Re: ex large file

On 30/07/12 20:24, Gary Johnson wrote:
> On 2012-07-30, Enda wrote:
>
>> On July 30, 2012 6:09 PM, Gary Johnson wrote:
>
>>> On 2012-07-30, Enda wrote:
>>>> Is there a way to empty the contents of a large file? The
>>>> below doesn't work:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> $ ex -s largefile -c '1,$d' -c wq
>>>>
>>>> Killed
>>>
>>> I don't know why that is failing. Ben had some good questions. But
>>> if you just want to empty the file, use this from your shell:
>>>
>>> $ > largefile
>
>> 'echo "" > filetowipe' would be a new file, I want to edit the same file.
>
> I'm not following you. I didn't suggest redirecting to a new file.
> I suggested redirecting to the same file name you used in your
> example. Further, I didn't suggest using echo--I suggested simply
> this command (shown this time without the shell prompt):
>
> > largefile
>
> where 'largefile' is the name of the file you wish to empty.
>
>> I don't want to crash my desktop again. I think the fact that ex
>> creates .swp and .swo files might contribute to the problem.
>
> You might find this article of help:
>
> http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Faster_loading_of_large_files
>
> If you can do anything with Vim that will crash your desktop, that
> would be a serious bug in Vim. Does it happen with any file over
> some size? How large was your 'largefile'?
>
> Regards,
> Gary
>
> P.S.
>
> Note that the convention on this list it to not top-post. See the
> footer of every message on this list.
>

Another possibility, maybe better known, would be

cp /dev/null largefile

on Unix etc., or

copy NUL largefile

on Dos/Windows. Neither of these uses Vim, you type them directly at the
shell prompt (for bash or cmd.exe or whatever).


If the filesize is 5 GiB you would need that much memory for Vim to edit
the file, even if the only edit operation were ":%d | wq". Unless you
have a 64-bit machine with a huge lot of RAM (maybe at least twice as
much as I have), I don't recommend it.

Additionally, depending on the state of the 'backupcopy' option, Vim may
rename the original file, create a copy under the original name, then if
all went well delete the original. This would require as least as much
empty disk space as the file size, and in the same disk partition. This
would also not be "the same file" but "a new file of the same name".


Best regards,
Tony.
--
"Avoid revolution or expect to get shot. Mother and I will grieve, but
we will gladly buy a dinner for the National Guardsman who shot you."
-- Dr. Paul Williamson, father of a Kent State student

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