

Thanks, Chris

 

[PHV]

You may try something like this:
awk -F= '
/^uid/{if(u)print u"\t"f"\t"l;u=$2;f=l=""}
/^first/{f=$2}
/^last/{l=$2}
END{if(u)print u"\t"f"\t"l}
' /path/to/inputfile


Hope This Helps, PH.
Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at FAQ219-2884 or FAQ181-2886

 

[kasparov]

very, very neat!

Thanks