Creating a Subset of Data with Awk Command in Unix

[RJLiberator]

Homework Statement

use awk to create a subset of the original data file called subset.gmt that only contains records with longitudes between -112 and -102. Hint: you can use the operator && to tell awk to look for more than one pattern at once.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

What we need is to find an awk command that allows me to take the data from a previous file, the column 1 (longitude) and take only the records between -112 and -102.

So, I understand we start the command as such:

awk 'NR>1{print $1...}' originalfile.txt >! newoutput.ps

The column that I want to pull from is 1 from the file.
But how do I create a code such that it pulls only the records between -112 and -102?
Is it an if statement? Professor mentions the use of boolean operator &&, but I've searched the internet with no luck...

Thank you.

 

[NascentOxygen]

Presumably, the values in column 1 will not be all neat integers?

I think your first move should be to invent your own sample data file containing a representative selection of records, including a couple where the relevant field is, say, -112 or something. Then focus on devising the code for selecting those records where the desired field equals that value, -112

Once you have this working, you can build on it to select for a range of values, and not necessarily integers. Looking at short sample awk scripts in your class notes or online is the best way to learn how this can be achieved.

You have an awk utility at home that you can keep testing your script on? Study manuals all you like, but nothing is as valuable to learning as the immediacy of being able to "guess & test".

 

[RJLiberator]

Yes, I have a virtual machine which allows me to use linux to study unix and the awk commands here.

I can't confirm if they are neat integers or not, they may be, I will be able to confirm that tomorrow. :)

I will check through some sample class code, but after doing so earlier, I didn't have much luck in finding a way to isolate part of the column results in such a manner.
What could the && operator be used for?

 

[NascentOxygen]

Google will find plenty of resources, e.g., search on "unix awk tutorial".

 

[RJLiberator]

A friend of mine suggested something along the nature of :

awk 'NR>1{print $1 -112&&-102}' originalfile.txt >! newoutput.ps

but not sure how to make it 'search' for the values inbetween -112 and -102

Perhaps:

awk -F'[:}]''$(NF-1) >= -112&& $(NF-1) <= -102' file > output.txt

 

[RJLiberator]

Boom.
Got it.
Sample code:

awk '$1>=-112&&$1<=-102{print}' EX1.csh > subset11.gmt

What this does is it takes column 1 and says all values between -112 and -102 you will print.

 

[NascentOxygen]

Sample code:

awk '$1>=-112&&$1<=-102{print}' EX1.csh > subset11.gmt

What this does is it takes column 1 and says all values between -112 and -102 you will print.

Looks good. You will find that you can even omit the {print} command because printing the whole record is the default action for AWK.