From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

#!/bin/sh

<<'NOTES'

Prints text blocks side-by-side

Michael Sanders 2025

You have...

A.TXT

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Nullam feugiat, turpis at
pulvinar vulputate, erat libero
tristique tellus, nec bibendum
odio risus sit amet ante.

B.TXT

Aliquam erat volutpat. Nunc
auctor. Mauris pretium quam et
urna. Fusce nibh. Duis risus.
Curabitur sagittis hendrerit
ante. Aliquam erat volutpat.
Vestibulum metus semper nulla.

You want...

Left Side Right Side

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, Aliquam erat volutpat. Nunc
consectetuer adipiscing elit. auctor. Mauris pretium quam et
Nullam feugiat, turpis at urna. Fusce nibh. Duis risus.
pulvinar vulputate, erat libero Curabitur sagittis hendrerit
tristique tellus, nec bibendum ante. Aliquam erat volutpat.
odio risus sit amet ante. Vestibulum metus semper nulla.

NOTES

str1="$(cat a.txt)"
str2="$(cat b.txt)"

clear

awk -v gap=3 -v a="$str1" -v b="$str2" '
BEGIN {
# split strings into lines
n1 = split(a, arr1, "\n")
n2 = split(b, arr2, "\n")
n = (n1 > n2 ? n1 : n2)

# determine max width of 1st block
max = 0
for (q = 1; q <= n1; q++) {
if (length(arr1[q]) > max) max = length(arr1[q])
}

# print side-by-side
for(q = 1; q <= n; q++){
s1 = (q <= n1 ? arr1[q] : "")
s2 = (q <= n2 ? arr2[q] : "")
# left-align 1st block with max, add uniform gap, print 2nd block
printf "%-*s", max + gap, s1
printf "%s\n", s2
}
}'

echo

# eof
--
:wq
Mike Sanders
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

On 24.10.2025 16:28, Michael Sanders wrote:

#!/bin/sh

<<'NOTES'

Prints text blocks side-by-side

Michael Sanders 2025

You have...

A.TXT

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetuer adipiscing elit.
Nullam feugiat, turpis at
pulvinar vulputate, erat libero
tristique tellus, nec bibendum
odio risus sit amet ante.

B.TXT

Aliquam erat volutpat. Nunc
auctor. Mauris pretium quam et
urna. Fusce nibh. Duis risus.
Curabitur sagittis hendrerit
ante. Aliquam erat volutpat.
Vestibulum metus semper nulla.

You want...

Left Side Right Side

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, Aliquam erat volutpat. Nunc consectetuer adipiscing elit. auctor. Mauris pretium quam et
Nullam feugiat, turpis at urna. Fusce nibh. Duis risus.
pulvinar vulputate, erat libero Curabitur sagittis hendrerit
tristique tellus, nec bibendum ante. Aliquam erat volutpat.
odio risus sit amet ante. Vestibulum metus semper nulla.

NOTES

str1="$(cat a.txt)"
str2="$(cat b.txt)"

clear

awk -v gap=3 -v a="$str1" -v b="$str2" '
[...]'

echo

# eof

Since you're obviously using a Unix shell you might be interested in

$ paste a.txt b.txt

as a simpler (though non-awk) solution.

Janis

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

On Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:19:59 +0200, Janis Papanagnou wrote:

Since you're obviously using a Unix shell you might be interested in

$ paste a.txt b.txt

as a simpler (though non-awk) solution.

Exactly right Janis =) Really just an exercise for me in wondering:

'How does paste do that any how?'

Now I know. I do wish Windows had a better *native* toolkit for
these sorts of things. The real issue I have is a lack of printf
from the command line in Windows. Awk (paste too) makes these sorts
jobs trivial...

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--
:wq
Mike Sanders
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

On 25.10.2025 02:26, Michael Sanders wrote:

[...] I do wish Windows had a better *native* toolkit for
these sorts of things.

Well, what shall I say to people that want to do such things
but adhere to the Windows platform?

You can of course install Cygwin to have access to the tools.

Myself I got a clear preference once I saw and worked on a
Unix system. And early access to books like Kernighan, Pike:
"The UNIX Programming Environment" solidifies that. (Still
worth reading for newbies, I think.)

The real issue I have is a lack of printf
from the command line in Windows.

This is of course a Unix standard command. And if you can
install some prominent Unix shell (or have it through Cygwin)
you get it even as shell built-in.

Awk (paste too) makes these sorts jobs trivial...

(It's so amazing what you can do with the Unix tool chest!)

Janis

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

In article <10dh5ff$2viff$1@dont-email.me>,
Michael Sanders <porkchop@invalid.foo> wrote:

Now I know. I do wish Windows had a better *native* toolkit for
these sorts of things. The real issue I have is a lack of printf
from the command line in Windows. Awk (paste too) makes these sorts
jobs trivial...

Why not use WSL? (Windows Subsystem for Linux) where you get
a real Linux shell and can run Linux binaries?
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

On 25 Oct 2025 17:25:45 GMT, Mack The Knife wrote:

Why not use WSL? (Windows Subsystem for Linux) where you get a real
Linux shell and can run Linux binaries?

Or even busybox for Windows, my personal/portable favorite:

<https://frippery.org/busybox/>

Now imagine for instance an older individual, owns a business,
has invested allot of money into their tech, even has a small server.

Now suggest you want to install 3rd party software...

For me its non-issue, but for some it is. The inverse is true as well:
Wine (Win Emulation) can never one up Win API.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
--
:wq
Mike Sanders
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.lang.awk

On Sat, 25 Oct 2025 03:03:38 +0200, Janis Papanagnou wrote:

(It's so amazing what you can do with the Unix tool chest!)

Aye. It really is.
--
:wq
Mike Sanders
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2