Help with Fixed width File Parsing

Applications UNIX Desktop Questions & Answers
1

I am trying to parse a Fixed width file with data as below. I am trying to assign column values from each record to variables. When I parse the data, the spaces in all coumns are dropped. I would like to retain the spaces as part of the dat stored in the variables. Any help is appreciated.

I would like to redirect this data into a csv file like below for each record
2,6138023380020080422120104828,60061395297943,0000006824, ,C, , ,POS .......etc

Input File

26138023380020080422120104828600613952979430000006824C POS13MMAHONIA NANCY 4189928286000422120104CO OP 2529 HOLIDAY FLCO-OP #2529

My Script:

while read LINE
do
a=`echo "$(echo $LINE |cut -c1-1)"`
b=`echo "$(echo $LINE |cut -c2-32)"`
c=`echo "$(echo $LINE |cut -c33-43)"`
d=`echo "$(echo $LINE |cut -c44-53)"`
e=`echo "$(echo $LINE |cut -c54-55)"`
f=`echo "$(echo $LINE |cut -c55-74)"`
#echo $a,$b,$c,$d,$e,"$f >> Int_4_final.dat
done < $1

2

Hi,
I would put a space after each )

3

You need to use proper quoting to preserve spaces in variables. See UNIX Shell Quote
(via Answers to Frequently Asked Questions - The UNIX Forums)

4

Here are a couple of examples from one of my working scripts.

   year=$(echo "$zf" | cut -c185-188)
   car=$(echo "$zf" | cut -c189-230)

The key is the variable zf is in double-quotes, and thus maintains all spacing.

5

If the result contains spaces, you will need to quote the backticks, too.

year="$(echo "$zf" | cut -c185-188)"
car="$(echo "$zf" | cut -c189-230)"

echo `echo` as seen above is obviously a redundant, Useless Use of Echo in Backticks.