Save command output in string variable keeping newlines

Question

I have a script that transforms a file's data, in order to work more efficiently I want to alter the data in memory and then dump it to the file. Supose I want to modify a file that contains this:

> This is a line
> this is other line

I use a sed command to replace the '>' symbols with '#' ones:

transform_output=$(eval "sed ${sed_args[@]} $file" 2>&1)
echo -e $transform_output

I get the output:

# This is a line # this is other line

rather than the output I would like to have wich is:

# This is a line
# this is other line

How do I save the output in the string variable keeping the newlines?
How could I add a line at the begining of the variable that contains "#ADDED LINE#" and save that in a file?

(the file I want to obtain would be):

#ADDED LINE#
# This is a line
# this is other line

Thanks in advance

possible duplicate of how do I preserve newlines in a quoted string in bash? — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jan 23, 2013 at 17:03
It might be. I didn't find it when I researched before asking, found anything else but what I was looking for — Nico Rodsevich
– Nico Rodsevich, Commented Jan 23, 2013 at 17:10

Barmar · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-23 16:30:29Z

6

Quoting is used to prevent word-splitting at whitespace:

echo -e "$transform_output"
Group the command with another echo:

{ echo "#ADDED LINE#"; echo -e "$transform_output" } > file

answered Jan 23, 2013 at 16:30

Barmar

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1 Comment

Nico Rodsevich Over a year ago

Thanks a lot, man! Can't believe it was such stupidly simple!

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