summing columns using awk

[Duncan Kerin]

I have a text delimited file ("|") and I want to sum the 8th column. This is no problem when all the values are positive, however it does become a problem when a negetive value is encountered - it doesn't sum up the values correctly.

cat run15 | awk -F"|" -f a.awk > out

here's the a.awk file..
# Add the 8th column and print the sum
{ s += $8 }
END { print "sum of the total account balance is... ", s }

here's the input file, run15, ..
"5937000004 "|392953|"EN"|"O"|"prueba"|20030927|20020810|+0000005.09|20020815|936
"5937000011 "|393712|"SP"|"S"|"MARIA EUGENIA"|20011004||+0000000.82|20020712|5
"5937000012 "|393713|"EN"|"S"|"ANGEL IGNACIO"|20020815|20020818|+12.86|20020810|939
"5937000018 "|605963|"SP"|"S"|"OMAR LERTORA"|20020812|20020712|+0000013.56|20020304|943
"5937000028 "|605962|"EN"|"D"|"OMAR LERTORA"|20020313||-0000014.82|20020304|944

[Deepak Extross · Accepted solution]

Your awk script gives 17.51, which is correct. Or is it??

[harry d brown jr]

I'm deeply confused:

+_5.09
+__.82
======
+_5.91
+12.86
======
+18.77
+13.56
======
+32.33
-14.82
======
+17.51

Is, there something we are missing??

because here' my sample run:

# cat run15 | awk -F"|" -f a.awk
sum of the total account balance is... 17.51
# cat a.awk
{ s += $8 }
END { print "sum of the total account balance is... ", s }
#



live free or die
harry

[Ceesjan van Hattum]

Hi Duncan,
The calculations just seem to work normal. We do not see the problem.
awk 'BEGIN{FS="|"}{sum=sum+$8}END{print sum}' inputfile
.. it just works fine: 17.51 in your example.
Tell us more about the exact problem you might have..
Regards,
Ceesjan

[harry d brown jr]

If you aren't getting the same results we got, then I suggest you install the latest patch bundle!

live free or die
harry

[Duncan Kerin]

thanks guys, I've installed the latest patch bundle and I'm now getting same results.

[harry d brown jr]

I'm glad it was just patches and not our brains...hey, is it Friday yet?

live free or die
harry

[Deepak Extross]

umm...Ken Lay, is that you?

:-D