Unix "cut" examples

cut_command_examples.sh

which node
#-->node: /usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node /usr/share/man/man1/node.1.gz

which node | cut -d':' -f1
#-->node

which node | cut -d':' -f2
#--> /usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node /usr/share/man/man1/node.1.gz

which node | cut -d':' -f3
#-->            [[[[empty]]]]

###################################
### CHAINING CUT CALLS TOGETHER ###
###################################
whereis node | cut -d':' -f2 | cut -d'/' -f2
#-->usr

whereis node | cut -d':' -f2 | cut -d'/' -f2
#-->bin

whereis node | cut -d':' -f2 | cut -d'/' -f2
#-->bin

## USING <SPACE> AS DELIMITER
whereis node | cut -d':' -f2 | cut -d' ' -f2
#-->/usr/bin/node

whereis node | cut -d':' -f2 | cut -d' ' -f3
#-->/usr/bin/x11/node

whereis node | cut -d':' -f2 | cut -d' ' -f4
#-->/usr/local/bin/node

whereis node | cut -d' ' -f1
#-->node:

whereis node | cut -d' ' -f2
#-->/usr/bin/node


###################################
######## CHARACTER SLICING ########
###################################
#...slice off the beginning...
whereis node | cut -c1-
#-->node: /usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node /usr/share/man/man1/node.1.gz

whereis node | cut -c2-
#-->ode: /usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node /usr/share/man/man1/node.1.gz

whereis node | cut -c3-
#-->de: /usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node /usr/share/man/man1/node.1.gz

#...extract a range...
whereis node | cut -c1-13
#-->node: /usr/bi

whereis node | cut -c2-13
#-->ode: /usr/bi

#...extract some random list of characters (at positions 3, 13, 14, 21, 28, 30)...
whereis node | cut -c3,13,14,21,28,30
#-->din/nX

#...extract individual characters (at positions 3, 21, 28, 30), and a range of characters (positions 13 to 18)...
whereis node | cut -c3,13-18,21,28,30
#-->din/nod/nX

###################################
########## FIELD RANGES ###########
###################################
#remember, when you show all fields from "1" to "end"...
whereis node | cut -d' ' -f1-
#-->node: /usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node /usr/share/man/man1/node.1.gz

#now fields 1 to 2 (where field is delimited by a space)...
whereis node | cut -d' ' -f1-2
#-->node: /usr/bin/node

#now fields 2 to 3 (where field is delimited by a space)...
whereis node | cut -d' ' -f2-3
#-->/usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node

#now fields 2 to 4 (where field is delimited by a space)
whereis node | cut -d' ' -f2-4 --output-delimiter=$'\n'
#-->/usr/bin/node /usr/bin/X11/node /usr/local/bin/node

#fields 2 to 4, with field delimited by 5 spaces
whereis node | cut -d' ' -f2-4 --output-delimiter='     '
#-->/usr/bin/node     /usr/bin/X11/node     /usr/local/bin/node

#fields 2 to 4, with field delimited by a new line
whereis node | cut -d' ' -f2-4 --output-delimiter=$'\n'
#-->/usr/bin/node
#-->/usr/bin/X11/node
#-->/usr/local/bin/node