# How do I extract certain columns from a text file in Unix?
Somehow I can never remember the *cut* command in Unix. But I occasionally want to remove certain columns from a text file of data. *cut* will do that.
## Delimited
Here is a simple tab-delimited example. (Use the -d option to set a different column delimiter.)
**Data File (tab-delimited)**
```
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
```
**Command**
```
cut -f1,4,6 filename
```
**Output**
```
111 444 666
111 444 666
111 444 666
111 444 666
111 444 666
```
There are two other examples in the Search and Replace section of this KB article.
[https://kb.ucla.edu/link/117](https://kb.ucla.edu/link/117)
More options are available in the Unix man pages for cut. Type *man cut*
## Fixed Width
Use the *-c* option to select characters based on position.
**Data File (fixed width)**
```
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
111 222 3333 444 555 666
```
**Command**
```
cut -c9,16 filename
```
**Output**
```
222
222
222
222
222
```