How to edit a file from a script using a loop instead of find and replace with sed?

Question

Here is an example of what I am trying to do:

#!/bin/bash
Update=$1

if [$Update == Value] 
then
    NewValue= $Update
    vi %s/Value/$NewValue/g > Updatedfile
fi
exit 0

Is there a way to utilize vi commands within a script? My thoughts are that some type of piping would do this?

Ahh, I was thinking sed, though did not want to assume that was the only command or technique. — Juan Davila, Jul 14 '15 at 21:20

ctrl-alt-delor · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-22T15:30:48.070

3

Yes, you can use vi commands in a stript: sed — stream editor, is a member of the vi family (ed, vi, sed). It is used to edit streams of data passed via pipes, so just what you need. It also uses same commands as vi.

e.g. To process standard in and put result in Updatedfile

sed -e "s/Value/$NewValue/g" > Updatedfile

see also -i option, to edit in-place.

edited Jul 22 '15 at 15:30

answered Jul 14 '15 at 20:36

ctrl-alt-delor

27,993

Thanks for your answer Richard, you answer was helpful, though I was more concerned on how to use a loop statement, this initially solves the problem of using sed. – Juan Davila Aug 28 '15 at 16:49

How to edit a file from a script using a loop instead of find and replace with sed?

1 Answers1