Very Computer

I have an input file that looks like this:

 DFT000000018500 Fix LoggingServer script  The LoggingServer script in
                 to not look for classes   LoggingServer/scripts
                 by default                has been set up so that its
                 ...                       ...
 DFT000000018501 ...

I want to add HTML format so that it looks like this:

 <a href="http://remedy.pegs.com/arsys/servlet/ViewFormServlet?server=arcluster...
22DFT000000018500%22">DFT000000018500</a> Fix LoggingServer script
The LoggingServer script in
                 to not look for classes   LoggingServer/scripts
                 by default                has been set up so that its
                 ...                       ...
href="http://remedy.pegs.com/arsys/servlet/ViewFormServlet?server=arcluster...
22DFT000000018500%22">DFT000000018501</a> ...

Is there a way to accomplish this using sed or awk, or is perl the
only way?

Try this:
sed 's/\(DFT.[^ ]*\)/\<a href="URL">\1\<\\a\>/' < data > new_data
and inplace of URL put in the full link. The '\1' is the DFT string so
place that where you want the string to show up. This should work as
long as your links begin with a 'DFT'. DONT FORGET TO ESCAPE '\' the
right chars.

You also asked this question in comp.lang.awk, where it was answered.

You should check out how to cross-post to multiple groups when you need
too do so and set up the "follow-up to" field so that people only need
to check in one NG whether you have received an answer.  This saves
everyone's time in the long run.

HTH
--
Peter S Tillier
"Who needs perl when you can write dc, sokoban,
arkanoid and an unlambda interpreter in sed?"