Question

I have a CSV file which needs to separate values into separate CSV file.

It already has an existing code:\

1. First sub file needs a file that contains value in first and second fields

   egrep "^[^,]+,[^,]+," orig.csv > suba.csv

2. Second sub contains files containing values in first but empty in the second

   egrep "^[^,]+,," orig.csv > subb.csv

From what I understand the ^[^,]+, means must start with a value but the value must not be a comma then followed by a comma.

We have a new requirement that the fifth column must not be a blank:

Here is what I thought it should be but unfortunately it still receives the value with the fifth column with no value

egrep "^[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+" orig.csv > suba_2.csv

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Try:

egrep "^[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+,[^, ]+" orig.csv

I am suspecting there is whitespace in your fifth element.

Your regex worked for me with the following input:

% cat orig.csv
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
1,2,3,4,,6,7,8,9,10
1,2,3,4,5
1,2,3,4,
% egrep "^[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+,[^,]+" orig.csv
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
1,2,3,4,5
% 

But not when I put a space at the end of the last line 1,2,3,4, .