How can I put a new line in a string using an AWK script?

To insert a new line within a string in AWK, you can use the escape sequence \n. This sequence represents the newline character. Here's how you can do it:

1. Using \n Directly in a String:

- When you define a string within your AWK script, use \n where you want the new line to appear.

- Example:

awk 'BEGIN { print "First line\nSecond line" }'

This will output:

First line
Second line

2. Using a Variable with New Lines:

- You can also store a string containing new lines in a variable and then use that variable.

- Example:

awk 'BEGIN { str = "Line one\nLine two\nLine three"; print str }'

This will output:

Line one
Line two
Line three

3. Adding New Lines Within Input Processing:

- If you are processing lines from a file and want to output them with added new lines, you can use a combination of input and \n.

- Example: Suppose you have a file called input.txt with the following content:

Apple
Banana
Cherry

Then use the script:

awk '{print $0 "\n---"}' input.txt

This will output:

Apple
---
Banana
---
Cherry
---

4. Handling Multiple New Lines:

- If you want multiple blank lines, just add several \n characters consecutively.

- Example:

awk 'BEGIN { print "First line\n\n\nSecond line" }'

This will output:

First line


Second line

Important Considerations:

- The \n sequence is interpreted by AWK to represent a newline character, which causes the output to move to the next line.

- Make sure you're using double quotes " when including escape sequences like \n, as single quotes ' may not interpret these correctly.

By using these methods, you can easily insert new lines into your strings within AWK scripts, enabling you to format your output in a readable and organized manner.

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