======================================================= Misc: perl hack: commenting lines between two markers ======================================================= :Title: Misc: perl hack: commenting lines between two markers :Author: Douglas O'Leary :Description: Perl one-liner to (un)comment lines between to markers :Date created: 02/2013 :Date updated: 02/2013 :Disclaimer: Standard: Use the information that follows at your own risk. If you screw up a system, don't blame it on me... I asked this question a couple of years ago on HP's ITRC and got a wonderful response from James Ferguson. Unfortunately, I can't seem to remember this little trick to save my life so I'm documenting it here. Scenario is that certain lines of a script needed to be commented or uncommented depending on the presence of a MC/Serviceguard package. You can search for my question if you're interested in the mind-fogged attempt I made before the ITRC post, but the answer is: :: perl -pe 's/^/# /g if (/mcsg_begins/../mcsg_ends/)' ${file} I've had to search for that post no less than three times since then... You'd figure I'd learn by now.