select a column 1

[Yarka]

Hi, im trying to get, for example the fifth column from a file using awk.
I have a file as:

0.1 0.2 . 0.55 0.2 0.3
6.5 0.2 0.1 . 0.2 0.3
5.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 .
0.3 0.2 . . 1.5 5.3
0.3 1.2 4.2 6.3 . 4.3
2.3 2.5 8.4 6.3 0.2 3.5

I have put . where a tabulation exists (but in my original file these .'s don't exist, only I have put it for explain better the problem)

I try to use awk, but my problem is that not all positions have a value. By each column has a tabulation
independently of if it has a value or no.

How is it possible to be used that by each tabulation (independently if it exists or not a value) it counts like a column, for then to be able to do {print $5} ?

Thanks.

 

[Annihilannic]

You need to define tab as your column/field separator:

[tt]awk -F'<tab>' '{print $5]'[/tt]

Where you should replace <tab> with a tab character.

Annihilannic.