Awk issue

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Can someone please explain below code.

$LIST|awk ' /^$/ { next }
substr($0,1,4)=="Exiting" { mk = 1; next }
mk==1 { print $3,$7,$10,$14; exit }

Cheers,

gehlnar

2

Assuming '$LIST' is some kind of a file....

This code will not work as quoted - I took the liberty of modifying it and commenting

awk ' 
    # skip eny "empty" lines
    /^$/ { next }

    # If the first 4 characters are "Exiting", set "mk" to 1 and proceed to the next record/line
    # This condition will never be true as "Exiting" contains 7 chars
    substr($0,1,4)=="Exiting" { mk = 1; next }

    # If "mk" is 1, print the 3rd, 7th, 10th and the 14th field from the current record/line and exit -
    # the rest of the lines will not be processed
    mk==1 { print $3,$7,$10,$14; exit }
' $LIST

In essense, the objective is:

  1. Skip empty lines
  2. print the 3rd, 7th,10th and14th fields from the NEXT line following the one containing "Exit" at the beginning
3

It cannot be a file; it must be a command that prints information on stdout.

4

It cannot be a command - it would have been a '$(LIST)' for that.
The name of a 'variable' is suspicious as well.

The OP will have to chime in.

5

Yep, you're right - I retract my statement.

6

Hi cfajohnson/ vgersh99

Thanks for the explaination.

Cheers,
gehlnar