Although the for loop will probably work for your PHP files, I generally prefer using a different method for processing lists of files. /bin/ls *.php | while read i ; do echo "text" >> $i ; done This will handle files with spaces in them and gives you more flexibility with the input list. For instance, if you have a bunch of subdirectories, you could use find instead. /bin/find ./ -name "*.php" | while read i ; do echo "processing $i" ; echo "text" >> $i ; done When piping the command to a while loop like this, I use the full path to the command (/bin/ls instead of ls) in order to prevent shell aliases from having any effect. Hunter From: plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of mike hoy Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 11:48 PM To: Main PLUG discussion list Subject: Re: using echo 'text' > file (to add to last line of several documents) thanks for the help! On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 11:34 PM, der.hans wrote: Am 20. Oct, 2010 schwätzte mike hoy so: one last thing: echo 'text' >> 1.php 2.php 3.php or echo 'text' >> *.php for i in *.php; do echo 'text' >>$i; done You could also do a sed inline script to grab them all, but for i in is simple enough syntax for me. would be nice, but don't work any input on that? or am I to write a bash script? Well, the "echo 'text' >>1.php" is already a bash script :) ciao, der.hans On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 11:24 PM, mike hoy wrote: ah nice, thanks On Wed, Oct 20, 2010 at 11:25 PM, der.hans wrote: Am 20. Oct, 2010 schwätzte mike hoy so:  is it possible to simply add text to the bottom of multiple files or even one? Append (>>) rather than truncate (>).  for example let's say I want to add to the bottom of several files: to the bottom of 1.php echo '' > 1.php echo '' >> 1.php ciao, der.hans -- #  http://www.LuftHans.com/        http://www.LuftHans.com/Classes/ #  Passwords are like underwear. You don't share them, you don't hang them on #  your monitor, or under your keyboard, you don't email them, or put them on #  a web site, and you must change them very often. -- Unknown --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss -- Mike Hoy -- #  http://www.LuftHans.com/        http://www.LuftHans.com/Classes/ #  "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the #  people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain  the government - #  lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."  --Patrick  Henry --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss -- Mike Hoy --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss