rc/sh/slitt

#!/usr/bin/env dash
# compat: +ash +bash +dash +zsh

# works with busybox ash.

slitt() { ### @-
    ### view specific columns of text.
    ### this version of `slit` uses tabs for its field separators.
    [ $# -gt 0 ] \
     || { printf '%s: too few arguments\n' "$0" >&2; return 1; }
    local arg=
    for arg; do
        [ "$arg" -ge 0 ] 2>/dev/null \
         || { printf '%s: not a nonnegative integer: %s\n' "$0" "$arg"; return 1; };
    done
    awk 'BEGIN { FS="\t"; OFS="\t" }'\ "{ print $(printf ',$%s' $@ | cut -b2-) }"

    # via: https://github.com/sorin-ionescu/prezto/
    #awk "BEGIN { FS=\"\\t\"; OFS=\"\\t\" } { print ${(j:,:):-\$${^@}} }"
}

[ -n "${preload+-}" ] || slitt "$@"