[SOLVED] Can you help with vi editor, please?

romeo0307 · 04-10-2012, 01:01 PM

I need to automate a file edit process using vi and a file of commands called "script." Which command would invoke vi on a data file called "data" but which would automatically apply the commands in "script" to the "data" file without further intervention from me?

Kustom42 · 04-10-2012, 01:23 PM

I'm not sure I follow what you are trying to accomplish. First, vi or vim is not used for automatic updates. Coding languages like bash, python, perl, C, etc.. are placed into a script to do the work you want. If you are wanting to make modification to a file python or bash is a good way to go. If you can respond with a little more specifics we can be of more help.

romeo0307 · 04-10-2012, 01:29 PM

well, while in vi editor, you can enter text from another file into a current file with ":r filename"
this is kind of the same, but they want you to execute commands from a script file on a data file.
read the question again please. that's what is being asked of me and i don't know what to do here either.

jschiwal · 04-10-2012, 01:39 PM

Look at running sed instead. The commands are similar to ed which vim commands use.

Otherwise you could start the recorder, "q" key, and record the commands you need.

Kustom42 · 04-10-2012, 01:41 PM

Right, so if you need to execute a script file on a data file you should use bash or python or a similar programming language. vi or vim is a tool used if you are making the changes yourself. Yes you can read outside files inside of vi, the :r reads the file and appends the contents after the current line.

romeo0307 · 04-10-2012, 02:07 PM

guys, i have to do it the way the question asks me to do it. i can't use other things. this is for homework for my Linux class.

yoK0 · 04-10-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote the exact exercise text in here, maybe it will help put some light on it.

romeo0307 · 04-10-2012, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoK0

Quote the exact exercise text in here, maybe it will help put some light on it.

i did pretty much copy the text here. but anyway, here is the text:

Quote:

You wish to automate a file edit process using vi and a file of commands called ‘transform’. Write the command to invoke vi on a data file called ‘basedata’ but which automatically applies the commands in ‘transform’ to the data file (basedata) without further intervention from you:

suicidaleggroll · 04-10-2012, 03:11 PM

Use the -s flag in vi

Code:

       -s {scriptin}
                   The  script file {scriptin} is read.  The characters in the
                   file are interpreted as if you had typed  them.   The  same
                   can be done with the command ":source! {scriptin}".  If the
                   end of the file is reached before the editor exits, further
                   characters are read from the keyboard.

I use it from time to time, it's pretty straight forward. For example, if you wanted to replace the 27th character on the 4th line in your ASCII file with an "R", you would create a script with the following contents:

Code:

:4
27|rR:wq

and then run:

Code:

vi file -s script

Kustom42 · 04-10-2012, 03:11 PM

What they may be asking is something like this:

Code:

vi -c "source  transform" basedata

Take a look at the vi man page for clarification on that option.

romeo0307 · 04-10-2012, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suicidaleggroll

Use the -s flag in vi

Code:

       -s {scriptin}
                   The  script file {scriptin} is read.  The characters in the
                   file are interpreted as if you had typed  them.   The  same
                   can be done with the command ":source! {scriptin}".  If the
                   end of the file is reached before the editor exits, further
                   characters are read from the keyboard.

I use it from time to time, it's pretty straight forward. For example, if you wanted to replace the 27th character on the 4th line in your ASCII file with an "R", you would create a script with the following contents:

Code:

:4
27|rR:wq

and then run:

Code:

vi file -s script

Thanks. I think this is what I was looking for.