[GLLUG] using sed

[Matt Graham]

On Thursday 30 January 2003 16:31, after a long battle with technology, 
RJ Clark wrote:
> I dont know if anyone knows how sed works

Such confidence!  Many people on this list know at least the rudiments 
of sed.

> sed -e 's/GLcore/glx/g' /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 > /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 

sed typically operates on its standard input, applying whatever is in 
its -e arguments to all the lines in stdin, then outputting them to 
stdout.  You don't want to try to overwrite a file in place.  You want 
something more like this:

cd /etc/X11
sed -e 's/GLcore/glx/g' < XF86Config-4 > temp
mv XF86Config-4 XF86Config-4.old
(always back up important config files, even if you are experienced)
mv temp XF86Config-4

> so if there is a better way to edit or any help would be great

TMTOWTDI, after all.

perl -pe 's/GLcore/glx/g' < XF86Config > XF86Config.temp
mv XF86Config.temp XF86Config

nedit /etc/X11/XF86Config
Edit->Find&Replace-> "GLcore -> glx"-> Replace All
File->Save

vim /etc/X11/XF86Config
:%s/GLcore/glx/g
:wq

...sed is useful and it's always there, but it is not always the best 
approach for all situations.  HTH,

-- 
   "We should have a policy against using personal resources for company
   business."  "The Company didn't pay for these pants, so I'm taking
   them off at the door!"  --J. Moore and A. DeBoer, the Monastery
There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see