cut

Divide a file into several parts (columns)

SYNTAX
     cut [OPTION]... [FILE]...

DESCRIPTION
     `cut' writes to standard output selected parts of each line of each
     input file, or standard input if no files are given or for a file name
     of `-'.

In the table which follows, the BYTE-LIST, CHARACTER-LIST, and
FIELD-LIST are one or more numbers or ranges (two numbers separated by
a dash) separated by commas.  Bytes, characters, and fields are
numbered from starting at 1.  Incomplete ranges may be given: `-M'
means `1-M'; `N-' means `N' through end of line or last field.

     The program accepts the following options.

`-b BYTE-LIST'
`--bytes=BYTE-LIST'
     Print only the bytes in positions listed in BYTE-LIST.  Tabs and
     backspaces are treated like any other character; they take up 1
     byte.

`-c CHARACTER-LIST'
`--characters=CHARACTER-LIST'
     Print only characters in positions listed in CHARACTER-LIST.  The
     same as `-b' for now, but internationalization will change that.
     Tabs and backspaces are treated like any other character; they
     take up 1 character.

`-f FIELD-LIST'
`--fields=FIELD-LIST'
     Print only the fields listed in FIELD-LIST.  Fields are separated
     by a TAB character by default.

`-d INPUT_DELIM_BYTE'
`--delimiter=INPUT_DELIM_BYTE'
     For `-f', fields are separated in the input by the first character
     in INPUT_DELIM_BYTE (default is TAB).

`-n'
     Do not split multi-byte characters (no-op for now).

`-s'
`--only-delimited'
     For `-f', do not print lines that do not contain the field
     separator character.

`--output-delimiter=OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING'
     For `-f', output fields are separated by OUTPUT_DELIM_STRING The
     default is to use the input delimiter.

"To me when a mother puts food in a microwave for her children, it is an act of hate" - Raymond Blanc

Related commands:

csplit - Split a file into context-determined pieces
fmt - Reformat paragraph text
fold - Wrap input lines to fit in specified width
head - Output the first part of file(s)
join - Join lines on a common field
paste - Merge lines of files
split - Split a file into fixed-size pieces
tail - Output the last part of files

Equivalent Windows NT commands:

FOR /F - Conditionally perform a command on items in a text file
VarSubstring - Extract part of a variable (substring)