(gawk.info.gz) BEGIN/END

 
 The `BEGIN' and `END' Special Patterns
 --------------------------------------
 
    All the patterns described so far are for matching input records.
 The `BEGIN' and `END' special patterns are different.  They supply
 startup and cleanup actions for `awk' programs.  `BEGIN' and `END'
 rules must have actions; there is no default action for these rules
 because there is no current record when they run.  `BEGIN' and `END'
 rules are often referred to as "`BEGIN' and `END' blocks" by long-time
 `awk' programmers.
(gawk.info.gz) BEGIN/END

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