I am trying to edit multiple files from one directory and including all the files in all the sub directories. My string opens each file, puts the text on my screen and does not save the new information to the file. I am using a variable in my script, and wondering if that is what is choking it.

so basically.... I have an instance of Bob in several files I want to rename to a variable name. the script asks for the variable and runs with it. But no output. Any ideas??

What I am using is this

find /path/$variable -print -exec sed -e "s/bob/$variable/" {} \;



Thank you!!

I think this is because you are not redirecting the output of sed back into the file, you are just displaying it. I don't know the syntax off the top of my head for the find command to do this but a script like this would work:

#!/bin/sh
files=`find /path/$variable -print `
for i in $files
do
sed -e "s/bob/$variable/" $i > $i.tmp
mv $i.tmp $i
done

I haven't tested this but it should get you in the neigborhood or give you an idea of what you need to modify with your current command.