How do I replace a string with a newline using a bash script and sed?

regex bash shell unix sed

30,863

Solution 1

This will work

sed 's/@@ /\n/g' filename

replaces @@ with new line

Solution 2

Using pure BASH string manipulation:

eol=$'\n'
line="${line//@@ /$eol}"

echo "$line"
Value1|Value2|Value3|Value4
Value5|Value6|Value7|Value8
Value9|etc...

Solution 3

I recommend using the tr function

echo "$line" | tr '@@' '\n'

For example:

[itzhaki@local ~]$ X="Value1|Value2|Value3|Value4@@ Value5|Value6|Value7|Value8@@"
[itzhaki@local ~]$ X=`echo "$X" | tr '@@' '\n'`
[itzhaki@local ~]$ echo "$X"
Value1|Value2|Value3|Value4

 Value5|Value6|Value7|Value8

Solution 4

If you don't mind to use perl:

echo $line | perl -pe 's/@@/\n/g'
Value1|Value2|Value3|Value4
 Value5|Value6|Value7|Value8
 Value9|etc

Solution 5

Finally got it working with:

sed 's/@@ /'\\\n'/g'

Adding the single quotes around \\n seemed to help for whatever reason

View more solutions

30,863

Author by

Kevin Custer

Updated on July 10, 2020

Comments

Kevin Custer almost 4 years
I have the following input:
```
Value1|Value2|Value3|Value4@@ Value5|Value6|Value7|Value8@@ Value9|etc...
```
In my bash script I would like to replace the @@ with a newline. I have tried various things with sed but I'm not having any luck:
```
line=$(echo ${x} | sed -e $'s/@@ /\\\n/g')
```
Ultimately I need to parse this whole input into rows and values. Maybe I am going about it wrong. I was planning to replace the @@ with newlines and then loop through the input with setting IFS='|' to split up the values. If there is a better way please tell me, I am still a beginner with shell scripting.
Kevin Custer almost 10 years

Sadly this did not work...it did not replace the "@@ " at all line="${x//@@ /$eol}"
Kevin Custer almost 10 years

This did not work in my script, it still has the '@@ ' in the output: echo $x | tr '@@ ' '\n' >> $OUTPUT
anubhava almost 10 years

@odinsride: Make sure you use BASH. See with working demo: ideone.com/ePzOxq
itzhaki almost 10 years

I know for a fact it works. I'm using "tr" all the time. Make sure you're using BASH and not SH, and that you're looking at the right output. Here, run this: pastebin.com/gxvKUwS9
Tripp Kinetics almost 10 years

Edited answer to make solution compatible with performing operations on both rows and fields in those rows.
Tripp Kinetics almost 10 years

As far as I know, tr works on individual characters, not strings. As in, tr 'Ab' 'aB' turns Abracadabra into aBracadaBra.
mitnk almost 10 years

You can replace @@ to @ before use tr: echo "1@@2@@3" | sed 's/@@/@/g' | tr '@' '\n'
prudviraj almost 10 years

@rpax thanks for editing forgot to format my answer
rpax almost 10 years

You are welcome. Anyway, this is a good answer. I like it. +1
glenn jackman almost 10 years

You just need to "squeeze": tr -s '@' '\n'
Benjamin W. over 5 years

You don't have to escape the first @, and this is missing a space after @@.
Benjamin W. over 5 years

The question asks to replace @@ plus a blank, though. tr can't do that.