[ale] Bash question

[ChangingLINKS.com]

Put email at ChangingLINKS.com on the list please . . . . : ) 

On Thursday 05 September 2002 11:06, Fletch wrote:
> >>>>> "esoteric" == esoteric  <Geoffrey> writes:
>
>     esoteric> Understanding that this was originally a bash question,
>     esoteric> I'd suggest Perl is really the proper tool.  I'm just
>     esoteric> waiting for Fletch to chime in here... :)
>
>
>         Well, if you're going to twist my arm . . .
>
>
> perl -e '$/="=*\n";while(<>){rand($.)<1&&do{chomp;$l=$_}}print$l' data
>
>
>         That presumes that the "=*\n" delimiter follows items (yours
> basically had it preceding it, so you get an empty first record).
> It's basically the same format as fortune data files (which use "%\n"
> instead; see man strfile, man fortune; replacing "=*\n" with "%\n"
> gives you a poor man's fortune replacement).  As for an explanation
> what it's doing, see perldoc -q 'random line'.
>
>
>         Not that I in any way condone automatically sending people
> jokes via email.  Come on, it's not the late 1980s any more. :)

-- 
Wishing you Happiness, Joy and Laughter,
Drew
http://www.ChangingLINKS.com

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