printf - awk rounding floating number -

i have file b.xyz as,

-19.794325 -23.350704 -9.552335 -20.313872 -23.948248 -8.924463 -18.810708 -23.571757 -9.494047 -20.048543 -23.660052 -10.478968 

i want limit each of entries 3 decimal digits.

i tried one

awk '{ $1=sprintf("%.3f",$1)} {$2=sprintf("%.3f",$2)} {$3=sprintf("%.3f",$3)} {print $1, $2, $3}' b.xyz 

it works 3 columns, how expand apply n/all columns?

if have 3 fields, can use:

$ awk '{printf "%.3f %.3f %.3f\n", $1, $2, $3}' file -19.794 -23.351 -9.552 -20.314 -23.948 -8.924 -18.811 -23.572 -9.494 -20.049 -23.660 -10.479 

for undefined number of lines, can do:

$ awk '{for (i=1; i<=nf; i++) printf "%.3f%s", $i, (i==nf?"\n":" ")}' file -19.794 -23.351 -9.552 -20.314 -23.948 -8.924 -18.811 -23.572 -9.494 -20.049 -23.660 -10.479 

it loop through fields , print them. (i==nf?"\n":" ") prints new line when last item reached.

or (thanks jotne!):

awk '{for (i=1; i<=nf; i++) printf "%.3f %s", $i, (i==nf?rs:fs)}' file 

example

$ cat -19.794325 -23.350704 -9.552335 2.13423 23 23223.23 23.23442 -20.313872 -23.948248 -8.924463 -18.810708 -23.571757 -9.494047 -20.048543 -23.660052 -10.478968  $ awk '{for (i=1; i<=nf; i++) printf "%.3f %s", $i, (i==nf?"\n":" ")}' -19.794 -23.351 -9.552  2.134  23.000  23223.230  23.234  -20.314 -23.948 -8.924  -18.811 -23.572 -9.494  -20.049 -23.660 -10.479   $ awk '{for (i=1; i<=nf; i++) printf "%.3f %s", $i, (i==nf?rs:fs)}' -19.794  -23.351  -9.552  2.134  23.000  23223.230  23.234  -20.314  -23.948  -8.924  -18.811  -23.572  -9.494  -20.049  -23.660  -10.479