replacing multi line string with another multi line string using sed

Question

for eg. input :

// copyright

package com.base

import com.base
import com.base
...

i want to replace the pattern "// copyright\n\n^package.*" with another string

i'm trying to do using

sed -e 's/.,^package/$(anotherString)/g' $text

How many empty lines between // copyright and package ... ? One or two ? Your example has one empty line in between but you're saying you want to replace // copyright\n\npackage.* which means two empty lines in between... — don_crissti, Apr 16 at 17:18

John1024 · Answer 1 · 2015-04-16 05:01:01Z

Using sed

Here is a sed solution:

$ sed '\|// copyright|,\|^package|{s/^package/Something\nElse/p;d}' file
Something
Else com.base

import com.base
import com.base
...

Did you want to remove all of the original package line? If so, just a minor change is needed:

$ sed '\|// copyright|,\|^package|{s/^package.*/Something\nElse/p;d}' file
Something
Else

import com.base
import com.base
...

$ awk '/^\/\/ copyright/,/^package/{if (/^package/) print "Something\nElse"; next} 1' file
Something
Else

import com.base
import com.base
...