In a plain-text table, the first or header line usually contains the names of the fields. In this article I've pulled together a variety of ways to add and delete a header, and also how to do things with the rest of the table while leaving the header intact as the first line in the file. Add a…

This article compares 3 different ways to join tables on a common field. All 3 work OK on small tables, but there's a big difference in speed when the tables to be joined are large, as shown below. Table joining isn't something you need to do if you store data in a simple, flat-file database like a…

In a previous Linux Rain article I compared different ways to delete blank lines, and showed that the AWK way was the simplest and most thorough. Here I show how to split a text file into multiple text files using a surprisingly simple AWK command. Background In 2013 I published an article in Free…

In a previous Linux Rain article I explained how to use the YAD dialog to do multiple-item data entry in a GUI. Here I show one way to allow users to check and edit what they've entered in YAD. I also explain how to offer default, editable inputs in terminal-based data entry, and how to color the…

In this tutorial I explain one way to generate a random geographical location, using simple command-line tricks. Latitude and longitude: decimal degrees Latitude runs from 0 to 90 degrees from the Equator to the North Pole, and 0 to 90 degrees from the Equator to the South Pole. Longitude in…

Thanks to the recent Linux support provided by DRM-free classic games provider, GOG.com, getting that nostalgic kick on Linux has never been easier. In this article I'll also detail a few of my favourite classic games that are now available to play in Linux. It's not all nostalgia, though. Some of…

That's right, GOG.com has just announced they are supporting Linux, way ahead of their scheduled dates of around October or November. The launch brings 50 Linux-compatible games right away. GOG.com announced it on their website today, no doubt to the surprise of many. GOG.com says that 100 Linux…

If you just love making 'top 10'-type lists but are a little embarrassed to say so, tell people you're passionate about data exploration. To impress them even more, explain that you do your data exploration on the command line. But don't ruin the impression by telling them how easy that is! In this…

"Project Tool aims to provide a cinematic game-play experience, with a captivating storyline that's set in a sci-fi future. Tool is a 3rd person action RPG at heart, with a single player campaign that spans our galaxy. Its story is unforgettable and its gameplay is just as enjoyable",…

For those looking forward to the next-gen incarnation of the KDE Plasma Desktop, the first release of Plasma 5 has now arrived. A polished up UI, new default desktop theme and high-DPI support are some of the big obvious changes while still managing to maintain the traditional design and workflow.…