awk syntax error calling user defined function

Question

I get a syntax error:

/usr/xpg4/bin/awk: file "./test.awk": line 64: syntax error
Context is:
>>>   printf (", %s", date_value  ( $3, fmt_yyyymmdd ) );   <<<

The code fragments are:

fmt_yyyymmdd="yyyymmdd";
printf (", %s", date_value  ($22, fmt_yyyymmdd ) );

...

function date_value(string, format)
{
    return "20150101";
}

I am not able to understand where the syntax error is. A very similar statement (with one parameter only) produces no syntax error and works correctly.

printf (", %s", char_value  ( $2) );

For me it seems that awk either does not allow calling a user defined function with a parameter being a user defined variable or literal or calling a user defined function with more than one parameter. I am unfortunately not proficient in awk.

It would make it easier for us (and possibly for you) to spot your error if you put those fragments into a separate minimal example that reproduces the problem. — Tom Fenech
– Tom Fenech, Commented Feb 3, 2015 at 11:34

Birei · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-03 11:57:36Z

2

I think the problem is how you call the function. In user-defined functions it cannot exist any space between the name and the parameters, use:

printf (", %s", date_value($22, fmt_yyyymmdd ) );

answered Feb 3, 2015 at 11:57

Birei

36.4k3 gold badges80 silver badges84 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Ed Morton Over a year ago

Yes, that is the problem, the OP is simply wrong in asserting that char_value ( $2) does not have this problem. The awk syntax for this, btw, would be printf ", %s", date_value($22, fmt_yyyymmdd) since awk is not C and so doesn't need trailing semi-colons and printf is a builtin not a function so surrounding it's args in parens is just misleading.

nickm Over a year ago

I have changed the code accordingly and will test it.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

awk syntax error calling user defined function

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related