Replacing a string in a Table with another string

Question

I'm trying to solve a problem using the sed command.
I have a Table with data (few rows and cols).
I want to be able to replace the string in the i,j spot with a new string.
For an example :

word1 word2 word3 word4
word5 word6 word7 word8
word9 word10 word11 word12

with the input of 1,1 and abc should return

word1 word2 word3 word4
word5 abc word7 word8
word9 word10 word11 word12

And if possible, print it to a new file.
Thanks

In addition to what @JohnZwinck mentioned, also add a correct example. Your example output with input of 1,1 and abc doesn't seem to make much sense. — devnull
– devnull, Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 10:55
@AdamSpiers It somehow seemed to me that it was indexed from 0 in one direction and from 1 in other. — devnull
– devnull, Commented Dec 21, 2013 at 11:00

anubhava · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-21 10:56:46Z

5

Using awk might be easier:

awk -v c=1 -v r=1 -v w='abc' 'NR==r+1{$(c+1)=w}1' file
word1 word2 word3 word4
word5 abc word7 word8
word9 word10 word11 word12

answered Dec 21, 2013 at 10:56

anubhava

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6 Comments

Adam Spiers Over a year ago

That's what I was going to suggest too. sed is a stream editor, not a record editor.

Nadav Peled Over a year ago

Hey,we are not allowed to use the awk command. Im not really familiar with the sed command, thats why I asked here. If you have other suggestions, I would appericiate them

Nadav Peled Over a year ago

Its for our homework.. :\ They specified what we should and shouldnt use.

anubhava Over a year ago

Well good luck with sed (not impossible but will be fairly complicated in sed)

Adam Spiers Over a year ago

So basically you want someone to do your homework for you. You won't learn anything that way. Why don't you try a few things first and then ask when you get stuck?

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