Editing AWK (section)

=== The ''print'' command ===

The ''print'' command is used to output text. The output text is always terminated with a predefined string called the output record separator (ORS) whose default value is a newline. The simplest form of this command is:

; <code>print</code>
:This displays the contents of the current record. In AWK, records are broken down into ''fields'', and these can be displayed separately:
; <code>print $1</code>
: Displays the first field of the current record
; <code>print $1, $3</code>
: Displays the first and third fields of the current record, separated by a predefined string called the output field separator (OFS) whose default value is a single space character

Although these fields (''$X'') may bear resemblance to variables (the $ symbol indicates variables in the usual Unix shells and in [[Perl]]), they actually refer to the fields of the current record.  A special case, ''$0'', refers to the entire record.  In fact, the commands "<code>print</code>" and "<code>print $0</code>" are identical in functionality.

The ''print'' command can also display the results of calculations and/or function calls:
<syntaxhighlight lang="awk">
/regex_pattern/ {
    # Actions to perform in the event the record (line) matches the above regex_pattern
    print 3+2
    print foobar(3)
    print foobar(variable)
    print sin(3-2)
}
</syntaxhighlight>

Output may be sent to a file:
<syntaxhighlight lang="awk">
/regex_pattern/ {
    # Actions to perform in the event the record (line) matches the above regex_pattern
    print "expression" > "file name"
}
</syntaxhighlight>

or through a [[pipe (Unix)|pipe]]:
<syntaxhighlight lang="awk">
/regex_pattern/ {
    # Actions to perform in the event the record (line) matches the above regex_pattern
    print "expression" | "command"
}
</syntaxhighlight>