merge two files based on one column Awk -

i trying merge 2 tab delimited files files - of unequal lengths. need merge files based on column number 1 , values 3rd column of each file new file. if of files missing id ( uncommon value) should blank value in new file -

file1:  id1 2199 082 id2 0909 20909 id3 8002 8030 id4 28080 80828  file2:  id1 988 00808 id2 808 80808 id4 8080 2525 id6 838 3800  merged file :  id1 082 00808 id2 20909 80808 id3 8030   id4 80828 2525 id6   3800 

i went through many forums , posts , far have this

awk -f\t 'nr==fnr{a[$1]=$1; b[$1]=$1; next} {$2=a[$1]; $3=b[$1]}1' 

but not yield right result, can please suggest. lot!

$ awk -f'\t' 'nr==fnr{a[$1]=$3; next} {a[$1]; b[$1]=$3} end{for (id in a) print id,a[id],b[id]}' ofs='\t' file1 file2 | sort id1     082     00808 id2     20909   80808 id3     8030 id4     80828   2525 id6             3800 

how works

this script uses 2 variables. every line in file1, associative array a has key corresponding id , value of third field. every id in file2, a has key (but not value). file2, array b has key every id corresponding value third column.

• -f'\t'

  this sets field separator on input tab. note \t must quoted protect shell.

• nr==fnr{a[$1]=$3; next}

  this sets associative array a first file.

• a[$1]; b[$1]=$3

  this sets associative array second file. makes sure array a has key every id in file2.

• end{for (id in a) print id,a[id],b[id]}

  this prints out results.

• ofs='\t'

  this sets output field separator tab.

• sort

  the awk construct for key in array not guaranteed return keys in particular order. use sort sort output ascending order in id.