Batch script to find and replace a string in text file without creating an extra output file for storing the modified file

Question

I have written a batch script to find and replace a string in a text file. Following is my script.

@echo off &setlocal set "search=%1" set "replace=%2" set "textfile=Input.txt" set "newfile=Output.txt" (for /f "delims=" %%i in (%textfile%) do (     set "line=%%i"     setlocal enabledelayedexpansion     set "line=!line:%search%=%replace%!"     echo(!line!     endlocal ))>"%newfile%" del %textfile% rename %newfile%  %textfile% 

I am able to replace the word successfully.

But i dont want to create Output.txt and then rename it the original file..

Please help me out for editing a text file without redirecting the output to a new file..

Answer 1

@echo off      setlocal enableextensions disabledelayedexpansion      set "search=%1"     set "replace=%2"      set "textFile=Input.txt"      for /f "delims=" %%i in ('type "%textFile%" ^& break ^> "%textFile%" ') do (         set "line=%%i"         setlocal enabledelayedexpansion         >>"%textFile%" echo(!line:%search%=%replace%!         endlocal     ) 

for /f will read all the data (generated by the type comamnd) before starting to process it. In the subprocess started to execute the type, we include a redirection overwritting the file (so it is emptied). Once the do clause starts to execute (the content of the file is in memory to be processed) the output is appended to the file.