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Replace string with modifying original file

 
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# 1  
Old 07-16-2012
Replace string with modifying original file
I have a file abc.txt with following data

Code:
121941602P911000497^123.001^^^^^^^^^0^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.002^^^^^^^^^1^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.003^^^^^^^^^2^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.004^^^^^^^^^3^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.005^^^^^^^^^4^10^OTHER

I want to change the content as
Code:
121941602P911000497^555.001^^^^^^^^^0^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.002^^^^^^^^^1^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.003^^^^^^^^^2^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.004^^^^^^^^^3^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.005^^^^^^^^^4^10^OTHER

If it is single file i can do it in vi editor using find and replace options but i am having n number of files like this i need a shortcut to replace all at once
Code:
My shell is csh

# 2  
Old 07-16-2012
Code:
# awk -F"[\.^]" '{$2=555; print}' OFS=\^ blafile
121941602P911000497^555^001^^^^^^^^^0^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555^002^^^^^^^^^1^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555^003^^^^^^^^^2^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555^004^^^^^^^^^3^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555^005^^^^^^^^^4^10^OTHER

Done with GNU awk (gawk); if you get problems try using nawk instead. To process many files, use a for-loop or something similar around this and redirect the output with a > to a temporary file. You will have to mv the temporary file of course or use sed -i or perl -i to edit the files in place without using a temporary file.

Edit:
Just read the subject again - you don't want to modify the original, then just redirect the output to a new filename.
Last edited by zaxxon; 07-16-2012 at 10:32 AM..
# 3  
Old 07-16-2012
Sorry guys its a typo error in heading
I need to modify in original file

---------- Post updated at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous update was at 07:07 PM ----------

Also using the above code 123.001 is replaced as 555^001 i dont want to change . as ^
# 4  
Old 07-16-2012
using sed:

Code:
$ cat testfil
121941602P911000497^123.001^^^^^^^^^0^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.002^^^^^^^^^1^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.003^^^^^^^^^2^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.004^^^^^^^^^3^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^123.005^^^^^^^^^4^10^OTHER

Code:
sed -e 's/[0-9]\{1,3\}\./555./g' testfil >> testfil2

you can also use the -i option to change the original file instead of redirect as well. make sure to take back up before you try it out.

Code:
cat testfil2
121941602P911000497^555.001^^^^^^^^^0^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.002^^^^^^^^^1^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.003^^^^^^^^^2^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.004^^^^^^^^^3^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.005^^^^^^^^^4^10^OTHER

# 5  
Old 07-16-2012
True, just rolled over the dot:
Code:
# sed 's/...\./555./' blafile
121941602P911000497^555.001^^^^^^^^^0^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.002^^^^^^^^^1^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.003^^^^^^^^^2^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.004^^^^^^^^^3^10^OTHER
121941602P911000497^555.005^^^^^^^^^4^10^OTHER

Already written how to modify the file. If your sed has a -i switch, then use it or try any of the alternatives that have been described.
# 6  
Old 07-16-2012
I don't know csh, so I'll leave the looping to you, but here's an approach that edits the files in place.
Code:
printf '%s\n' '1,$s/[[:digit:]]*\./555./' w q | ed -s filename

It looks for the first dot in the record and replaces any digits that precede it (if any).

Regards,
Alister
 
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