Multiple file editing

English Applications
#1

I need to edit some 150 text files with the same edit. To change “foobar” to “barfoo”. Is there a simple way to do that?

Thanks in advance.

#2

Take a look at “kfilereplace”…

https://software.opensuse.org/package/kfilereplace?search_term=kfilereplace

#3

Lots of solutions (sed, awk, ex, etc). I like ex (scripted vim).

Remember backup all files before attempting.

Also, if you mess-up your script it can create .swp files (e.g. .test.txt.swp) and you will wonder why your script never runs after you fix it.


#!/bin/bash

for i in test*.txt
do
ex $i<<HERE 
:%s/foobar/barfoo/g
:x
HERE
done
#4

Thank you very much. It’s simple, elegant and super fast. It’s a keeper.

#5

If that was the actual change then using sed is simpler, probably faster,
and will create the backups for you:


sed -i-backup-$(date +%s) -e 's/foober/parfoo/g' test*.txt

This modifies test*.txt files, doing the search/replace globally (meaning
multiple times per line, if applicable), but creating a file ending in
FILENAME-backup-1527597163 (or close on those numbers) first. Why the big
string of numbers? Because if you happen to run the command above, and
then run it a second time, you’ll overwrite the original backups if you
are not careful, and that may be sad.

–
Good luck.

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