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How do I echo just 1 column of output from ls command?

40

9

Lets say when I do ls command the output is:

file1 file2 file3 file4

Is it possible to display only a certain column of output, in this case file2? I have tried the following with no success:

echo ls | $2

Basically all I want to do is echo only the second column, in this case, I want to echo:

file2

bash ls parameter arguments

share|improve this question

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  What is a situation in which you really want a column of ls output?
  
  – michas
  Nov 18 '13 at 7:43
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  9
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  As a general rule, you should never parse ls. There are almost always better ways of getting the info you need.
  
  – terdon♦
  Nov 18 '13 at 15:43
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I wouldn't do that stranger :P (sorry I allways liked that phrase) the number of columns depend on the names files and folders have, so 2nd column may be the one you want, or may not, or may be in one ls and after creating some files/folders it may no longer be what you want. As terdon pointed out there sure are better ways to get what you want
  
  – YoMismo
  Mar 16 '15 at 16:28
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

40

9

Lets say when I do ls command the output is:

file1 file2 file3 file4

Is it possible to display only a certain column of output, in this case file2? I have tried the following with no success:

echo ls | $2

Basically all I want to do is echo only the second column, in this case, I want to echo:

file2

bash ls parameter arguments

share|improve this question

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  What is a situation in which you really want a column of ls output?
  
  – michas
  Nov 18 '13 at 7:43
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  9
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  As a general rule, you should never parse ls. There are almost always better ways of getting the info you need.
  
  – terdon♦
  Nov 18 '13 at 15:43
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I wouldn't do that stranger :P (sorry I allways liked that phrase) the number of columns depend on the names files and folders have, so 2nd column may be the one you want, or may not, or may be in one ls and after creating some files/folders it may no longer be what you want. As terdon pointed out there sure are better ways to get what you want
  
  – YoMismo
  Mar 16 '15 at 16:28
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Lets say when I do ls command the output is:

file1 file2 file3 file4

Is it possible to display only a certain column of output, in this case file2? I have tried the following with no success:

echo ls | $2

Basically all I want to do is echo only the second column, in this case, I want to echo:

file2

bash ls parameter arguments

share|improve this question

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

file1 file2 file3 file4

echo ls | $2

file2

share|improve this question

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

share|improve this question

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

edited Feb 22 '16 at 15:38

Stéphane Chazelas

309k57582944

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

asked Nov 18 '13 at 5:34

JohnJohn

93491924

5 Answers
5

active

oldest

votes

68

The following command will format ls output into one column

ls -1 /directory

share|improve this answer

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  But it doesn't give you just the one column the OP is interested in.
  
  – Anthon
  Mar 16 '15 at 15:45
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  To make it correct : ls -1 /directory | head -2 | tail -1 or ls -1 /directory | perl -ne 'print if $. == 2'
  
  – KWubbufetowicz
  Feb 10 '16 at 18:47
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @KWubbufetowicz ls | sed -n '1p;q' seems simpler
  
  – Fiximan
  Feb 22 '16 at 14:46
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The answer I was looking for, but not for the question of OP.
  
  – Michael Lang
  Feb 1 '17 at 8:56
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

31

You're looking for this:

ls -C | awk ' print $2 '

However, assuming you're going to try and use this filename later, don't do this, as it will break on filenames containing whitespace. Instead, put the files into an array, and get the second one, which avoids having to do any parsing at all:

files=(*)
printf '%sn' "$files[1]"

The order in which you get back the files depends on the value of LC_COLLATE. As such, you might want to set LC_COLLATE=C first, if you want a "standard" sorting in all corner cases.

share|improve this answer

edited Nov 18 '13 at 6:01

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Note that array indices start at 1 in sensible shells (zsh, yash, fish, csh, tcsh, rc, es...) and at 0 in ksh and bash. For a solution portable to all Bourne-like shells, you could use: set -- *; printf '%sn' "$2" instead.
  
  – Stéphane Chazelas
  Feb 22 '16 at 15:36
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @StéphaneChazelas At least for this question, the tags include "bash", so this answer is specific to that shell.
  
  – Chris Down
  Feb 22 '16 at 18:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  ls -C | awk ' print $1 looks give same output ... why $2 ?
  
  – boctulus
  Jan 17 at 4:55
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

7

You would need to add -C as ls uses single-column mode when the output is not a terminal. awk then prints the second column:

ls -C | awk 'print $2'

share|improve this answer

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

add a comment | 

0

The only way works for me is adding "-all". That is:

ls -C -all | awk ' print $1 '

Because -all add more columns like user, permissions, etc.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

add a comment | 

-3

num_chars=54 # offset
ls -ltr | cut -c$num_chars-

change the number of characters (54) as necessary so you only get the data you want.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  to clarify, using 54- tells cut to every character starting at position 54; it doesn't stop at "human-recognized" column
  
  – Jeff Schaller
  May 20 '16 at 16:12
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's not a bad idea..just needs to be refined.
  
  – prusswan
  Aug 15 '16 at 10:23
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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68

The following command will format ls output into one column

ls -1 /directory

share|improve this answer

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  But it doesn't give you just the one column the OP is interested in.
  
  – Anthon
  Mar 16 '15 at 15:45
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  To make it correct : ls -1 /directory | head -2 | tail -1 or ls -1 /directory | perl -ne 'print if $. == 2'
  
  – KWubbufetowicz
  Feb 10 '16 at 18:47
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @KWubbufetowicz ls | sed -n '1p;q' seems simpler
  
  – Fiximan
  Feb 22 '16 at 14:46
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The answer I was looking for, but not for the question of OP.
  
  – Michael Lang
  Feb 1 '17 at 8:56
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

68

The following command will format ls output into one column

ls -1 /directory

share|improve this answer

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  But it doesn't give you just the one column the OP is interested in.
  
  – Anthon
  Mar 16 '15 at 15:45
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  To make it correct : ls -1 /directory | head -2 | tail -1 or ls -1 /directory | perl -ne 'print if $. == 2'
  
  – KWubbufetowicz
  Feb 10 '16 at 18:47
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @KWubbufetowicz ls | sed -n '1p;q' seems simpler
  
  – Fiximan
  Feb 22 '16 at 14:46
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The answer I was looking for, but not for the question of OP.
  
  – Michael Lang
  Feb 1 '17 at 8:56
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

The following command will format ls output into one column

ls -1 /directory

share|improve this answer

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

ls -1 /directory

share|improve this answer

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

edited Mar 16 '15 at 15:45

Anthon

61.1k17104168

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

answered Mar 16 '15 at 15:36

ch0psch0ps

70752

31

You're looking for this:

ls -C | awk ' print $2 '

However, assuming you're going to try and use this filename later, don't do this, as it will break on filenames containing whitespace. Instead, put the files into an array, and get the second one, which avoids having to do any parsing at all:

files=(*)
printf '%sn' "$files[1]"

The order in which you get back the files depends on the value of LC_COLLATE. As such, you might want to set LC_COLLATE=C first, if you want a "standard" sorting in all corner cases.

share|improve this answer

edited Nov 18 '13 at 6:01

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Note that array indices start at 1 in sensible shells (zsh, yash, fish, csh, tcsh, rc, es...) and at 0 in ksh and bash. For a solution portable to all Bourne-like shells, you could use: set -- *; printf '%sn' "$2" instead.
  
  – Stéphane Chazelas
  Feb 22 '16 at 15:36
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @StéphaneChazelas At least for this question, the tags include "bash", so this answer is specific to that shell.
  
  – Chris Down
  Feb 22 '16 at 18:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  ls -C | awk ' print $1 looks give same output ... why $2 ?
  
  – boctulus
  Jan 17 at 4:55
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

31

You're looking for this:

ls -C | awk ' print $2 '

However, assuming you're going to try and use this filename later, don't do this, as it will break on filenames containing whitespace. Instead, put the files into an array, and get the second one, which avoids having to do any parsing at all:

files=(*)
printf '%sn' "$files[1]"

The order in which you get back the files depends on the value of LC_COLLATE. As such, you might want to set LC_COLLATE=C first, if you want a "standard" sorting in all corner cases.

share|improve this answer

edited Nov 18 '13 at 6:01

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Note that array indices start at 1 in sensible shells (zsh, yash, fish, csh, tcsh, rc, es...) and at 0 in ksh and bash. For a solution portable to all Bourne-like shells, you could use: set -- *; printf '%sn' "$2" instead.
  
  – Stéphane Chazelas
  Feb 22 '16 at 15:36
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @StéphaneChazelas At least for this question, the tags include "bash", so this answer is specific to that shell.
  
  – Chris Down
  Feb 22 '16 at 18:19
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  ls -C | awk ' print $1 looks give same output ... why $2 ?
  
  – boctulus
  Jan 17 at 4:55
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

You're looking for this:

ls -C | awk ' print $2 '

However, assuming you're going to try and use this filename later, don't do this, as it will break on filenames containing whitespace. Instead, put the files into an array, and get the second one, which avoids having to do any parsing at all:

files=(*)
printf '%sn' "$files[1]"

The order in which you get back the files depends on the value of LC_COLLATE. As such, you might want to set LC_COLLATE=C first, if you want a "standard" sorting in all corner cases.

share|improve this answer

edited Nov 18 '13 at 6:01

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

ls -C | awk ' print $2 '

files=(*)
printf '%sn' "$files[1]"

share|improve this answer

edited Nov 18 '13 at 6:01

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:40

Chris DownChris Down

81k15189203

7

You would need to add -C as ls uses single-column mode when the output is not a terminal. awk then prints the second column:

ls -C | awk 'print $2'

share|improve this answer

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

add a comment | 

7

You would need to add -C as ls uses single-column mode when the output is not a terminal. awk then prints the second column:

ls -C | awk 'print $2'

share|improve this answer

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

add a comment | 

You would need to add -C as ls uses single-column mode when the output is not a terminal. awk then prints the second column:

ls -C | awk 'print $2'

share|improve this answer

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

ls -C | awk 'print $2'

share|improve this answer

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

answered Nov 18 '13 at 5:44

tkrennwatkrennwa

2,6051912

0

The only way works for me is adding "-all". That is:

ls -C -all | awk ' print $1 '

Because -all add more columns like user, permissions, etc.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

add a comment | 

0

The only way works for me is adding "-all". That is:

ls -C -all | awk ' print $1 '

Because -all add more columns like user, permissions, etc.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

add a comment | 

The only way works for me is adding "-all". That is:

ls -C -all | awk ' print $1 '

Because -all add more columns like user, permissions, etc.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

ls -C -all | awk ' print $1 '

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

answered 1 hour ago

Diego Andrés Díaz EspinozaDiego Andrés Díaz Espinoza

1011

-3

num_chars=54 # offset
ls -ltr | cut -c$num_chars-

change the number of characters (54) as necessary so you only get the data you want.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  to clarify, using 54- tells cut to every character starting at position 54; it doesn't stop at "human-recognized" column
  
  – Jeff Schaller
  May 20 '16 at 16:12
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's not a bad idea..just needs to be refined.
  
  – prusswan
  Aug 15 '16 at 10:23
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

-3

num_chars=54 # offset
ls -ltr | cut -c$num_chars-

change the number of characters (54) as necessary so you only get the data you want.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  to clarify, using 54- tells cut to every character starting at position 54; it doesn't stop at "human-recognized" column
  
  – Jeff Schaller
  May 20 '16 at 16:12
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  It's not a bad idea..just needs to be refined.
  
  – prusswan
  Aug 15 '16 at 10:23
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

num_chars=54 # offset
ls -ltr | cut -c$num_chars-

change the number of characters (54) as necessary so you only get the data you want.

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7

num_chars=54 # offset
ls -ltr | cut -c$num_chars-

share|improve this answer

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

edited Aug 15 '16 at 10:58

prusswan

1159

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7

answered May 20 '16 at 15:40

m.rumorem.rumore

7