linux - bash cut columns to one file and save onto the end of another file -

i cut 2 columns 1 file , stick them on end of second file. 2 file have exact same number of lines

file1.txt 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  file2.txt  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  j  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  j  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  j  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  j 

so far have been using

cut -f9-10 file2.txt  | paste file1.txt - > file3.txt 

which outputs want

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   j 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   j 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   j 

however don't want have make new file prefer alter file 1 above. i've tried

cut -f9-10 file2.txt  | paste file1.txt - 

but prints on screen. there way of adding columns 9 , 10 end of file1.txt?

use sponge moreutils! allows soak standard input , write file. is, replace file in-place after pipe.

cut -f9-10 file2.txt  | paste file1.txt - | sponge file1.txt 

note can doing using paste process substitution.

$ paste -d' ' file1.txt <(awk '{print $(nf-1), $nf}' file2.txt) | sponge file1.txt $ cat file1.txt 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 j 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 j 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 j 

this joins file1.txt 2 last columns file2.txt using ' ' delimiter.