topic remove extra spaces in a string in Operating System - HP-UX

remove extra spaces in a string

manasa_1 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 06:26:19 GMT

Hello,

i want to remove extra spaces in my string in unix. which command i need to use.

Ex: i am rahul. this is the string now i want the result to be as : i am rahul

Re: remove extra spaces in a string

Yogeeraj_1 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:10:28 GMT

hi,

it seems that you already have a similar thread at:
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1210930

please check and let us know if the solutions provided are helpful.

Otherwise, clarify your question further.

kind regards
yogeeraj

Re: remove extra spaces in a string

Hein van den Heuvel — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:46:20 GMT

manasa,

Where is the string coming from / going to?
Is it in a file? a shell variable? what shell?

What problem are you really trying to solve?
The answer to that question will help define the optimal answer to the part question you asked.

If you choose to explain the problem better be sure to click 'Retain format(spacing). URLs will not be clickable' because as you see, the itrc forum mangled your entrie to loose teh cirtical example. In addition you may want to attach a .txt file with EXACT input examples and EXACT desired output.

Anyway...
If it is in a shell variable then just a simple print will 'clean it up' and we can use that:

$ x='aap noot mies'
$ print "$x"
aap noot mies
$ print $x
aap noot mies
$ y=$(print $x)
$ print "x:$x.y:$y"
x:aap noot mies.y:aap noot mies
$

Or you can feed it to 'sed'
For example:
$ y=$(print "$x" | sed 's/ */*/g')
$ print "$y"
aap*noot*mies

So the RE (regular expression) is to match a space, followed by zero or more spaces.
To be replaced in the example by *, but a space for you.

spaces or white-space (tabs also)?

Good luck,
Hein.

Re: remove extra spaces in a string

Arturo Galbiati — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:21:38 GMT

Hi,
tr -d " "
will remove all spaces in the string.
The use depends where you have your string: var, file, etc.

HTH,
Art