Usage: awk [POSIX or GNU style options] -f progfile [--] file ... Usage: awk [POSIX or GNU style options] [--] 'program' file ... POSIX options: GNU long options: -f progfile --file=progfile -F fs --field-separator=fs -v var=val --assign=var=val -m[fr] val -W compat --compat -W copyleft --copyleft -W copyright --copyright -W dump-variables[=file] --dump-variables[=file] -W exec=file --exec=file -W gen-po --gen-po -W help --help -W lint[=fatal] --lint[=fatal] -W lint-old --lint-old -W non-decimal-data --non-decimal-data -W profile[=file] --profile[=file] -W posix --posix -W re-interval --re-interval -W source=program-text --source=program-text -W traditional --traditional -W usage --usage -W version --version To report bugs, see node `Bugs' in `gawk.info', which is section `Reporting Problems and Bugs' in the printed version. gawk is a pattern scanning and processing language. By default it reads standard input and writes standard output. Examples: gawk '{ sum += $1 }; END { print sum }' file gawk -F: '{ print $1 }' /etc/passwd