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I have data in the first and last columns of a tab delimited text file. I want the first and last columns of the file to be deleted using batch. I have tried it using cut command, but it is not supported by Windows.

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    Here is an answer for a very similar question. Or you can find a Windows port of cut there. Nov 19, 2013 at 8:16

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  • Input data is in 4 columns separated by tabs (column 3 has embedded spaces).
  • If data values do not have spaces then delims=<tab> is optional.
  • Source filename does not have spaces (but output filename may if enclosed: "File 2 Col Out.txt")

Run Command Prompt and enter (substituting actual tab keystroke instead of <tab> in two places):

CMD /f:off
FOR /f "tokens=2,3 delims=<tab>" %B in (TabFile.txt) do @echo %B<tab>%C>> 2ColFile.txt  
CMD /f:on

Example:

c:\DeleteMe>type tabfile.txt
123     ABC     Ap ple   321
135     BDF     Bro wn   642
c:\DeleteMe>CMD /f:off
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

c:\DeleteMe>FOR /f "tokens=2,3 delims=  " %B in (TabFile.txt) do @echo %B       %C>> 2ColFile.txt    
c:\DeleteMe>type 2colfile.txt
ABC     Ap ple
BDF     Bro wn
c:\DeleteMe>CMD /f:on

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