Question 1

How to use awk to process CSV files?

Accepted Answer

The GNU awk guide covers text restructuring with examples for delimited data. Use 'awk -F',' to set comma as a field separator, then manipulate columns or filter rows based on conditions.

Question 2

Grep or sed: which is better for replacing text in files?

Accepted Answer

Grep is for searching patterns, while sed specializes in stream editing and text substitution. For simple replacements, sed is ideal; for complex patterns, combine both or use awk.

Question 3

Are the examples in this repo still up to date?

Accepted Answer

The repo is archived, but the author has converted content into updated ebooks with newer software versions. Check the ebook links for the most current information and exercises.

Question 4

How can I practice command-line text processing?

Accepted Answer

Use the exercises directory and TUI apps mentioned in the README for interactive practice. These allow solving problems like grep patterns or awk transformations directly in the terminal.

Question 5

What are common uses of sed in automation scripts?

Accepted Answer

Sed is often used for batch editing files, such as replacing strings, deleting lines, or transforming text formats. The GNU sed guide provides examples for scripting log cleanup or configuration updates.

Question 6

How to handle large log files with command-line tools?

Accepted Answer

Tools like grep, awk, and sed are efficient for streaming processing. The resources show techniques to filter, search, and analyze logs without loading entire files into memory, using pipes and options.

awk by example

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