I have this xml file which is call p.txt and it contains the follwing:
16:13:56 Msg send to Queue=[<pregate xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<system_c>HPREGATE</system_c>
<trans_c>HSPG</trans_c>
<trans_dt>20060105161333</trans_dt>
<user_id_m></user_id_m>
<func_c>C</func_c>
<pm_n>XA 4650H</pm_n>
<chassis_type>20</chassis_type>
<chassis_ulw>00000</chassis_ulw>
<pager_n>90000000</pager_n>
<pager_mode>M</pager_mode>
<source_c>P</source_c>
<import>
<purp_i>D</purp_i>
<cntr_n>KKTU 7247736 </cntr_n>
<gway_to>T</gway_to>
<dvr_pass_n> </dvr_pass_n>
<hlr_creg_n>12267750000M</hlr_creg_n>
<nmt_n> </nmt_n>
<new_cntr_n> </new_cntr_n>
<new_nmt_n> </new_nmt_n>
<gate_n></gate_n>
<mpt_i> </mpt_i>
</import>
</pregate>
16:33:36 Sending Message :<pregate xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<system_c>HPREGATE</system_c>
<trans_c>HSPG</trans_c>
<trans_dt>20060105163319</trans_dt>
<user_id_m></user_id_m>
<func_c>C</func_c>
<pm_n>XA 7359E</pm_n>
<chassis_type>20</chassis_type>
<chassis_ulw>00000</chassis_ulw>
<pager_n>94939929</pager_n>
<pager_mode>M</pager_mode>
<source_c>P</source_c>
<export>
<purp_i>S</purp_i>
<cntr_n>CRLU 5129584 </cntr_n>
<tt_i> </tt_i>
<new_cntr_n> </new_cntr_n>
<gway_to>T</gway_to>
<old_nmt_n> </old_nmt_n>
<kd_i>Y</kd_i>
<gate_n>5</gate_n>
<mpt_i>N</mpt_i>
<hlr_creg_n>12267750000M</hlr_creg_n>
<tt_frm_dt> </tt_frm_dt>
<tt_to_dt> </tt_to_dt>
</export>
</pregate>

as you can see the bold text are the one that i need to delete away and there are alot more xml set of data in the p.txt. so any ideas how to delete away the data??

For a sed solution, this will work. I assumed that your timestamp would be of the pattern hh:mm:ss

Else this will work in any case

thanks however i need to put this in a script so i try to write this down:

`sed -e 's_^.\{,2\}:.\{,2\}:.\{,2\} .*<pregate_<pregate_g' p.txt > sample.modified`

however i get this msg :
sed: command garbled: s_^.\{,2\}:.\{,2\}:.\{,2\} .*<pregate_<pregate_g

sorry as im still new to scripting....

If in a script, why the `backticks` ? Drop those.

thanks vino for your help

thanks vino