How to automate text exchange across multiple files using BASH?

It takes a lot of effort and causes errors to manually update outdated information in some files. Whether changing configuration values, renaming variables, updating file paths, and more, Bash offers powerful tools such as: grep, sedand find Automate this process efficiently. This guide explains how to use a simple bash script to automate bulk text exchanges across multiple files.

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Why automate text exchange?

Automating text exchanges can help:

• Update the variable name in the code file.
• Change the script file path.
• Fix incorrect configuration settings.
• Rename the project name in the document.

Instead of manually editing each file, the bash script can accomplish this task in seconds.

A practical example: Exchange paths for multiple files bulk

Imagine having multiple files that reference an outdated log file path.

Old road: ~/data/logs/app.log

New Pass: ~/data/log/app.log

Instead of manually searching and replacing each instance, let’s use Bash to automate it.

Step 1: Create a test environment

It is best to test it with the sample file before modifying the actual file. Follow these steps:

Create a directory and move it to it.

mkdir -p ~/replace_test && cd ~/replace_test

Create a sample file with the old path.

echo 'Log file: ~/data/logs/app.log' > script1.sh
echo 'ERROR_LOG="~/data/logs/app.log"' > config.env
echo 'echo "Processing ~/data/logs/app.log"' > process.sh

Check for the occurrence of old routes:

grep "~/data/logs/app.log" *

Step 2: Create a bash script for text replacement

Next, create a named script replace_text.sh With the following content:

#!/usr/bin/env bash

if [[ $# -ne 3 ]]; then
    echo "Usage: $0   "
    exit 1
fi

OLD_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$1" | sed 's/[\/&]/\\&/g')
NEW_PATH=$(printf '%s\n' "$2" | sed 's/[\/&]/\\&/g')
SEARCH_DIR=$3

echo "Replacing occurrences of: $1 -> $2 in $SEARCH_DIR"

# Find and replace text safely
find "$SEARCH_DIR" -type f -exec sed -i "s/$OLD_PATH/$NEW_PATH/g" {} +

echo "Replacement completed."

Step 3: Make the script executable

Granting enforcement permission:

chmod +x replace_text.sh

Step 4: Run the script

Run the script to replace all occurrences ~/data/logs/app.log and ~/data/log/app.log:

./replace_text.sh "~/data/logs/app.log" "~/data/log/app.log" ~/replace_test

Sample output:

Replacing occurrences of: ~/data/logs/app.log -> ~/data/log/app.log in /home/user/replace_test
Replacement completed.

Step 5: Confirm your changes

Check the new path:

grep "~/data/log/app.log" *

Make sure there are no old paths left:

grep "~/data/logs/app.log" *

If there is no output, the replacement was successful.

Why is this effective?

• Process special characters: escape /, &and other symbols are correct.
• Uses find -exec sed Instead of grep | xargs sed: More secure for handling file names with spaces.
• Efficient for large projects: It works across multiple files without excessive CPU usage.

Best practices before running on real files

• Back up the files: Always create a backup before modifying the bulk.
• Test in the sample directory: Run it in your test directory before modifying the actual files.
• Dry run grep: Check the affected files before making any changes using Use.grep -rl "~/data/logs/app.log" ~/replace_test/
• Manually inspect the changes: After running, check for some modified files.

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Read more: Building a robust digital infrastructure: the role of SASE in today’s networking situation

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to replace text into multiple files using a simple bash script. Automating bulk text exchanges can prevent errors and save time. Always test with a backup and check the results before running it on important files.

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