altering text files.

[Lane]

On Thursday 26 October 2006 23:38, jekillen wrote:
> Hello fellow FreeBSD users;
>
> I have a technical question about text files:
>
> Is there a way to edit a text file via a script
> by searching and replacing small portions
> of a text file, instead of having to rewrite
> the whole file for what may be negligible
> alterations? I'm assuming not, but I'm not
> really sure.
>
> My interest is with any scripting or even
> compiled language, but specifically the
> use of php to edit files on a web server.
>
> I have created an application for a web
> client that allows the client to contact their
> site and make changes to a file that lists
> event date, title, location, subject. And
> creates a separate file for details related
> to each event listing. I'm concerned about
> allowing the client to edit the listings and
> detail files in the event that a mistake is
> made in the data entered from a event
> posting form. (I don't want to have to
> manually edit the files for them in this event)
>
> So, the idea of correcting the spelling of
> a word like is when it was spelled  it seems
> over kill  (to over write a whole file just to change
> one character).
>
> Thanks in advance;
> Jeff k
>
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Jeff,

man sed

is your friend.

awk is awkward, but it may be useful as well

lane