awk and simple if then

shapi003 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-07-04, 16:01

Hello,

I am trying make an awk script that does a command, looks at $10. If $10 does not have a value, print $9, else print $10. I think this is probably fairly easy, but I am getting lost doing this. Can somebody please show me how to do this?

Thanks,

David

vgersh99 · #2 (**permalink**) 04-07-04, 17:00

Code:

{
    cmd="whatEverCommand2execute"
    cmd | getline cmdOutput; close(cmd);
    split(cmdOutput, cmdARR);
     # don't know exactly what "doesn't have a value" means
    printf("%s\n", (cmdARR[10] =="") ? cmdARR[9] : cmdARR[10]);
}

Pat Phelan · #3 (**permalink**) 04-07-04, 17:01

I haven't used awk in years, but I'm 99% sure that you can use:

Code:

printf($10 ? $10 : $9);

to print $10 if it is defined and $9 otherwise.

-PatP

aigles · #4 (**permalink**) 04-08-04, 04:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Pat Phelan
I haven't used awk in years, but I'm 99% sure that you can use:

Code:

printf($10 ? $10 : $9);

to print $10 if it is defined and $9 otherwise.

-PatP

Don't use printf because the first argument is a format.
If the printed field ($9 or $10) contains a valid directive (eg %d) awk will failed.

Code:

print ($10 ? $10 : $9);

Pat Phelan · #5 (**permalink**) 04-08-04, 08:36

Quote:

Originally posted by aigles
Don't use printf because the first argument is a format.
If the printed field ($9 or $10) contains a valid directive (eg %d) awk will failed.

Code:

print ($10 ? $10 : $9);

Uff-da! Good catch, sorry. I still think you just need to add the format string and then it should work fine, or at least it does on my awk.

-PatP

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