---
name: "decorate"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "datamash"
version: "1.9-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/decorate"
---

# decorate(1)

convert fields of various formats

## NAME

decorate - convert fields of various formats

## SYNOPSIS

**decorate** \[*OPTION*\]... \[*INPUT*\]\
 **decorate** *--decorate* \[*OPTION*\]... \[*INPUT*\]\
 **decorate** *--undecorate N* \[*OPTION*\]... \[*INPUT*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Converts (and optionally sorts) fields of various formats

With **--decorate**: adds the converted fields to the start of each line and prints and prints it to STDOUT; does not sort.

With **--undecorate**: removes the first N fields from the input; Use as post-processing step after [sort(1)](/sort/1.md).

Without **--decorate** and **--undecorate**: automatically decorates the input, runs [sort(1)](/sort/1.md) and undecorates the result; This is the easiest method to use. The **decorate** program allows sorting input according to various ordering, e.g. IP addresses, roman numerals, etc. It works in tandem with [sort(1)](/sort/1.md) to perform the actual sorting.

The idea was suggested by Pádraig Brady in https://lists.gnu.org/r/bug-coreutils/2015-06/msg00076.html:

1\. Decorate: convert the input to a sortable-format as additional fields\
 2\. Sort according to the inserted fields\
 3\. Undecorate: remove the inserted fields

## OPTIONS

### General Options:

- **--decorate**

  decorate/convert the specified fields and print the output to STDOUT. Does not automatically run [sort(1)](/sort/1.md) or undecorates the output

- **--header**=*N*

  does not decorate or sort the first N lines

- **-H**

  same as **--header**=*N*

- **-k**, **--key**=*KEYDEF*

  key/field to sort; same syntax as [sort(1)](/sort/1.md), optionally followed by ':method' to convert to the field into a sortable value; see examples and available conversion below

- **-t**, **--field-separator**=*SEP*

  use SEP instead of non-blank to blank transition

- **--print-sort-args**

  print adjusted parameters for [sort(1)](/sort/1.md); Useful when using **--decorate** and then manually running [sort(1)](/sort/1.md)

- **--undecorate**=*N*

  removes the first N fields

- **-z**, **--zero-terminated**

  line delimiter is NUL, not newline

- **--sort-cmd=**/path/to/sort

  Alternative [sort(1)](/sort/1.md) to use.

- **-h**, **--help**

  display this help and exit

- **-V**, **--version**

  output version information and exit

The following options are passed to sort as-is (Most of them assume GNU sort):

**-c**, **--check**

**--compress-program**

**--random-source**

**-s**, **--stable**

**--batch-size**

**-S**, **--buffer-size**

**-T**, **--temporary-directory**

**-u**, **--unique**

**--parallel**

Available conversions methods (use with **-k**):

- as-is

  copy as-is

- roman

  roman numerals

- strlen

  length (in bytes) of the specified field

- ipv4

  dotted-decimal IPv4 addresses

- ipv6

  IPv6 addresses

- ipv4inet

  number-and-dots IPv4 addresses (incl. octal, hex values)

- ipv6v4map

  IPv6 and IPv4 (as IPv4-Mapped IPv6) addresses

- ipv6v4comp

  IPv6 and IPv4 (as IPv4-Compatible IPv6) addresses

## EXAMPLES

Example of preparing to sort by roman numerals:

```
$ printf "%s\n" C V III IX XI | decorate -k1,1:roman --decorate
0000100 C
0000005 V
0000003 III
0000009 IX
0000011 XI
```

The output can now be sent to [sort(1)](/sort/1.md), followed by removing (=undecorate) the first field.

```
$ printf "%s\n" C V III IX XI \
       | decorate -k1,1:roman --decorate \
       | sort -k1,1 \
       | decorate --undecorate 1
III
V
IX
XI
C
```

**[decorate(1)](/decorate/1.md)** can automatically combine the decorate-sort-undecorate steps (when run without --decorate or --undecorate):

```
$ printf "%s\n" C V III IX XI | decorate -k1,1:roman
III
V
IX
XI
C
```

## ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

See GNU Datamash Website (https://www.gnu.org/software/datamash)

## AUTHOR

Written by Assaf Gordon, Timothy Rice, Shawn Wagner and Erik Auerswald.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2025 Assaf Gordon and Timothy Rice License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>.\
 This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO

The full documentation for **decorate** is maintained as a Texinfo manual.  If the **info** and **decorate** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

-

  **info decorate**

should give you access to the complete manual.