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From: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: changing a file
Message-ID: <1991May21.223955.5516@convex.com>
Date: 21 May 91 22:39:55 GMT
References: <91141.140213KJB6@psuvm.psu.edu>
Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account)
Reply-To: tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen)
Organization: CONVEX Software Development, Richardson, TX
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Nntp-Posting-Host: pixel.convex.com

From the keyboard of KJB6@psuvm.psu.edu:
:
:As a script, I would like to search a file and replace a string with
:another string. I know this can be done, but I have not figure out how to
:do it yet. Anyone have any suggestions. I think if I use awk or nawk somewhere
:along the line, I can get it done.

I believe the easiest, most flexible, and most powerful solution would
be along these lines:

    perl -p -i.ORIG -e 's/old/new/g' file1 file2 ...

This will globally replace all instances of "old" with "new" in 
all listed files, keeping a backup copy in file1.ORIG, etc.  Omit
the ".old" part if you're brave enough.

--tom
--
Tom Christiansen		tchrist@convex.com	convex!tchrist
		"So much mail, so little time."