Rename csv header using bash script

Question

I want to rename the header of a csv file using bash script. Original csv file header looks like below:

temp.csv
    ,id,too,Issue,Valid,DPT,RH,TMP,U,V
    1,1,22383,2015-01-15 00:00:00 GMT,2015-01-15 00:00:00 GMT,269.8000183,80.90000153,272.6300049,3.039999962,-0.560000002
    1

            id  to  Issue   Valid   DPT RH  TMP U   V
      1     2    3  4        5      6   7    8  9   10

I

want to rename column header as below:

 Cell   id  too Issue   Valid   DPT RH  TMP U   V
    1   2    3  4        5      6   7   8  9   10

echo new header, then use tail -n +2 to output original csv file from the second line. — gzh
– gzh, Commented Nov 29, 2017 at 4:28

codeforester · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-29 04:36:40Z

1

You can use sed replace the header or the first line:

new_header=" Cell   id  too Issue   Valid   DPT RH  TMP U   V"
sed -i '' "1s/.*/$new_header/" file

This assumes that you don't have the sed expression separator / in your new header. In case you do, use a different separator in the sed expression.

answered Nov 29, 2017 at 4:36

codeforester

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9 Comments

user15051990 Over a year ago

Thanks. Will this work when my columns are separated by ,? I am working first time on bash script. My questions might sound stupid.

codeforester Over a year ago

, shouldn't be an issue. However, ; can be.

Kaushik Over a year ago

@codeforester, I am getting error ./BASH.SH: line 2: $'\r': command not found while running this code new_header="Cell,id,too,Issue,Valid,DPT,RH,TMP,U,V" sed -i '' "1s/.*/$new_header/" temp.csv. Any comments?

Kaushik Over a year ago

Windows 8, I am using.

Kaushik Over a year ago

Thank you so much @codeforester. It's finally working.

|

chutz · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-29 08:50:55Z

0

You need to replace the first line with a different line. sed can do it for you:

sed -i -e "1 { r"<(echo ' Cell   id  too Issue   Valid   DPT RH  TMP U   V')"
d
}" file

To expand on the command

-i edits the file in place (you can skip this)
-e following is a sed command
1 execute the commands in the {} when you see the first line of input
r inserts the text from the following "file"
<( echo ' ... ') produces the new header on standard output, and assigns it to a file that is then readable by the sed command (r will insert that text)
d deletes the line

So, insert a new line of text and delete the old one.

If you do not need to edit the file in place, easier to do:

(
  echo ' Cell   id  too Issue   Valid   DPT RH  TMP U   V'
  tail -n +2 file
) > file.new

answered Nov 29, 2017 at 8:50

chutz

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2 Comments

Kaushik Over a year ago

Thanks @chutz!. But When I am running this command I am getting the following error sed: cannot rename ./sedTKtPM3: Device or resource busy. How to resolve this?

chutz Over a year ago

@Kaushik, could be permissions.

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