Using awk to delete multiple lines using argument passed on via function

Question

My input.csv file is semicolon separated, with the first line being a header for attributes. The first column contains customer numbers. The function is being called through a script that I activate from the terminal.

I want to delete all lines containing the customer numbers that are entered as arguments for the script. EDIT: And then export the file as a different file, while keeping the original intact.

bash deleteCustomers.sh 1 3 5

Currently only the last argument is filtered from the csv file. I understand that this is happening because the output file gets overwritten each time the loop runs, restoring all previously deleted arguments.

How can I match all the lines to be deleted, and then delete them (or print everything BUT those lines), and then output it to one file containing ALL edits?

delete_customers () {
    echo "These customers will be deleted: "$@""       

for i in "$@";
do
    awk -F ";" -v customerNR=$i -v input="$inputFile" '($1 != customerNR) NR > 1 { print }' "input.csv" > output.csv
done
}

delete_customers "$@"

Here's some sample input (first piece of code is the first line in the csv file). In the output CSV file I want the same formatting, with the lines for some customers completely deleted.

Klantnummer;Nationaliteit;Geslacht;Title;Voornaam;MiddleInitial;Achternaam;Adres;Stad;Provincie;Provincie-voluit;Postcode;Land;Land-voluit;email;gebruikersnaam;wachtwoord;Collectief ;label;ingangsdatum;pakket;aanvullende verzekering;status;saldo;geboortedatum

1;Dutch;female;Ms.;Josanne;S;van der Rijst;Bliek 189;Hellevoetsluis;ZH;Zuid-Holland;3225 XC;NL;Netherlands;JosannevanderRijst@dayrep.com;Sourawaspen;Lae0phaxee;Klant;CZ;11-7-2010;best;tand1;verleden;-137;30-12-1995

2;Dutch;female;Mrs.;Inci;K;du Bois;Castorweg 173;Hengelo;OV;Overijssel;7557 KL;NL;Netherlands;InciduBois@gustr.com;Hisfireeness;jee0zeiChoh;Klant;CZ;30-8-2015;goed ;geen;verleden;188;1-8-1960

3;Dutch;female;Mrs.;Lusanne;G;Hijlkema;Plutostraat 198;Den Haag;ZH;Zuid-Holland;2516 AL;NL;Netherlands;LusanneHijlkema@dayrep.com;Digum1969;eiTeThun6th;Klant;Achmea;12-2-2010;best;mix;huidig;-335;9-3-1973

4;Dutch;female;Dr.;Husna;M;Hoegee;Tiendweg 89;Ameide;ZH;Zuid-Holland;4233 VW;NL;Netherlands;HusnaHoegee@fleckens.hu;Hatimon;goe5OhS4t;Klant;VGZ;9-8-2015;goed ;gezin;huidig;144;12-8-1962

5;Dutch;male;Mr.;Sieds;D;Verspeek;Willem Albert Scholtenstraat 38;Groningen;GR;Groningen;9711 XA;NL;Netherlands;SiedsVerspeek@armyspy.com;Thade1947;Taexiet9zo;Intern;CZ;17-2-2004;beter;geen;verleden;-49;12-10-1961

6;Dutch;female;Ms.;Nazmiye;R;van Spronsen;Noorderbreedte 180;Amsterdam;NH;Noord-Holland;1034 PK;NL;Netherlands;NazmiyevanSpronsen@jourrapide.com;Whinsed;Oz9ailei;Intern;VGZ;17-6-2003;beter;mix;huidig;178;8-3-1974

7;Dutch;female;Ms.;Livia;X;Breukers;Everlaan 182;Veenendaal;UT;Utrecht;3903

Answer 1

Try this in loop..

awk -v variable=$var '$1 != variable' input.csv

awk       - to make decision based on columns
-v        - to use a variable into a awk command
variable  - store the value for awk to process
$var      - to search for a specific string in run-time
!=        - to check if not exist
input.csv - your input file

It's awk's behavior, when you use -v it can will work with variable on run-time and provide an output that doesn't contain the value you passed. This way, you get all the values that are not matching to your variable. Hope this is helpful. :)

Thanks

Answer 2

This bash script should work:

!/bin/bash 
FILTER="!/(^"$(echo "$@" | sed -e "s/ /\|^/g")")/ {print}" 
awk "$FILTER" input.csv > output.csv

The idea is to build an awk relevant FILTER and then use it.

Assuming the call parameters are: 1 2 3, the filter will be: !/(^1|^2|^3)/ {print}

!: to invert matching

^: Beginning of the line

The input data are in the input.csv file and output result will be in the output.csv file.