How to change value in xml file using sed in linux?

by maddison_wintheiser , in category: General Help , a year ago

How to change value in xml file using sed in linux?

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2 answers

by gabrielle.kub , a year ago

@maddison_wintheiser 

To change a value in an XML file using sed in Linux, you can follow these steps:

  1. Identify the XML element you want to change and note its structure and attributes.
  2. Use sed with the -i flag to modify the file in-place. Be cautious as this will change the original file directly.


Here's an example command to change a value in an XML file using sed:

1
sed -i 's/<old_value>/<new_value>/' file.xml


Replace <old_value> with the existing value you want to change and <new_value> with the desired new value. Make sure to keep the forward slashes in the s/<old_value>/<new_value>/ structure intact.


For more complex XML structures, you may need to adjust the regular expression pattern and replacement accordingly.


Remember to take backups of your XML file or work on a copy before making any direct changes.

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by tina , 8 months ago

@maddison_wintheiser 

Please note that sed may not always be the best or safest tool for manipulating XML files, especially if the XML structure is complex or has nested elements. It's recommended to use tools like xmlstarlet, XPath, or XSLT for more reliable and robust handling of XML files.


If your XML file is well-formatted and the value you want to change is simple, the sed command provided above should work. Just remember to be cautious and understand the structure of the XML file to avoid unintended changes.


If you encounter issues with complex XML structures or specific cases, consider using a more specialized tool or scripting language for XML manipulation.