8.2 paste: Merge lines of files

paste writes to standard output lines consisting of sequentially corresponding lines of each given file, separated by a TAB character. Standard input is used for a file name of `-' or if no input files are given.

For example:

$ cat num2 1 2 $ cat let3 a b c $ paste num2 let3 1 a 2 b c

Synopsis:

paste [option]... [file]...

The program accepts the following options. Also see 2. Common options.

`-s'

`--serial'

Paste the lines of one file at a time rather than one line from each file. Using the above example data:

$ paste -s num2 let3 1 2 a b c

`-d delim-list'

`--delimiters=delim-list'

Consecutively use the characters in delim-list instead of TAB to separate merged lines. When delim-list is exhausted, start again at its beginning. Using the above example data:

$ paste -d '%_' num2 let3 num2 1%a_1 2%b_2 %c_