How to uncomment multiple lines on second pattern match using sed? - sed

Question

I am trying to use sed to uncomment a block of text in this config file.
The code I came up with uncomments 7 lines starting from and including the pattern match on the first match but I need it to only work on the second match and skip the first match.
sed '/#location.~.*$/,+6s/#/ /' default.conf
# proxy the PHP scripts to Apache listening on 127.0.0.1:80
#
#location ~ \.php$ {
# proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1;
#}
# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on 127.0.0.1:9000
#
#location ~ \.php$ {
# root html;
# fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;
# fastcgi_index index.php;
# fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME /scripts$fastcgi_script_name;
# include fastcgi_params;
#}
# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on 127.0.0.1:9000
#
>

Answer 1

This might work for you (GNU sed):
sed 'x;/./{x;/#location/,+6s/#/ /;b};x;/#location/h' file
Use the hold space (HS) to store a flag and only act on the address range if the flag has been set.

Answer 2

I would say, using shell script to change your codes is risky. many special case could make it fail.
I would call it "text transformation" instead. it will remove the leading # from #location ~ \.php$ { line to first #} line.
awk onliner:
awk '/^#location ~/{s=1}s{if($0~/^#}/)s=0;sub("#"," ")}1' file
see example: (file is your content)
kent$ awk '/^#location ~/{s=1}s{if($0~/^#}/)s=0;sub("#"," ")}1' file
# proxy the PHP scripts to Apache listening on 127.0.0.1:80
#
location ~ \.php$ {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1;
}
# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on 127.0.0.1:9000
#
location ~ \.php$ {
root html;
fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:9000;
fastcgi_index index.php;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME /scripts$fastcgi_script_name;
include fastcgi_params;
}
# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on 127.0.0.1:9000
#
I hope the output above is what you need.

Answer 3

With awk (this is more suitable & easier than sed for this task):
awk -F# '
/^#location/{l++}
l<2 {print}
l==2{print $2}
l==2 && $2 ~ "}" {l=0;next}
' file.txt