include onto /etc/hosts

[gatetec]

I need to edit /etc/hosts file due to a long list for printers. I personally don’t touch /etc/hosts file often if possible. I am wondering if there is a way to “include” a file onto /etc/hosts so that I can just edit the file instead of /etc/hosts. In that case, I can simply edit the file as needed w/o touching /etc/hosts. Please let me know.

thx much

 

[khalidaaa]

I never heard of including a file within the /etc/hosts!

why don't you make a copy of the /etc/hosts file first!

cp /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.old

and then edit the hosts.old and when you are sure that this is the final hosts file just rename it back!

mv /etc/hosts.old /etc/hosts

(you can take a copy of the old file as well before doing the above just as a precaution!)

Regards,
Khalid

 

[blantczak]

Me neighter. I don't think that there is a way to include some other file into hosts config. Do like Khalid suggest - make backup of original /etc/hosts, change it and test. You can always come back.

Regards,
Blazej

 

[spamly]

Probably not an option, but you could always add the entries to your DNS servers. This would server the same function, but has a drawback... or two.

 

[gatetec]

Yeah.. I think there is no way to do so.
Thank you for confirming that.

 

[Johuak]

there is one more way without going into /etc/hosts file.

cp -p /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.07312007
cat /your_file_name >> /etc/hosts

This will add your file contents to /etc/host without opening it.

 

[RMGBELGIUM]

I know what you are trying to obtain , same as you can do with conf file of Apache, but unfortunately, this cant be done with the host file ...

rgds,

R.