UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hello all,

I'm using the Bash shell on Solaris 8.
Please can someone tell me how I can delete multiple lines in the hosts file?
I have a list of hosts that I want to quickly delete in the hosts file, but I'm looking for a quicker way than using VI to delete the lines one by one.

Regards, Wynford

put the host(s) in a file 1 per line then

Code:

cat /etc/hosts |grep -v -f <the file created> >> new file name

then cp the new file over the old hosts file after a backup of the hosts file.

Hi there, I tried your suggestion but I got the following:

Code:

cat hosts | grep -v -f /tmp/temp_hosts.txt >> /tmp/new_hostsfile.txt

grep: illegal option -- f
Usage: grep -hblcnsviw pattern file . . .
Broken Pipe

odd grep on AIX and Linux have the pattern file option:
-f FILE, --file=FILE
Obtain patterns from FILE, one per line. The empty file contains zero patterns, and therefore matches nothing.

ok solaris is odd man out....
it shows this as having the file patteren match
/usr/xpg4/bin/grep
or fgrep

try with one of those.

Hi there, it's working now.

I used "egrep" with the "-f" option instead of just "grep".
Thanks very much for your help.

Regards, Wynford