[SOLVED] Editing config files under Windows..

[Zufira]

Hi all,
Im not sure if I should put this in the newbie forum but here it goes anyway.
I have a Centos 5 machine and I would like to edit a config files (iptables ). I edit this file on my windows machine, using winSCP (nice free software) to transfer files betweet my linux and windows machine. Now if i edit the config file, and add a # on an empty line and save it, put it back on the linux,. restart iptables it fails. Even when I delete this # again, save it and put it on linux it still fails.

It gives me the following error:
"Error occured at line: 1
Try iptables-restore -h or iptables-restore --help for more information.
[FAILED]"

the first line is:
*nat

Its not that windows changed the extension or something. And when I edit localy with VI it works just fine.

So any help would be much appreciated

Zufira

[coopstah13]

probably you are putting microsoft carriage returns in the file, do you see any ^M in the file at the end of the lines?

what are you using to edit them on windows?

Why not just use SSH connection and then edit in vi?

[Irithori]

You probably experience the different handling of linefeeds between unix and windows.
Unix uses LF
windows uses CR/LF

That´s why your iptables script is invalid after editing under windows.
You can either use a windows editor, that can save in unix style (like notepad++)
or edit your linux files natively.

I would prefer the second option, as it saves you from copying files each time.

[Zufira]

@coopstah13: Yes im using the enter button(this is what you mean right?) but I dont see any ^M. I remotely controll the servers but I dont really like VI. I could install another text editor but as I had all the necessities to do it in windows I just prefered that.

@Irithori: Im using notepad. Ill try notepad++ soon thanks. I prefer that as its not much copying and I got to copy some other stuff anyway.

Thanks guys!

[coopstah13]

you'd have to look for ^M characters on linux machine, windows won't show them

you can try nano for a different editor if you don't like vi/vim

[Zufira]

Ye i understood that :P though I dont see any ^M on the linux machines (in VI).

Just tried it with notepadd++ 5.7 and it works without any problems

Thanks guys for your time and help!