Ubuntu Manpage: ssed - super sed stream editor version 3.61

NAME

       ssed - super sed stream editor version 3.61

SYNOPSIS

       sed [OPTION]... {script-only-if-no-other-script} [input-file]...

DESCRIPTION

Sed is a stream editor. A stream editor is used to perform basic text transformations on
an input stream (a file or input from a pipeline). While in some ways similar to an
editor which permits scripted edits (such as ed), sed works by making only one pass over
the input(s), and is consequently more efficient. But it is sed's ability to filter text
in a pipeline which particularly distinguishes it from other types of editors.

-n, --quiet, --silent

suppress automatic printing of pattern space

-e script, --expression=script

add the script to the commands to be executed

-f script-file, --file=script-file

add the contents of script-file to the commands to be executed

-i[SUFFIX], --in-place[=SUFFIX]

edit files in place (makes backup if extension supplied)

-l N, --line-length=N

specify the desired line-wrap length for the `l' command

--posix

disable all GNU extensions.

-r, --regexp-extended

use extended regular expressions in the script.

-R, --regexp-perl

use Perl 5's regular expressions syntax in the script.

-s, --separate

consider files as separate rather than as a single continuous long stream.

-u, --unbuffered

load minimal amounts of data from the input files and flush the output buffers more
often

--help
display this help and exit

--version
output version information and exit

If no -e, --expression, -f, or --file option is given, then the first non-option argument
is taken as the sed script to interpret. All remaining arguments are names of input
files; if no input files are specified, then the standard input is read.

E-mail bug reports to: bonzini@gnu.org . Be sure to include the word ``ssed'' somewhere
in the ``Subject:'' field.

based on GNU sed version 4.1

COMMAND SYNOPSIS

       This  is just a brief synopsis of sed commands to serve as a reminder to those who already
       know sed; other documentation (such as the texinfo document) must be consulted for  fuller
       descriptions.

   Zero-address ``commands''
       : label
              Label for b and t commands.

       #comment
              The comment extends until the next newline (or the end of a -e script fragment).

       }      The closing bracket of a { } block.

   Zero- or One- address commands
       =      Print the current line number.

       a \

       text   Append text, which has each embedded newline preceded by a backslash.

       i \

       text   Insert text, which has each embedded newline preceded by a backslash.

       q      Immediately  quit  the sed script without processing any more input, except that if
              auto-print is not disabled the current pattern space will be printed.

       Q      Immediately quit the sed script without processing any more input.

       r filename
              Append text read from filename.

       R filename
              Append a line read from filename.

   Commands which accept address ranges
       {      Begin a block of commands (end with a }).

       b label
              Branch to label; if label is omitted, branch to end of script.

       t label
              If a s/// has done a successful substitution since the last input line was read and
              since the last t or T command, then branch to label; if label is omitted, branch to
              end of script.

       T label
              If no s/// has done a successful substitution since the last input  line  was  read
              and  since  the  last  t  or  T command, then branch to label; if label is omitted,
              branch to end of script.

       c \

       text   Replace the selected lines with text, which has each embedded newline preceded by a
              backslash.

       d      Delete pattern space.  Start next cycle.

       D      Delete  up  to  the first embedded newline in the pattern space.  Start next cycle,
              but skip reading from the input if there is still data in the pattern space.

       h H    Copy/append pattern space to hold space.

       g G    Copy/append hold space to pattern space.

       x      Exchange the contents of the hold and pattern spaces.

       l      List out the current line in a ``visually unambiguous'' form.

       n N    Read/append the next line of input into the pattern space.

       p      Print the current pattern space.

       P      Print up to the first embedded newline of the current pattern space.

       s/regexp/replacement/
              Attempt to match regexp against the pattern space.   If  successful,  replace  that
              portion  matched  with  replacement.   The  replacement  may  contain  the  special
              character & to refer to that portion of the pattern space which  matched,  and  the
              special  escapes  \1  through  \9  to  refer  to  the  corresponding  matching sub-
              expressions in the regexp.

       w filename
              Write the current pattern space to filename.

       W filename
              Write the first line of the current pattern space to filename.

       y/source/dest/
              Transliterate the characters in the pattern space which appear  in  source  to  the
              corresponding character in dest.

Addresses

Sed commands can be given with no addresses, in which case the command will be executed
for all input lines; with one address, in which case the command will only be executed for
input lines which match that address; or with two addresses, in which case the command
will be executed for all input lines which match the inclusive range of lines starting
from the first address and continuing to the second address. Three things to note about
address ranges: the syntax is addr1,addr2 (i.e., the addresses are separated by a comma);
the line which addr1 matched will always be accepted, even if addr2 selects an earlier
line; and if addr2 is a regexp, it will not be tested against the line that addr1 matched.

After the address (or address-range), and before the command, a ! may be inserted, which
specifies that the command shall only be executed if the address (or address-range) does
not match.

The following address types are supported:

number Match only the specified line number.

first~step
Match every step'th line starting with line first. For example, ``sed -n 1~2p''
will print all the odd-numbered lines in the input stream, and the address 2~5 will
match every fifth line, starting with the second. (This is an extension.)

$ Match the last line.

/regexp/
Match lines matching the regular expression regexp.

\cregexpc
Match lines matching the regular expression regexp. The c may be any character.

GNU sed also supports some special 2-address forms:

0,addr2
Start out in "matched first address" state, until addr2 is found. This is similar
to 1,addr2, except that if addr2 matches the very first line of input the 0,addr2
form will be at the end of its range, whereas the 1,addr2 form will still be at the
beginning of its range.

addr1,+N
Will match addr1 and the N lines following addr1.

addr1,~N
Will match addr1 and the lines following addr1 until the next line whose input line
number is a multiple of N.

REGULAR EXPRESSIONS

       POSIX.2 BREs should be supported,  but  they  aren't  completely  because  of  performance
       problems.   The  \n  sequence  in  a regular expression matches the newline character, and
       similarly for \a, \t, and other sequences.

BUGS

       E-mail bug reports to bonzini@gnu.org.  Be sure to include the word ``sed''  somewhere  in
       the  ``Subject:'' field.  Also, please include the output of ``sed --version'' in the body
       of your report if at all possible.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright © 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
       This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO  warranty;  not
       even  for  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, to the extent permitted by
       law.