dalehurley Update Text File
Input Parameters
| Parameter | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
file_path |
Yes | Path to the text file to update | ~/Downloads/poem.txt |
update_type |
No | Type of update: 'add' (append content), 'expand' (add to existing), 'replace' (full rewrite), or 'edit' (modify specific sections) | expand |
new_content |
Yes | The new or additional content to write to the file | With wisdom guiding every choice... |
Procedure
- Locate the target file using
findcommand with common text file extensions (.txt, .md, .doc, etc.) or search by filename pattern - Display current file contents using
catto understand what needs to be updated - Ask user for clarification on desired changes if not explicitly provided (use
ask_user) - Write updated content to the file using
cat > {{FILE_PATH}} << 'EOF'syntax, preserving the original file location - Verify the update by displaying the new file contents with
cat {{FILE_PATH}} - Confirm successful update to the user with a summary of changes made
Output
Updated text file saved to original location with confirmation message showing what was changed. File contents displayed to user for verification.
Reference Commands
find {{DIRECTORY}} -maxdepth 2 -type f \( -name "*.txt" -o -name "*.md" \)
cat {{FILE_PATH}}
cat > {{FILE_PATH}} << 'EOF'
{{NEW_CONTENT}}
EOF
Example
update the poem in my Downloads folder
edit the notes file and add more details
revise the document with new content
modify the text file to include additional paragraphs
update the markdown file in my home directory
Notes
- Always display the original file contents before making changes to understand context
- Use heredoc syntax (cat > file << 'EOF') to safely write multi-line content
- Preserve the original file location and path
- Verify changes by displaying updated contents after writing
- Ask for clarification if update intent is ambiguous