Convert a file with Ctrl-A characters to use \1's that are more easily
edited:

perl -i -pe 's/\\1/\x01/g' somefile.ext

Convert \1's back to Ctrl-A's:

perl -i -pe 's/\x01/\\1/g' somefile.ext

Multiple files to convert? Just add more filenames on the end of the
command.

Files converted 'in situ'. To keep a backup of the original add an
extension after the -i switch like:

perl -i.BAK -pe 's/\\1/\x01/g' somefile.ext

or remove the -i switch entirely and redirect STDOUT to a file to hold the results of the conversion:

perl -pe 's/\x01/\\1/g' somefile.ext > converted.out

But this prevents multiple file conversion (unless you want the output combined into a single result file).

These one-liners make good bash aliases or shell scripts.

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Re: Perls before swine
By: Angus McLeod to All on Tue Jun 20 2006 12:55 am

Convert a file with Ctrl-A characters to use \1's that are more easily edited:

perl -i -pe 's/\\1/\x01/g' somefile.ext

Convert \1's back to Ctrl-A's:

perl -i -pe 's/\x01/\\1/g' somefile.ext

*blink*

Or vice-versa.

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Re: Perls before swine
By: Deuce to Angus McLeod on Tue Jun 20 2006 00:03:00

Convert a file with Ctrl-A characters to use \1's that are more easily edited:

perl -i -pe 's/\\1/\x01/g' somefile.ext

Convert \1's back to Ctrl-A's:

perl -i -pe 's/\x01/\\1/g' somefile.ext

*blink*

Or vice-versa.

LOL! Seems like I when I cut'n'pasted I shoulda pasted'n'cut instead!
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