Awk variable passing error

Question

Below works fine:

awk '{print $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54}' FS='\t' OFS='\t' file.csv > file.csv.updated

But when I pass the column list through a variable it starts giving syntax errors.

awk -v FinalColumnVal=$FinalColumnValue '{$FinalColumnVal}' FS='\t' OFS='\t' file.csv > file.csv.updated

For Ref: I confirmed by printing the FinalColumnValue variable and it has the correct data. FinalColumnValue is: print $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54

Error:

awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:      ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:            ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                  ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                        ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                                                                       ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:                                                                                                                                                                                                               ^ syntax error
awk: $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12,$56,$13,$53,$14,$15,$16,$17,$18,$19,$20,$21,$22,$23,$24,$25,$26,$27,$28,$29,$30,$31,$32,$33,$34,$35,$36,$37,$38,$39,$40,$41,$42,$43,$44,$45,$46,$47,$48,$49,$50,$51,$52,$54
awk:

Based on various comments, I got to this working solution.

awk -v cols="$FinalColumnValues" 'BEGIN {n=split(cols,colarr,",") } { for (i=1; i<=n; i++) { printf $colarr[i] "\t" } printf "\n" }' file.csv > file.csv.updated

Where FinalColumnValues=1,2,3,4,5

two issues, your variable FinalColumnValue contains a space character and you're not preventing word splitting, so your awk script is $1,$2,$3,$4,$5,$6,$7,$8,$57,$9,$55,$10,$11,$12..., which doesn't seem to be what you want to execute. second issue, in awk $var does not evaluate the contents var as code, but represents the var-th field, or $0 if var is not a number. — don_aman, Jul 19 '22 at 23:57
Perfect. I correct above 2 things and it works. awk -v FinalColumnVal="$FinalColumnValue" '{print $FinalColumnVal}' FS='\t' OFS='\t' file.csv > file.csv.updated — Ami, Jul 20 '22 at 00:13
See Why does my shell script choke on whitespace or other special characters?, When is double-quoting necessary? and What is the difference between the "...", '...', $'...', and $"..." quotes in the shell?. — ilkkachu, Jul 20 '22 at 09:12
Also, it helps to post the full script you run, exactly, so the readers don't need to guess parts, or stitch them together from the description. — ilkkachu, Jul 20 '22 at 09:13

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited Jul 20 '22 at 14:14

May I suggest (untested):

columns='1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,57,9,55,10,11,12,56,13,53,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,54'
awk -v cols="$columns" '
    BEGIN {
        FS = OFS = "\t"
        n = split(cols, col, /,/)
    }
    {
        printf "%s", $(col[1])
        for (i = 2; i <= n; i++) printf "%s%s", OFS, $(col[i])
        printf "\n"
    }
' file.csv > file.csv.updated

More tersely, the main awk action can be:

{ for (i = 1; i <= n; i++) printf "%s%s", $(col[i]), (i == n) ? ORS : OFS }

and instead of manually writing out every col number, you could replace this:

columns='1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,57,9,55,10,11,12,56,13,53,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,54'
awk -v cols="$columns" '
    BEGIN {
        n = split(cols, col, /,/)

with this:

ranges='1-8,57,9,55,10-12,56,13,53,14-52,54'
awk -v rngs="$ranges" '
BEGIN {
    numRanges = split(rngs,ranges,/,/)
    for ( i=1; i<=numRanges; i++ ) {
        split(ranges[i],range,/-/)
        for ( j=range[1]; j<=range[2]; j++ ) {
            col[++n] = j
        }
    }

Awk variable passing error

1 Answers1