awk format layout

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hi Gurus,

I've a sample output from a script with a header as shown below.

The formatting is a little bit out of alignment when it's sent out via email.

Sample output:

Label		Date		 New Data   #AB	      Removed    #CD      Net Change
Statistic	 2012-06-03    	21807 mb   206       -46503 mb  1        -24695 mb
Statistic	2012-06-04      28 mb      1         0 mb                28 mb
Statistic	 2012-06-03    	 13926 mb   222       0 mb                13926 mb
Statistic	2012-06-03   	166624 mb  704       0 mb                166624 mb

Desired output:

Label		Date		 New Data   #AB	      Removed    #CD      Net Change
Statistic	2012-06-03    	 21807 mb   206       -46503 mb  1        -24695 mb
Statistic	2012-06-04       28 mb      1         0 mb                28 mb
Statistic	2012-06-03    	 13926 mb   222       0 mb                13926 mb
Statistic	2012-06-03   	 166624 mb  704       0 mb                166624 mb

Also, for column: "#AB" and "#CD", sometimes there is a value, sometimes it's just empty so need to take this into consideration for output alignment.

How to make it in a better format with proper alignment?

Any help will be much appreciate.

Thank you.

  • Jack

---------- Post updated at 06:35 PM ---------- Previous update was at 09:11 AM ----------

Hi Gurus,

Anybody can help on this formatting?

Thanks in advance.

  • Jack
2

Nothing but brute force here:

awk '
    BEGIN { fmt = "%-10s %-10s %-10s %-10s %-10s %-10s %-10s\n";  }
    /Label/ { printf( fmt, $1, $2, $3 " " $4, $5, $6, $7, $8 " " $9 ); next; }

    NF == 10 { printf( fmt, $1, $2, $3 " " $4, $5, $6 " " $7,  $8, $9 " " $10 ); next; }

    NF == 9 && $6 == "mb" {
        printf( fmt, $1, $2, $3 " " $4, " ", $5 " " $6, $7, $8 " " $9 )
        next;
    }

    NF == 9  {
        printf( fmt, $1, $2, $3 " " $4,  $5,  $6 " " $7,  " ",  $8 " " $9 )
        next;
    }

    NF == 8  {
        printf( fmt, $1, $2, $3 " " $4,  " ", $5 " " $6, " ", $7 " "  $8 )
        next;
    }

'  input-file >output-file
1 Like
3

It would have helped to post the script. Changing scripts we don't know is a bit hard to do and my crystal ball which reveals any secret to me is in repair at the moment. Therefore just some general directions instead of concrete help:

Have a look at the "printf()" function. It works the same as system call (in C/C++), as ksh-builtin or as awk-builtin. You provide a format string and a list of variables to fill the spots. In the format strings you can define the output width you want to use and if you want it left- or right-aligned. By using proper values you get tabular column-output automatically.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

4

Hi All,

Thanks for your response and help.

I've tried the method given by Agama, but the output is still does not give the proper alignment. Sorry.

I guess it might be a better idea to use tab instead.

Also, I was thinking if it's a good idea to insert something like "NA" if column "#AB" and "#CD" is blank (empty). This might helps in the formatting.

Anybody else can help? :confused:

Thanks.

  • Jack.