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# 1  
Old 07-04-2008
sed imbed a tab
I'm using OpenBSD 4.3 & ksh (pdksh) default shell.
I'm trying to use sed to insert a tab into a text file with no luck.
Code:
$ sed 's/SusanAppleton/Susan\o011Appleton/' myFile.txt
Susano011Appleton
$ sed 's/SusanAppleton/Susan\tAppleton/' myFile.txt
SusantAppleton

I'm close to suicide here. Please help Smilie
# 2  
Old 07-04-2008
Have you tried just using the tab key to enter the character in your sed script?
# 3  
Old 07-04-2008
I tried that. However, when I hit the tab key, the PC speaker just beeps and the cursor stays where it was.
# 4  
Old 07-04-2008
How weird.... is that when you're in vi? Or on the command-line? Or everywhere?

How about using perl instead:

Code:
perl -pe 's/SusanAppleton/Susan\tAppleton/' myFile.txt > myFile_modified.txt

# 5  
Old 07-04-2008
The tab key will beep the PC speaker when I try to use it in a command (however, tab completion works, oddly enough). When I'm using ed or vi, the tab key functions as expected (it inserts 0x09). I could definitely use perl, but I'd like to know why OpenBSD sed isn't working for me here. It's driving me crazy. GNU sed will allow \t \n etc...
Last edited by na5m; 07-04-2008 at 01:56 AM.. Reason: clarification
# 6  
Old 07-04-2008
Oh, try Ctrl-V followed by the tab key.
# 7  
Old 07-04-2008
You could try typing...

ctrl-v ctrl-i

..for the tab character. I find this works.
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