How can I use a file in a command and redirect output to the same file without truncating it?

Question

Basically I want to take as input text from a file, remove a line from that file, and send the output back to the same file. Something along these lines if that makes it any

Answer 1

The following will accomplish the same thing that sponge does, without requiring moreutils:

    shuf --output=file --random-source=/dev/zero 

The --random-source=/dev/zero part tricks shuf into doing its thing without doing any shuffling at all, so it will buffer your input without altering it.

However, it is true that using a temporary file is best, for performance reasons. So, here is a function that I have written that will do that for you in a generalized way:

# Pipes a file into a command, and pipes the output of that command
# back into the same file, ensuring that the file is not truncated.
# Parameters:
#    $1: the file.
#    $2: the command. (With $3... being its arguments.)
# See https://stackoverflow.com/a/55655338/773113

function siphon
{
    local tmp=$(mktemp)
    local file="$1"
    shift
    $* < "$file" > "$tmp"
    mv "$tmp" "$file"
}