[plug] Using sed to remove \n from a text file.

[Leon Brooks]

On Thu, 11 Jul 2002 14:44, The Thought Assassin wrote:
> sed ':a; /-$/N; s/-\n//; ta' filename

> and now a word of explanation:
> sed edits one line at a time. On each line, it runs through the list of
> four semicolon-seperated commands, then goes to the next line.

> Command 1: ':a'      This is a tag for branching to.
> Command 2: '/-$/N'   This invokes the N command on lines ending with a -.
>                      The N command appends the next line into the buffer.
> Command 3: 's/-\n//; Replaces '-\n' by '', now they're on the same line.
> Command 4: 'ta'      Branches back to the 'a' tag, _if_ the 's' succeeded.

That line about `knows sed very well, which is why he uses PERL' comes to 
mind. (-:

Cheers; Leon