Command to delete the columns in a flat file

chintu687 · New User Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Hyderabad

Hi,

Can any one please suggest what is the command used for deleting required columns in a flat file. EX: A flat file with the length of 80 and i want to change the columns from 5-10 to 70-80. (or) i want to delet the columns 5-10. Thanks for your time.

Thank you,
chintu

prino · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:01 pm

There is no command to interchange columns and if you want to delete columns 5-10, you might be able to use

chintu687 · New User Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Hyderabad

Robert, the command is not working.

donevin · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:20 pm

To delete columns 5 to 10 I would go about it this way. First turn columns on with the cols command. Then turn boundaries on by entering BNDS on the first line. Then put a less than "<" sign on column 4 and a greater than sign ">" in column 80. Then to test put "(6" on the data line. This should move all data left 6 characters but keep the first 4 characters. If your happy with the result enter the block shift commands "((6" on first line and "((" on last line. Save if you're happy.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:21 pm

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:25 pm

Suggest you show us the "input" and expected "output" from that.

chintu687 · New User Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Hyderabad

Thanks...
The solution works fine...

To delete columns 5 to 10 I would go about it this way. First turn columns on with the cols command. Then turn boundaries on by entering BNDS on the first line. Then put a less than "<" sign on column 4 and a greater than sign ">" in column 80. Then to test put "(6" on the data line. This should move all data left 6 characters but keep the first 4 characters. If your happy with the result enter the block shift commands "((6" on first line and "((" on last line. Save if you're happy.

expat · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:55 pm

I'm still bemused as to why prino's solution didn't work. It's something I use a lot of the time

Wierd ..................

donevin · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:55 pm

It's a pleasure.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:11 pm

May be he had "spaces" in those columns.

chintu687 · New User Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 7 Location: Hyderabad

Donevin,

The below command is also working fine..

C ALL p'¬' '' 5 10 --> it deletes the columns from 5 to 10.

But my question ,is there any difference b/w the way you suggested and the above command?

Thank you,
chintu687

donevin · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:43 pm

I don't see any difference except that my way is much longer than what you posted. So I'd use the shorter solution.

dbzTHEdinosauer · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 5:46 pm

typical missuse of words.

to delete columns means to shift data left or right.

to chg the values of data contained between columns is a much different thing.

donevin · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:10 pm

Yeah Dick, that's how I interpreted the post (to shift the columns) but the other command (C ALL p'¬' '' 5 10) yields the same results.

Anuj Dhawan · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:13 pm

Agree with Dick -- that's why I asked show us the "input" and expected "output" from that.

There is other thread which asks to remove "," and when data gets shifted to left -- a set of good arguments follows...