Search and replace

[Shivkumar]

Hi,

How to search and replace a particuler word in all the files starting from a particular directory /opt/usr ?

Thanks,
Shiv

[James R. Ferguson · Accepted solution]

Hi SHiv:

Simply:

# cd /path && find . -type f -exec perl -pi -e 's/\bworld\b/shiv/' \+

This would find only *files* in '/path' containing the string "world" and replace it with "shiv". Only strings bounded by non-word characters (e.g. whitespace) are matched and substituted. Hence, "hello world" becomes "hello shiv" but "hello worldly" remains unaltered.

If you want to preseve a copy of any files before modification, do:

# # cd /path && find . -type f -exec perl -pi.old -e 's/\bworld\b/shiv/' \+

...the backup copy of each file will be named with the suffix ".old".

Regards!

...JRF...

[Luis Cardenas Perez]

If you need to change the name I would do this:
create a script with instruction:
mv $1 `echo $1 | sed s/veinte/treinta/`

and Execute:

find /directory -name *expression* -exec script \{\} \;

[Bill Hassell]

Here's a script that will do exactly what you want with extras. It can be used with STDIN or one or more files. The default mode (no options) is to preview the lines that will be affected with a before and after list. To make the preview permanent, add the -w to write the changes. If you want to suppress the before/after lines, add the -q option and to remove the title and summary lines, use -s (for silent). Examples:

echo "line 1\nline 2" | chgafile -ws line Line
Line 1
Line 2

chgafile debug "--> DEBUG <--" myfile
(previews the changed lines, leaves myfile unchanged)

chgafile -w debug "--> DEBUG <--" myfile

Previews the changes and also writes the changes to myfile.

[Arturo Galbiati]

Hi,
I use this script (no perl used) to change files

HTH,
Art