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https://github.com/theryangeary/choose

A human-friendly and fast alternative to cut and (sometimes) awk
https://github.com/theryangeary/choose

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A human-friendly and fast alternative to cut and (sometimes) awk

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README 

        
# Choose



This is `choose`, a human-friendly and fast alternative to `cut` and (sometimes) `awk`



[![`choose` demo](https://asciinema.org/a/315932.png)](https://asciinema.org/a/315932?autoplay=1)



## Features



- terse field selection syntax similar to Python's list slices

- negative indexing from end of line

- optional start/end index

- zero-indexed

- reverse ranges

- slightly faster than `cut` for sufficiently long inputs, much faster than

  `awk`

- regular expression field separators using Rust's regex syntax



## Rationale



The AWK programming language is designed for text processing and is extremely

capable in this endeavor. However, the `awk` command is not ideal for rapid

shell use, with its requisite quoting of a line wrapped in curly braces, even

for the simplest of programs:



```bash

awk '{print $1}'

```



Likewise, `cut` is far from ideal for rapid shell use, because of its confusing

syntax. Field separators and ranges are just plain difficult to get right on the

first try.



It is for these reasons that I present to you `choose`. It is not meant to be a

drop-in or complete replacement for either of the aforementioned tools, but

rather a simple and intuitive tool to reach for when the basics of `awk` or

`cut` will do, but the overhead of getting them to behave should not be

necessary.



## Contributing



Please see our guidelines in [contributing.md](contributing.md).



## Usage



```

$ choose --help

choose 1.2.0

`choose` sections from each line of files



USAGE:

    choose [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] ...



FLAGS:

    -c, --character-wise    Choose fields by character number

    -d, --debug             Activate debug mode

    -x, --exclusive         Use exclusive ranges, similar to array indexing in many programming languages

    -h, --help              Prints help information

    -n, --non-greedy        Use non-greedy field separators

    -V, --version           Prints version information



OPTIONS:

    -f, --field-separator 

            Specify field separator other than whitespace, using Rust `regex` syntax



    -i, --input                                       Input file

    -o, --output-field-separator     Specify output field separator



ARGS:

    ...    Fields to print. Either a, a:b, a..b, or a..=b, where a and b are integers. The beginning or end

                    of a range can be omitted, resulting in including the beginning or end of the line,

                    respectively. a:b is inclusive of b (unless overridden by -x). a..b is exclusive of b and a..=b

                    is inclusive of b

```



### Examples



```bash

choose 5                # print the 5th item from a line (zero indexed)



choose -f ':' 0 3 5     # print the 0th, 3rd, and 5th item from a line, where

                        # items are separated by ':' instead of whitespace



choose 2:5              # print everything from the 2nd to 5th item on the line,

                        # inclusive of the 5th



choose -x 2:5           # print everything from the 2nd to 5th item on the line,

                        # exclusive of the 5th



choose :3               # print the beginning of the line to the 3rd item



choose -x :3            # print the beginning of the line to the 3rd item,

                        # exclusive



choose 3:               # print the third item to the end of the line



choose -1               # print the last item from a line



choose -3:-1            # print the last three items from a line

```



## Compilation and Installation



### Installing From Source



In order to build `choose` you will need the rust toolchain installed. You can

find instructions [here](https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install).



Then, to install:



```bash

git clone https://github.com/theryangeary/choose.git

cd choose

cargo build --release

install target/release/choose 

```



Just make sure DESTDIR is in your path.



### Installing From Package Managers



Cargo:



```sh

cargo install choose

```



Arch Linux:



```sh

yay -S choose-rust-git

```



Fedora/CentOS [COPR](https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/atim/choose/):



```sh

dnf copr enable atim/choose

dnf install choose

```



Homebrew:



```sh

brew install choose-rust

```



MacPorts:



```sh

sudo port install choose

```



### Benchmarking



Benchmarking is performed using the [`bench` utility](https://github.com/Gabriel439/bench).



Benchmarking is based on the assumption that there are five files in `test/`

that match the glob "long*txt". GitHub doesn't support files big enough in

normal repos, but for reference the files I'm working with have lengths like

these:



```sh

     1000 test/long.txt

    19272 test/long_long.txt

    96360 test/long_long_long.txt

   963600 test/long_long_long_long.txt

 10599600 test/long_long_long_long_long.txt

```



and content generally like this:



```

Those an equal point no years do. Depend warmth fat but her but played. Shy and

subjects wondered trifling pleasant. Prudent cordial comfort do no on colonel as

assured chicken. Smart mrs day which begin. Snug do sold mr it if such.

Terminated uncommonly at at estimating. Man behaviour met moonlight extremity

acuteness direction.



Ignorant branched humanity led now marianne too strongly entrance. Rose to shew

bore no ye of paid rent form. Old design are dinner better nearer silent excuse.

She which are maids boy sense her shade. Considered reasonable we affronting on

expression in. So cordial anxious mr delight. Shot his has must wish from sell

```