txt file processing with condition

nab_elf · 01-24-2019, 05:48 AM

Hello,
please i would like to process a file as below:

for each line in the file,
if the position 3 to 5 contains 'ABC' , replace in the position from 30 to 33 with 'WXC'

Thank you very much

Turbocapitalist · 01-24-2019, 05:58 AM

sed or perl will do that nicely. What have you tried and where are you stuck?

syg00 · 01-24-2019, 06:02 AM

I'm sure a bash maven could solve this but I'd lean towards something that has some logic capabilities - awk, perl python.
We're happy to help - what have you tried.

berndbausch · 01-24-2019, 06:15 AM

I would use awk for this task. Roughly:

Code:

/^..ABC/ { ACTION }

where ACTION is based on the sub() function. You can look in up in the awk guide; see the link in my signature.

sed might also work, but I am not sure how to express positions 30 to 33.

EDIT: substr, not sub.