split string

[krava]

Hi

I would like to have a function in .bashrc that would split a string into substrings (according to given separator) and to return a given substring. Something like:

function splitString() {
#echo $1;
awk -v name=$1 -v sep=$2 -v field=$3 'BEGIN{split(name,a,sep); print a[field]}'
return a[$3]
}

usage would be like:

splitString "peca_is_stupid" "_" 3

with result:

"stupid"

How to return "stupid" from this function to be further usable in the main script that use splitString() function?

thanx
peca

 

[PHV]

Something like this ?

splitString() {
#Usage: field=`splitString string separator fieldnum`
 awk -v name=$1 -v sep=$2 -v field=$3 'BEGIN{split(name,a,sep); print a[field]}'
}

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886

 

[krava]

thanx PHV,

Does it mean that I can not return values with return a[$3]? I mean, what if I have:

function splitString() {
echo $1;
awk -v name=$1 -v sep=$2 -v field=$3 'BEGIN{split name,a,sep); print a[field]}'
}

Then the usage you proposed:

#Usage: field=`splitString string separator fieldnum`

will assign both $1 and a[field] to the variable 'field' above and I dont want that

 

[PHV]

and I dont want that
So, get rid of the echo in your function !

 

[krava]

this is just a simple example ... in more complex prog I can not always get rid of every echos. true?

 

[PHV]

Typed, untested:

splitString() {
#Usage: splitString string separator fieldnum fieldvar
 [ $# -eq 4 ] || return
 x=$4
 eval $x=\"$(awk -v name=$1 -v sep=$2 -v field=$3 'BEGIN{split(name,a,sep);print a[field]}')\"
}

For testing:
splitString "peca_is_stupid" "_" 3 result
echo "result='$result'"

Hope This Helps, PH.
FAQ219-2884
FAQ181-2886