How can I install the util linux version of the column command in 18.04?

The version of the column command available via Util Linux is far more comprehensive than the one included in bsdmainutils. It includes extensive options for output formatting. I would really like to use the util linux version on 18.04 but I can't work out how to install it.

The current command is installed by bsdmainutils:

$ dpkg -S "$( which column )"
bsdmainutils: /usr/bin/column

The util-linux package does not seem to include the command:

$ dpkg -L util-linux | grep column | wc -l
0

My question is how can I install the comprehensive version of this command? Is there a snap somewhere or do I need to build it from source?

Solution 1:

There is a bug report on this problem you can subscribe to. The more people that subscribe the greater chances it will be fixed:

The 'column' program included in upstream util-linux (https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/utils/util-linux/util-linux.git/tree/text-utils/column.c) is newer than the included in the bsdmainutil package (https://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/bsdmainutils/bsdmainutils.git/tree/usr.bin/column/column.c). However, debian/rules from util-linux package states the opposite, and therefore Ubuntu now is using 'column' from bsdmainutils instead of the util-linux one.

Solution 2:

I am on Ubuntu 18.04 and using the new version of column.
My exact steps were:

1. Download version 2.35 tar.gz (~10MB)
2. Extract the compressed contents (right click, extract)
3. Inside the new folder, ./configure, then make.
4. Moved the newly created column binary into my path as column2 just in case something was relying on the BSD version.
5. Profit.

New column is amazing, just for the record.