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Bhupender Permalink
October 28, 2011, 07:50

Hi Peteris,
Could you please tell some short command to delete lines from a file between two specific patterns/strings.
I am using the command : cat File | sed '/ABC/,/DEF/ d'
By using above command I am able to delete all the lines between ABC and DEF. But at the same time the first line containing ABC and last lilne containg DEF also get deleted, which i dont want.
Kindly help.

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October 28, 2011, 08:27

Here is how:

awk -vp=1 '/ABC/,/DEF/ { p=0; if (/ABC/ || /DEF/) p=1 } p'

The -vp=1 sets variable p (p for print) to 1 before the awk script starts.

If the range /ABC/,/DEF/ is matched, then set p to 0 (don't print). However if it's the /ABC/ or /DEF/, then set p to 1 (print).

Then evaluate p. If it's true, awk prints the current line.

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Bhupender Permalink
October 28, 2011, 11:29

Hi Peteris,
The sequence of commands you mentioned are extremely smart(and are working fine). I can also mange to get the same output but may be with the help of 10-15 lines. And you did in just one line. Great!!
Thanks You very much.

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November 07, 2011, 17:29

You're very welcome!

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