Delete certain lines in a txt file via a batch file

chrome picture chrome · Jan 7, 2009 · Viewed 199k times · Source

I have a generated txt file. This file has certain lines that are superfluous, and need to be removed. Each line that requires removal has one of two string in the line; "ERROR" or "REFERENCE". These tokens may appear anywhere in the line. I would like to delete these lines, while retaining all other lines.

So, if the txt file looks like this:

Good Line of data
bad line of C:\Directory\ERROR\myFile.dll
Another good line of data
bad line: REFERENCE 
Good line

I would like the file to end up like this:

Good Line of data
Another good line of data
Good line

TIA.

Answer

paxdiablo picture paxdiablo · Jan 7, 2009

Use the following:

type file.txt | findstr /v ERROR | findstr /v REFERENCE

This has the advantage of using standard tools in the Windows OS, rather than having to find and install sed/awk/perl and such.

See the following transcript for it in operation:

C:\>type file.txt
Good Line of data
bad line of C:\Directory\ERROR\myFile.dll
Another good line of data
bad line: REFERENCE
Good line

C:\>type file.txt | findstr /v ERROR | findstr /v REFERENCE
Good Line of data
Another good line of data
Good line