2

I have following output from script

host1:101
host1:102
host2:101
host2:102
host2:103
host4:101
host5:101
host5:102
host5:103
host5:104

etc..

I wanted to insert a new line after each host group.

host1:101
host1:102

host2:101
host2:102

host3:101
host3:102

Any AWK onliners to compare each consecute line with 1st field and insert new line before non-matching 1st field?

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
4 
 awk -F: '{if (NR>1 && save!=$1) print "";} {save=$1; print;}'

You never want to insert a blank line before line 1, so don't even think about it unless NR>1.  Thereafter, print the blank line if the first field is not the saved value from the previous line.

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  • @sudobash: If you believe that this is the best answer (or the clearest, best-explained answer, or the first posted among comparably good answers), you can "accept" it by clicking on the green check mark to the left. Commented Aug 12, 2014 at 16:32
2

Another awk: 

awk -F: 'a!~$1{print x}a=$1' file

Remove first blank line of output

awk -F: 'a&&a!~$1{print x}a=$1' file
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  • 1
    +1: Though better to add awk -F: 'a!~$1 && NR>1{print x}a=$1' file to prevent the empty first line. Commented Aug 13, 2014 at 1:14
  • @jaypal in hindsight could also have done awk -F: 'a&&a!~$1{print x}a=$1' file Commented Aug 13, 2014 at 10:57
1

One more awk approach:

awk -F ':' '!a[$1]++ && NR>1{print ""}1' file
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0
1

Another awk:

$ awk -F':' 'FNR > 1 && p != $1 {printf "\n"};{p = $1}1' file
host1:101
host1:102

host2:101
host2:102
host2:103

host4:101

host5:101
host5:102
host5:103
host5:104
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