how to search and replace character from middle of line

vishal_titre · 09-26-2008, 10:18 AM

Hi ,

I have one xml file which is having some lines like below
<StartDate>2008-05-07T09:45:48.000000000-05:00</StartDate>
<EndDate>2008-05-07T09:45:48.123456789-05:00</EndDate>

in above lines there is one number of 9 digits ( in blue color) . i want only first three digits out of this 9 digit and rest of the line remain uncganged .

please suggest me the solution for this

Thank you
Vishal

TB0ne · 09-26-2008, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vishal_titre

Hi ,

I have one xml file which is having some lines like below
<StartDate>2008-05-07T09:45:48.000000000-05:00</StartDate>
<EndDate>2008-05-07T09:45:48.123456789-05:00</EndDate>

in above lines there is one number of 9 digits ( in blue color) . i want only first three digits out of this 9 digit and rest of the line remain uncganged .

please suggest me the solution for this

You don't say what you want to write this in. You could do it with a bash script, Perl, Python, Ruby, or pretty much any other programming language you can think of.

This page http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/string-manipulation.html, will give you a start for a bash script.

cmnorton · 09-26-2008, 10:48 AM

Suggest you play around with C, Perl, or Awk. Python has nice string handling, too, but I do not use it.

You'll want to pull these lines apart, and then re-assemble them with the characters you want replaced.

From my experience, Perl has one of the strongest string/regular expression handling facilities. If you can quantify these strings into unique fields of some type, then Awk would be a good solution. C is always a good standby, but you'll do a little more work.

gumuruhsspj · 09-27-2008, 01:27 PM

is about String modification
yes use the Shell Scripting
or perhaps others like Tcl/TK

here

Quote:

Tcl/Tk is a portable scripting environment for Unix, Windows, and Macintosh.

Tcl provides a portable scripting environment for Unix, Windows, and Macintosh that supports string processing and pattern matching, native file system access, shell-like control over other programs, TCP/IP networking, timers, and event-driven I/O.

Tcl has traditional programming constructs like variables, loops, procedures, namespaces, error handling, script packages, and dynamic loading of DLLs. Tk provides portable GUIs on UNIX, Windows, and Macintosh.

A powerful widget set and the concise scripting interface to Tk make it a breeze to develop sophisticated user interfaces.

Tcl (Tool Command Language) is easy to learn and you can create a useful program in minutes! You are free to use Tcl/Tk however you wish, even in commercial applications.

with a specific more details you may check this

Quote:

http://linux.softpedia.com/get/Progr...-Tk-1179.shtml

Kenhelm · 09-27-2008, 03:49 PM

I'm not sure if this is what you want; it just deletes the first three characters after the first '.' in lines starting with either <StartDate> or <EndDate>

Code:

sed '/^<StartDate>\|^<EndDate>/ s/\...././' infile > outfile

vishal_titre · 09-29-2008, 07:18 AM

Thank you all for your reply .

Kenhelm ,

I don't want to delete first three digit out of nine , but want to keep firts three digits and want to delete rest of the six digits and keep rest of the line asitis .

plese tell me the solution
Thank you all again

pixellany · 09-29-2008, 07:35 AM

sed 's/\.\(...\).*-/\.\1-/' filename

matches the pattern: ".", then 3 chars, then any number of chars, then "-"
replaces with: ".", then 3 chars then "-"

The "3 chars" are re-inserted using a "backreference".

vishal_titre · 09-30-2008, 02:46 AM

Thank pixellany

It working
Thank you Again