Find and Replace string using Powershell
Find and Replace string using Powershell
I have a file Test.txt on a remote computer named Windows7
the Test.txt has a line:
I would like to replace the second username with a string 'white'. the command line below works fine, however it is replacing both -username and username with 'white', I need just the second one replaced.
Thank you
I have a file Test.txt on a remote computer named Windows7
the Test.txt has a line:
aaaa bbbbb -username usernameI would like to replace the second username with a string 'white'. the command line below works fine, however it is replacing both -username and username with 'white', I need just the second one replaced.
Thank you
((Get-Content -path '\\windows7\c$\test.txt' -Raw) -replace 'username','white') | Set-Content -Path '\\windows7\C$\test.txt'ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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True, it is simpler.
To expound a bit for the OP - It is also less specific in what it will match, which is not necessarily a bad thing - just depends on the file contents whether the specificity is needed or not. I tend to err on the side of being more specific with regex patterns. If you're not certain whether your search string could appear in other places in the file, you should decide whether you want those other instances changed as well - if not then more specificity is better; if not then less specificity is better.. The regex pattern can also be defined to help with things like removing extra spaces if that was desired.
To expound a bit for the OP - It is also less specific in what it will match, which is not necessarily a bad thing - just depends on the file contents whether the specificity is needed or not. I tend to err on the side of being more specific with regex patterns. If you're not certain whether your search string could appear in other places in the file, you should decide whether you want those other instances changed as well - if not then more specificity is better; if not then less specificity is better.. The regex pattern can also be defined to help with things like removing extra spaces if that was desired.
ASKER
I used this:
-replace ' username', ' white'
there are 2 spaces between -username username
how do I change the command to include 2 spaces... for now it does the change but it shows -usernamewhite
-replace ' username', ' white'
there are 2 spaces between -username username
how do I change the command to include 2 spaces... for now it does the change but it shows -usernamewhite
ASKER
I guess i figured it out , just add another space before white
-replace ' username' , ' white'
-replace ' username' , ' white'
I guess i figured it out , just add another space before white
You use the regular expression for either 1 or more, or 1 to 2, or 2 spaces. E.g.
1 or more spaces
-replace " +username", "white"Or
1 to 2 spaces
-replace " {1,2}username", "white"Or
Exactly 2 spaces
-replace " {2}username", "white"A double space in regex is particularly unreadable.
ASKER
Thank you Guys!!
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