Issue with Sed When Line Number And Text Are Both Variables

onesikgypo · 10-21-2009, 04:20 AM

Hi,

im trying to insert some info at a particular line, where the line and the text are both held in variables

In trying to do the following:

Code:

sed ""$ln"i\"$addline"" $file1 > $file2

i get:

unexpected EOF while looking for matching `"'

if i try:

Code:

sed "$ln"i\"$addline" $file1 > $file2

sed just errors on every word in "$addline" saying file not found

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks.

druuna · 10-21-2009, 04:32 AM

Hi,

This seems to work for me:

sed ""$ln"i"$addline"" infile

Hope this helps.

onesikgypo · 10-21-2009, 04:38 AM

That erroed out on me, see for example the following script:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
ln=5
addline="this is a test"
file1=file1.txt
file2=file2.txt

sed ""$ln"i"$addline"" $file >> $file

produces the error:

Code:

sed: can't read is: No such file or directory
sed: can't read a: No such file or directory

druuna · 10-21-2009, 05:05 AM

Hi,

I didn't realize it would be part of a script:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
ln=5
addline="this is a test"
file1=file1.txt
file2=file2.txt

sed "
$ln i\
$addline
" $file1 >> $file2

This is tested and works.

Hope it helps.

onesikgypo · 10-21-2009, 06:10 AM

Hi, thanks for the reply

you're right with the example i gave it did work, however in mya ctual, more complex script, my variable has several leading spaces that must be in the final output file, with the current script the leading spaces are not there (however the tailing spaces are), so perhaps a more appropriat ebeginning to the script i should've given is:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
ln=5
addline="           this is a test                  "
file1=file1.txt
file2=file2.txt

druuna · 10-21-2009, 06:30 AM

Hi again,

Next time be a bit more elaborate when describing your problem.......

Replace:

Code:

addline="           this is a test                  "

with:

Code:

addline="\          this is a test                  "