[SOLVED] Using Sed to search and replace does not accept spaces?

timdvtemp · 02-16-2011, 01:55 PM

Hi all, I've been on linux just about as long as I can remember and viewed this forum plenty, but this is my first post!

Back to the problem: I wrote a little bash script that people around here can run to search and replace strings in the current directory and all subdirectories. However, whenever there is a space in the new string (the one doing the replacing), I get this error:

Sed: -e expression #1, char 9: unterminated `s' command

My code looks like this:

Code:

find ./ -type f -not -name find_SNR.sh -exec sed -i 's/'$FIND_SNR_STR1/$FIND_SNR_STR2/'' {} \;

Thanks!

sycamorex · 02-16-2011, 02:03 PM

Code:

's/'$FIND_SNR_STR1/$FIND_SNR_STR2/''

Because the s command IS unterminated. If you look at your command, you'll see:

's/'

whereas the syntax of s is 's/old/new/'

To use variables, please use double quotes (")

timdvtemp · 02-16-2011, 02:31 PM

Ok, the spaces work now, but I want it to take the string "as it is". For example, if I wish to replace part of a path, the "/" will still mess everything up.

Code:

export FIND_SNR_STR1=$str1
export FIND_SNR_STR2=$str2
echo ""
find ./ -type f -not -name find_SNR.sh -exec sed -i "s/$FIND_SNR_STR1/$FIND_SNR_STR2/" {} \;

Thanks!

sycamorex · 02-16-2011, 02:34 PM

Use some other delimiter (make sure it's not in the search pattern), eg:

"s_$FIND1_FIND2_"

or

"s:$FIND1:$FIND2:"

timdvtemp · 02-16-2011, 03:48 PM

works great, thanks!!

sycamorex · 02-16-2011, 04:19 PM

You're welcome.

Here's a great tutorial on sed
http://www.grymoire.com/Unix/Sed.html

and btw, welcome to LQ