Update: It still did not figured it out, please have a look:

when I modify test main file to:

one:111:222:333 fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 ten.233:422:452 

And run this awk command:

$ awk -F':' -vf=main 'FILENAME==f{m=$0};FILENAME!=f&&$2~/[0-9]+/{if ($2~/[0-9]+/&&(!($1 in a) || $3 > a[$1])) { a[$1] = $3; b[$1] = $0 } next;}{if (($1 in a) && (a[$1] > $3)){ print b[$1]":updated:"m; delete b[$1] } else print; }' file* main thr:-:234:232 one:111:222:333 fiv:999:500:232:updated:fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 ten.233:422:452 

So output is wrong because of thr line which should not be on output as thr is not in main file

I modified command adding additional condition else if($1 in a) {print}; but then it does not print line beginning with "ten" in main file:

$ awk -F':' -vf=main 'FILENAME==f{m=$0};FILENAME!=f&&$2~/[0-9]+/{if ($2~/[0-9]+/&&(!($1 in a) || $3 > a[$1])) { a[$1] = $3; b[$1] = $0 } next;}{if (($1 in a) && (a[$1] > $3)){ print b[$1]":updated:"m; delete b[$1] } else if($1 in a) {print}; }' file* main one:111:222:333 fiv:999:500:232:updated:fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 

I'll appreciate any help very much.

Awk is really very awesome, unfortunately I being not a programmer can't figure it out on my own yet.

I've the input files with fields separated with colon:

main:

one:111:222:333 fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 

file1:

one:111:222:333 two:123:234:501 

file2:

one:111:222:333 thr:-:234:232 fiv:999:500:232 

Thanks to hints on link I have a bit modified awk code:

$ awk -F':' -vf=main 'FILENAME==f{m=$0};FILENAME!=f&&$2~/[0-9]+/{if ($2~/[0-9]+/&&(!($1 in a) || $3 > a[$1])) { a[$1] = $3; b[$1] = $0 } next;}{if (($1 in a) && (a[$1] > $3)){ print b[$1]":updated:"m; delete b[$1] } else print; }' file* main thr:-:234:232 one:111:222:333 fiv:999:500:232:updated:fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 

Why it prints also line thr:-:234:232? As thr does not occur in main file, it should be ignored for any update in it. Updated should be only these lines basing on 1st column, which exists in main file and corresponding lines with 1st column exist in file1 or file2 and have bigger value in 3rd column.

Why $2~/[0-9]+/ does not work here?

I've the input files with fields separated with colon:

main:

one:111:222:333 fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 

file1:

one:111:222:333 two:123:234:501 

file2:

one:111:222:333 thr:-:234:232 fiv:999:500:232 

Thanks to hints on link I have a bit modified awk code:

$ awk -F':' -vf=main 'FILENAME==f{m=$0};FILENAME!=f&&$2~/[0-9]+/{if ($2~/[0-9]+/&&(!($1 in a) || $3 > a[$1])) { a[$1] = $3; b[$1] = $0 } next;}{if (($1 in a) && (a[$1] > $3)){ print b[$1]":updated:"m; delete b[$1] } else print; }' file* main thr:-:234:232 one:111:222:333 fiv:999:500:232:updated:fiv:333:222:333 two:123:234:500 

Why it prints also line thr:-:234:232? As thr does not occur in main file, it should be ignored for any update in it. Updated should be only these lines basing on 1st column, which exists in main file and corresponding lines with 1st column exist in file1 or file2 and have bigger value in 3rd column.

Why $2~/[0-9]+/ does not work here?