[SOLVED] How to quickly mass replace instances of certain word in all text files?
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You'll need to separate the options, as in "sed -i -e", because any string after the -i will be tacked on as a suffix to the backup file name. Usually it's done like this
Code:
sed -iorig -e 's/.../.../g'
sed -iback -e 's/.../.../g'
You'll need to separate the options, as in "sed -i -e", because any string after the -i will be tacked on as a suffix to the backup file name. Usually it's done like this
Code:
sed -iorig -e 's/.../.../g'
sed -iback -e 's/.../.../g'
Oh! Good catch! I seldom use the -i option. Note that -ei should work (with no backup designator), but separating them is probably clearer in any case.
Oh! Good catch! I seldom use the -i option. Note that -ei should work (with no backup designator), but separating them is probably clearer in any case.
find . -name *.txt -exec sed -ie 's/\bone\b/1/g' {} \;
(untested)
#3 gives you the answers, but we're expecting you to plug them in to what you know...also, the examples in #3 didn't include the -i, which is what causes the change to be written to the file instead of just being displayed.
It's difficult to teach regular expressions (regexp) a piece at a time. Search for something like "regexp syntax" or get a good book. The chapter on the subject in "UNIX in a Nutshell" is excellent, IMO. Certainly my copy is very dog-eared.
Hi Sean.
That created a new file with the extension '.txte' and didn't rename any word.
find . -name *.txt -exec sed -i 's/\beleven\b/11/g' {} +
Hi l0f4r0. That too worked fine except if you for example want to turn the word 'one' into '1' - it also replaces all words that contain 'one' into 1 (e.g. 'someone' changes to '1').
That created a new file with the extension '.txte' and didn't rename any word.
That's because of the typo -ie (explained in #16).
Your file(s) *.txte are backup files so no change there.
Check your file(s) *.txt, they reflect changes.
That's because of the typo -ie (explained in #16).
Your file(s) *.txte are backup files so no change there.
Check your file(s) *.txt, they reflex changes.
Hi l0f4r0. That too worked fine except if you for example want to turn the word 'one' into '1' - it also replaces all words that contain 'one' into 1 (e.g. 'someone' changes to '1').
Really?? It's weird because \b used in the sed search pattern are specified in order to avoid this behavior...
As already suggested in #3, what about:
Code:
find . -name *.txt -exec sed -i 's/\<eleven\>/11/g' {} +
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