NoManKey <nomadic.monkey@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi - I have a file that contains a series of fields that I need to
> retain but into which I need to insert a new field.
>
> The new field has to be the first field and consist of 8 characters
> broken down as a five digit number (preferably starting as 00001)
> followed by 3 spaces. The number being inserted into the first field
> needs to be incremented on each subsequent line.
>
> Is this a simple one or trickier than it sounds???

awk '{ printf("%05d %s\n", NR, $0) }' /your/file

--
Daniel