topic Re: script query in Operating System - HP-UX

script query

Ravinder Singh Gill — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 12:21:56 GMT

fullnames are in file1. In file2 I have shortnames. What I am trying to do is match the shortnames in file2 to the first six characters of fullname in file1. I want to output the matched ones to file3. Why does the following not work?

while read fullname
do
shortname=$ echo $fullname | cut -c1-5
grep $shortname file2

if
[ $? = 0 ]
then
echo $fullname >> file3
fi

done < file1

Re: script query

Patrick Wallek — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 12:39:53 GMT

This line:
shortname=$ echo $fullname | cut -c1-5

Should be this:
shortname=$(echo $fullname | cut -c1-5)

Your 'if [ $? = 0 ]' needs to all be on one line as well. I suspect it is in your script, but the Forums screwed it up when you posted it.

Re: script query

john korterman — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 12:46:04 GMT

Hi,

try this:

while read fullname
do
shortname=$( echo $fullname | cut -c1-5)
grep -q $shortname file2

if [ $? = 0 ]
then
echo $fullname >>file3
fi

done < file1

regards,
John K.

Re: script query

Sandman! — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 15:42:22 GMT

IMHO...you can reverse the algorithm inside your script, search the shortnames in file2 to the fullnames in file1 w/o taking the the first six characters of file1 into account. Something like...

# cat file2 | while read shortname
> do
> grep "^$shortname" file1 > file3
> done

thanks!

Re: script query

Muthukumar_5 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 01:30:51 GMT

Use as,

# awk '{ var=substr($1,0,6);print var; }' file1 | while read sname;
do
grep $sname file2 >> file3
done

hth.

Re: script query

Muthukumar_5 — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 01:36:29 GMT

Sandman,

Your logic of,

# cat file2 | while read shortname
> do
> grep "^$shortname" file1 > file3
> done

is good. However with problem.

# Problem 1:

grep "^$shortname" file1 > file3
Change this to append mode as,
grep "^$shortname" file1 >> file3

# Problem 2:
grep "^$shortname" file1
It will log file1 contents to file3. We can change as,

grep -q '^$shortname" file1
[[ $? -eq 0 ]] && echo $shortname >> file3

# Problem 3:

Change cat file2 to as,

while ..
do
..
done < file

Will be more good.

# Use as,

rm -f file3
while read shortname
do
grep -q "^$shortname" file1
[[ $? -eq 0 ]] && echo "$shortname" >> file3
done < file2

hth.

Re: script query

Ravinder Singh Gill — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 05:56:47 GMT

I tried Muthukumar's suggestion but file three was coming out blank.

I tried Patrick Wallek's suggestion but no file3 was produced.

Re: script query

Ravinder Singh Gill — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:05:11 GMT

Muthukumar, before I use your following script:

# awk '{ var=substr($1,0,6);print var; }' file1 | while read sname;
do
grep $sname file2 >> file3
done

can you please explain what the awk line is exactly doing? I am new to scripting and have no experience of awk.

Thanks

Re: script query

Frank de Vries — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:17:35 GMT

Try and keep it simple and short:

while read fullname
do
shortname=$(echo $fullname | cut -c1-5)
if (grep -i $shortname file2)
then
echo $shortname >> file3
fi
done < file1

I supposed you wanted to output shortname to file3 and not fullname to file3 , as these
are already in file1 right !

Re: script query

Ravinder Singh Gill — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:25:08 GMT

I want to output fullname to file3, but only those fullnames which have a matching shortname existing in file2.

Re: script query

Ravinder Singh Gill — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:49:02 GMT

Every shortname has a fullname, but not every fullname has a shortname, hence I wish to identify the appropriate fullnames for the shortnames (a few thousand) and put them in file3.

Re: script query

john korterman — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 07:35:23 GMT

Hi,

since none of your suggestions have produced the correct result, you should perhaps supply some authentic input material: one problem could be that a shortname, equal to the first 6 chars of a fullname, will have more than a single match in fullname, e.g.:

file_of_fullnames
Stevens, Shaking
Stevenson, Robert Louis

The shortname for both, "Steve" will have two hits - and they are a bit apart, literally speaking...

Are the shortnames unique?

regards,
John K.

Re: script query

Sandman! — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 13:03:34 GMT

Hello Ravinder,

Have you tried my suggestion? It does exactly what you're looking for:

# cat file2 | while read shortname
> do
> grep "^$shortname" file1 >> file3
> done

This will output only matching longnames into file3.

hope it helps!!!

Re: script query

Frank de Vries — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 03:58:35 GMT

Ok,
I see what you mean:
This will do the trick for you:

while read fullname
do
shortname=$(echo $fullname | cut -c1-5)
if (grep -i $shortname file2)
then
echo $fullname >> file3
fi
done < file1

good luck