Login or Register to Ask a Question and Join Our Community


Shell Programming and Scripting

Cannot open txt file in UNIX using cat utility

Login to Discuss or Reply to this Discussion in Our Community

 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting Cannot open txt file in UNIX using cat utility
# 1  
Old 11-28-2012
Cannot open txt file in UNIX using cat utility
Hi,

I am not being able to open txt files with 'cat'. One thing to mention is, the filenames start with #. I guess one can have a unix filename that starts with a special/wildcard character. I have filenames starting with @ [like @filename] and they are opening perfectly with cat.
# 2  
Old 11-28-2012
# generally used for comments in shell so it assumes that string after # as a comment.

you may try

Code:
cat "#file_n"
sdfd

cat #file_n here file_n is a comment as per the shell..Smilie
# 3  
Old 11-28-2012
I am not able to create a file with # in start of the name on ubuntu.
Can you rename it, or make the source program create files that do not start with #?
# 4  
Old 11-28-2012
@pamu : That works...Great....Thank U. Smilie

@Jotne : I am able to rename the file starting with '#' as well as could create a file starting with '#'. I created the file using vi editor though, not by any source prog.
# 5  
Old 11-28-2012
I found a working solution, use \ in front of #

Code:
cat \#test
nano \#test
vi \#test

# 6  
Old 11-28-2012
@Jotne : yes, yes, thats also a solution I found out a few minutes ago Smilie..
actually '\' make cat escape '#' as a comment character....nice one
Login or Register to Ask a Question

Previous Thread | Next Thread

10 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. Shell Programming and Scripting

Vim help.txt automatically open every time I open vi

Hi Friends, Every I try to open a vi window, vim help.txt automatically opens evertime. After doing ZZ or :q! also the same page opens automatically. How to stop this? Is it machine specific ? Other users who are opening the same servers and files are not facing this issue. Thanks... (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: sudiptabhaskar
3 Replies

2. UNIX for Beginners Questions & Answers

Vim help.txt automatically open every time I open vi

Hi Friends, Every I try to open a vi window vim help.txt automatically opens evertime. After doing ZZ or :q! also the same page opens automatically. How to stop this? Is it machine specific ? Other users who are opening the same servers and files are not facing this issue. Thanks... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: sudiptabhaskar
1 Replies

3. UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

cat can not open file

Hi All, I have stumbled upon very unique issue. In my script I am doing cat file and then greping and cutting so as to assign the value to variable. My file is, <mxc_tl_load_extractdata_prop.bsh> DB_USER=test_oper hostname=xxx FTP_USER=test1_operate MAIL_LIST=xxx@yyy.com... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: paragd
1 Replies

4. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

file hashing utility in unix

I am looking for a utility that does file hashing in unix. ...Please let me know of any good easy to use utility (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: jbjoat
3 Replies

5. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Help on cat filelist.txt |xargs -n1 find

I am trying to find all the files listed in a filelist.txt. Why cant I use something like this cat filelist.txt | xargs -n1 find $path (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: dragonpoint
2 Replies

6. Shell Programming and Scripting

cat vs head vs readline get variable from txt file

I have a file with a single filename in it, which I want to assign to a BASH variable, so I've been trying: c=$(head -1 somefile) echo $c which outputs correctly, but them when I do ... somecommand $c it says it can't find the file, is that because it's grabbing the whole line, and... (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: unclecameron
5 Replies

7. Shell Programming and Scripting

Unix / Linux Dialog Utility - how to open 2+ more dialog windows ?

Hi, example of Unix / Linux dialog utility is below. I am going to use dialog as simple GUI for testing of a modem. So I need to combine some dialog boxes into one. I need to have input box, output box, info box, dialog box, radiobox as in any standard program with graphical user... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: jack2
2 Replies

8. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

CAt utility in java

Hello friends, could you please advice me of how to traslate this program written in C to java? #include <cstdio> main( ){ char c; c = getchar( ); while (c != EOF) { putchar(c); c = getchar( ); } } I am supposed to test the difference in time between compiling the C... (2 Replies)
Discussion started by: bentaboha87
2 Replies

9. Shell Programming and Scripting

for i in `cat myname.txt` && for y in `cat yourname.txt`

cat myname.txt John Doe I John Doe II John Doe III ----------------------------------------------------------------------- for i in `cat myname.txt` do echo This is my name: $i >> thi.is.my.name.txt done ----------------------------------------------------------------------- cat... (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: danimad
1 Replies

10. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

grep/cat/more -- search in a txt file and display content from a specific "keyword"

Hi, I have a .txt file Sample: ===================== NEXT HOST ===================== AEADBAS001 ip access-list extended BLA_Incoming_Filter ip access-list extended BLA_Outgoing_Filter access-list 1 permit xxxxxxxxxxxxxx access-list 2 permit xxxxxxxxxxxxxx =====================... (4 Replies)
Discussion started by: I-1
4 Replies
Login or Register to Ask a Question