Shell script to remove quotes when using SED

Question

I'm trying to change a line of syntax in a config file where the line looks like the following:

host="192.0.2.100"

I'm writing a script that would require input the user to change the ip and keep the same format as above. What I wrote:

#/bin/bash
echo "enter IP"
read inputIP
sed -i /host=/c\host="$inputIP" /path/file.xml

What I get when i run this in file is:

host=192.0.2.100

So the question is how do I run this and not lose the quotes?

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 11 '20 at 23:34

2

Quotes are special for the shell, it removes them in a so called "quote removal" before sending the paramteres to sed. To keep them, escape them by backslashes:

sed -i /host=/c\host=\"$inputIP\" /path/file.xml

answered Aug 11 '20 at 23:34

choroba

374
1
7

Awesome thank you! That did the trick! – Peter Yates Aug 12 '20 at 00:26
Peter, please select this as the accepted answer. – David Medinets Aug 12 '20 at 00:46

Shell script to remove quotes when using SED

1 Answers1