Weird strings in a text file: how to avoid/remove them?

Sudharshana · 02-19-2013, 02:46 AM

I have a script generated file ,in my linux machine, which has got "<esc>"at the start of every line . It has also got "<esc>[36m>>><esc>[32m/main/1<esc>[m " like this at the end of every line. I am invonking the script that generates this file in my script. Now i need to remove all these occurences in this file from my ksh script. Please help me. absolutley clueless

acid_kewpie · 02-19-2013, 02:51 AM

This is not urgent for us, please do not demand priority attention from a voluntary community. instead you should provide a useful and informative thread title that gives information about the query you have.

shivaa · 02-19-2013, 02:54 AM

Try sed:

Code:

sed -e 's/\<esc\>//' infile.txt

Or using vi editor, in colon mode, invoke:

Code:

:%s/<esc>//g

If it do not help, then share a sample entry from infile.

colucix · 02-19-2013, 03:06 AM

They seems color escape sequences. Any chance your script redirects the output of ls (maybe aliased as ls --color) to the file?

Sudharshana · 02-19-2013, 03:09 AM

I need to make the changes in the same file. This ends up with an empty file after the script ends. I need these changes made to be reflected in the file. Its like, i need to open this file, make these replacements and then save the file. Can you please help me with this ?

Sudharshana · 02-19-2013, 03:15 AM

I have no idea what they are. This file is generated by a perl script that i invoke in my shell script. Please let me know how to remove those instances

RaviTezu · 02-19-2013, 03:27 AM

Quote:

perl -pi -w -e "s/<esc>//g" <file_name>

perl -pi -w -e "s/<esc>\[36m>>><esc>\[32m\/main\/1esc>\[m//g" <file_name>

Both the commands will delete the patterns you have in the file.

Note: observe "\"(escape character) in the second command.

RaviTezu · 02-19-2013, 03:28 AM

<file_name> = script generated file

Sudharshana · 02-19-2013, 03:29 AM

can i use these in my ksh script?

RaviTezu · 02-19-2013, 03:32 AM

Yes you can use them in you ksh, how ever you need to replace the <file_name> with the file_path.

---------- Post added 02-19-13 at 03:02 PM ----------

Try this as an example first!!

colucix · 02-19-2013, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sudharshana

I have no idea what they are.

I would investigate that, instead. The best solution to remove something is to not generate it at all.

colucix · 02-19-2013, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RaviTezu

perl -pi -w -e "s/<esc>\[36m>>><esc>\[32m\/main\/1esc>\[m//g" <file_name>

It's not so simple. The string shown in the sample (and only a sample) contain hidden control characters or some characters not in the ASCII charset:

Code:

[]<esc>[36m>>><esc>[32m/main/1[]<esc>[m

Sudharshana, please can you show a larger piece of the file (using CODE tags)?

Sudharshana · 02-19-2013, 03:58 AM

yes. what you say is absolutely true. Its like a hidden control char only. you can imagine, each of these lines starting with <esc> . I am unable to paste it as such.
/vobs/dsl/APME/ape/tp/TP_IsamTopLevelTest.nash
/cm2/auto/testcases/Design/ESAM/ETH/ETH_IPV6_PROTOCOLFILTER/ETH_IPV6_PROTOCOLFILTER_18.ars
/cm2/auto/testcases/Design/ESAM/ETH/ETH_IPV6_PROTOCOLFILTER/ETH_IPV6_PROTOCOLFILTER_19.ars
/cm2/auto/testcases/Design/ESAM/ETH/ETH_IPV6_PROTOCOLFILTER/ETH_IPV6_PROTOCOLFILTER_21.ars
/cm2/auto/testcases/Design/ESAM/ETH/ETH_VLANTUNNEL_TRAF_ROBUST/ETH_VLANTUNNEL_TRAF_ROBUST_01.ars
/cm2/auto/testcases/Design/FTTU/SRV/SRV_QOS_DS_SHAPER/SRV_QOS_DS_SHAPER_NGLT_COMMON_PROCS.tcl
/vobs/esam/build/fulltests/COMMON/ATCSuppress.txt
/vobs/esam/build/fulltests/COMMON/datafile.tcl
/vobs/esam/build/fulltests/COMMON/TraceCMDLT.txt

Please give me some idea to remove that <esc> sequence