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Built-in Variables

Most awk variables are available for you to use for your own purposes; they never change except when your program assigns values to them, and never affect anything except when your program examines them.

A few variables have special built-in meanings. Some of them awk examines automatically, so that they enable you to tell awk how to do certain things. Others are set automatically by awk, so that they carry information from the internal workings of awk to your program.

This chapter documents all the built-in variables of awk. Most of them are also documented in the chapters where their areas of activity are described.

• User-modified: Built-in variables that you change to control awk.
• Auto-set: Built-in variables where awk gives you information.

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