How to add a word at the front of a file?

fsloke · 12-22-2008, 10:45 AM

For example I have a file called testFile.txt content STRING as below

Quote:

test1
test2

We normally append a STRING in to end of the file using

# echo.END >> testFile.txt

The result is

Quote:

test1
test2
END

I curious how can I append at STRING at the front of the file which show as below

Quote:

START
test1
test2
END

Thank you

-fsloke

colucix · 12-22-2008, 11:00 AM

A method using sed:

Code:

sed -i '1i START' testfile

jiml8 · 12-22-2008, 04:01 PM

A method using echo and cat

Code:

echo "START" >testfile2
cat testfile >>testfile2

Of course, using sed is more elegant.

Telemachos · 12-22-2008, 08:02 PM

Using Perl:

Code:

perl -i.bak -ple 'if ($. == 1) { $_ = "START\n$_"; }' file1

That will make a backup of the original as file1.bak, just in case you make a typo.