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Accepted
xerostomus
Asked: 2023-08-27 21:10:32 +0800 CST

Multiply found text in sed - is it possible?

  • 772

This is what I have:

echo -e "a\t4\nb\t7\nc\t2\nd\t12\n" | sed -rn 's/(.*)\t([0-9]*)$/\2\t\1\1\1\t/p'

4   aaa  
7   bbb 
2   ccc 
12  ddd

This I want:

4   aaaa    
7   bbbbbbb  
2   cc  
12  dddddddddddd

Is this possible in sed only or I have to use some other tools?

command-line

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Not really totally pure sed, but rather with setting the flag e which allows for embedding shell commands and executing them and allows for risky command injection as well so know that one and do (if you have to) on your own risk.

    Not really my preferred way either but you asked for it.

    That said, you can do it with something like this:

    $ echo -ne "a\t4\nb\t7\nc\t2\nd\t12\n" |
sed -rn "s/(.*)\t([0-9]*)$/bash -c \"printf '%s\t' \2; printf '\1%.0s' {1..\2}\"/ep"
4   aaaa
7   bbbbbbb
2   cc
12  dddddddddddd
    • 3