Replace contents of a file

shiroh_1982 · 05-25-2006, 06:41 AM

Hi,

I want to replace the contents of a file.I tried using :
sed 's/01514581/01514582/' $p
where 01514581 is the original value
01514582 is the replaced value
$p is the file name (captured in a variable)..

The output does not recognise $p

If you give :
sed 's/01514581/01514582/' test
where 'test' is the filename

then the output is not getting saved into the file 'test'..

Kindly let me know how i can do this.
Thanks

marozsas · 05-25-2006, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiroh_1982

If you give :
sed 's/01514581/01514582/' test
where 'test' is the filename

then the output is not getting saved into the file 'test'..

The editing is not in place. I mean, the original file remains intact and a new one must be created. sed is supposed to be used as a "filter", not as a in-place editor.

Create a copy of test, use the copy as input to sed, and send the modified stream to test.

Code:

$ cp test test.original
$ sed 's/01514581/01514582/' test.original > test

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiroh_1982

The output does not recognise $p

Thats mean $p was not set in the proper way. If you are using bash:

Code:

$ p="test"
$ echo $p
test
$ q="${p}.original"
$ sed 's/01514581/01514582/' $q > $p

pronoy · 05-25-2006, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiroh_1982

Hi,

I want to replace the contents of a file.I tried using :
sed 's/01514581/01514582/' $p
where 01514581 is the original value
01514582 is the replaced value
$p is the file name (captured in a variable)..

The output does not recognise $p

Sorry I could not get the problem here

Quote:

If you give :
sed 's/01514581/01514582/' test
where 'test' is the filename

then the output is not getting saved into the file 'test'..

Kindly let me know how i can do this.
Thanks

you can do it in 2 ways:

1.
$ sed 's/01514581/01514582/' test >/tmp/test.tmp
$ mv /tmp/test.tmp test
2. perl -pi -e 's/01514581/01514582/' test

Hope this works.

spirit receiver · 05-25-2006, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiroh_1982

the output is not getting saved into the file 'test'..

"sed -i 's/01514581/01514582/' test" will also do the trick.