srep -- Perform bulk replacements on files
srep --data=... [ options ] [ files|directories ... ]
srep performs bulk replacements on the contents of series of files.
It is driven by a data file with replacement instructions.
When processing the files, each file is rewritten when one or more of the replacement instructions succeed. If no replacement instructions succeed, the file is left unmodified.
Recurses through directories. Without this option, directories are ignored.
Specifies the file with replacement instructions. This is a mandatory option.
Defines variable xxx to have the value yyy. See the description of replacement files how to use these variables.
Same as -Dxxx=yyy.
Processes only files with names that obey the shell pattern glob. This option may occur more than once, the patterns will be combined.
Processes only files with names that obey the Perl pattern pat. This option may occur more than once, the patterns will be combined.
Excludes files with names that obey the shell pattern glob. This option may occur more than once, the patterns will be combined.
Excludes files with names that obey the Perl pattern glob. This option may occur more than once, the patterns will be combined.
Runs, but do not change any files. This is useful to test the instructions in the replacement file.
Provides a help message. Does not execute anything.
Shows identification and version of the program.
Produces verbose information.
Produces debugging information.
The replacement file specifies what changes are to be made to the files.
The replacement file is interpreted on a line by line basis. Empty lines, and lines that start with a #, are ignored.
#
Generally, each line contains an operation in the form
operation argument replacement
The words are whitespace separated, which implies that argument cannot contain whitespace. replacement can contain whitespace. replacement may be omitted, in which case it defaults to the empty string.
In replacement all Perl escapes (e.g., \n), and pattern match variables (e.g., $1, $&) can be used.
\n
$1
$&
These are the basic operations:
The Perl pattern pattern is replaced by replacement. The operation is case-insensitive.
Example:
p creat[\040\t]?( create(
Note the use of \040 to indicate a literal space.
\040
Identical to p, but case-sensitive.
Replaces each substring string by replacement. The operation is case-insensitive.
Identical to s, but case-sensitive.
Replaces each occurrence of the word (according to Perl's defintion of words) by replacement. The operation is case-insensitive.
Note: Perl considers as words anything bounded by \w\W and \W\w transitions.
\w\W
\W\w
Identical to w, but case-sensitive.
Like p, but allows Perl expressions in the replacement text.
Variables that have been defined on the command line (with --define=xxx=yyy) are stored in a special hash named %VARS and can be referenced in the replacement text with $VARS{xxx}.
%VARS
Like e, but evaluates replacement twice for increased power.
Identical to e, but case-sensitive.
Identical to ee, but case-sensitive.
Terminates any further replacements on the current file. If value is zero, the file is considered to be unmodified and will not be rewritten.
This is most useful with an operator condition, see below.
Prepends the text to the file data.
Appends the text to the file data.
Prepends the contents of the named file.
Appends the contents of the named file.
All of the operators described in the previous section may be preceded with ? or ! to have this operation applied conditionally.
?
!
With ?, the operation is only applied if any modifications have been made to the current file so far.
With !, the operation is only applied unless modifications have been made to the current file so far.
For example:
s foo bar !x ...other operations...
This will apply the ...other operations... only if the first substitution succeeded.
...other operations...
Special pattern elements are available to deal with balanced brackets. Recognized brackets are parentheses (), braces {}, straight brackets [] and angular (broken) brackets <>. In the description below, braces are used but the description applies to all recognized brackets.
()
{}
[]
<>
This matches a bracketed string that is itself balanced with respect to these brackets.
Note that ... indicates three literal dots in a row.
...
Like \{...\}, except that the matched string is assigned to the corresponding $n variable without the outer brackets. For example, \{(...)\} will match {x{xx}} but assign x{xx} to $1.
\{(...)\}
{x{xx}}
x{xx}
The following special instructions may be contained in the replacement control file. All special instructions double the functionality of some of the command line options.
Same as command line argument --filter=glob.
Same as command line argument --filter_pat=pat.
Same as command line argument --exclude=glob.
Same as command line argument --exclude_pat=pat.
The choice of the leading exclamation mark is unfortunate.
Doesn't currently make backups of the files.
The contents of each of the files must fit in memory, together with the contents of any append/prepend files.
Literal NUL characters are not allowed in patterns and replacement texts. Use \0 (backslash-zero) instead.
\0
Johan Vromans <jvromans@squirrel.nl>
This program is Copyright 2000,2005,2006 by Squirrel Consultancy. All rights reserved.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either: a) the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 1, or (at your option) any later version, or b) the "Artistic License" which comes with Perl.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See either the GNU General Public License or the Artistic License for more details.
To install srep, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm srep
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install srep
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.