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Add new line at beginning and end of a file

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# 1  
Old 06-20-2014
Add new line at beginning and end of a file
Hi,

I have a specific requirement to add text at the beginning and end of a plain text file. I tried to use "sed" with '1i' and '$a' flags but these required two separate "sed" commands separated with "|".
I am looking for some command/option to join these two in single command parameter.

Sample file --
Code:
1
2
3
4

Expected output --
Code:
BEGIN
1
2
3
4
END

Thanks in advanced.
Last edited by vgersh99; 06-20-2014 at 10:43 AM.. Reason: code tags, please!
# 2  
Old 06-20-2014
Try:
Code:
{
  echo BEGIN
  cat yourfile
  echo END
} > newfile

# 3  
Old 06-20-2014
Simple method:-
Code:
echo "BEGIN" > /path/to/file/append_text
cat /your/path/to/yourfile/your_existing_file >> /path/to/file/append_text
echo "END" >> /path/to/file/append_text

# 4  
Old 06-20-2014
With sed:
Code:
sed '1 i\
BEGIN
$ a\
END
' file

Last edited by MadeInGermany; 06-23-2014 at 05:42 AM.. Reason: another newline after END - some sed versions need it
# 5  
Old 06-23-2014
Quote:
Originally Posted by MadeInGermany
With sed:
Code:
sed '1 i\
BEGIN
$ a\
END' file

Is it possible to have the entire command in single line?

Thanks for your time.
# 6  
Old 06-23-2014
Quote:
Originally Posted by bhupinder08
Is it possible to have the entire command in single line?

Thanks for your time.
Yes Smilie
Code:
{ echo BEGIN; cat yourfile; echo END;} > newfile

or
Code:
{ echo BEGIN; cat; echo END;} < yourfile > newfile

---- OR ----

Code:
awk 'BEGIN{print "BEGIN"} 1; END{ print "END" }' yourfile > newfile

GNU sed:
Code:
sed '1s/^/BEGIN\n/; $s/$/\nEND/' yourfile > newfile

Last edited by Scrutinizer; 06-23-2014 at 01:57 AM..
# 7  
Old 06-23-2014
Quote:
Originally Posted by bhupinder08
Is it possible to have the entire command in single line?

Thanks for your time.
Not with a standard sed. (I even found a sed version that needs another newline after the END.)
But a recent GNU sed takes
Code:
sed -e '1iBEGIN' -e '$aEND' file

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