notepadpp-multireplace

MultiReplace for Notepad++

License: GPL-2.0 Latest Stable Version Total Downloads

MultiReplace is a Notepad++ plugin that allows users to create, store, and manage search and replace strings within a list, perfect for use across different sessions or projects. It increases efficiency by enabling multiple replacements at once, supports sorting and applying operations to specific columns in CSV files, and offers flexible options for replacing text in various ways.

MultiReplace Screenshot

Table of Contents

Key Features

Match and Replace Options

Match Whole Word Only: When this option is enabled, the search term is matched only if it appears as a whole word. This is particularly useful for avoiding partial matches within larger words, ensuring more precise and targeted search results.

Match Case: Selecting this option makes the search case-sensitive, meaning ‘Hello’ and ‘hello’ will be treated as distinct terms. It’s useful for scenarios where the case of the letters is crucial to the search.

Use Variables: This feature allows the use of variables within the replacement string for dynamic and conditional replacements. For more detailed information, refer to the Option ‘Use Variables’ chapter.

Replace First Match Only: For Replace-All operations, this option replaces only the first occurrence of a match for each entry in a Search and Replace list, instead of all matches in the text. This is useful when using different replace strings with the same find pattern. The same effect can be achieved with the ‘Use Variables’ option using cond(CNT == 1, 'Replace String') for conditional replacements.

Wrap Around: When this option is active, the search will continue from the beginning of the document after reaching the end, ensuring that no potential matches are missed in the document.

Scope Functions

Scope functions define the range for searching and replacing strings:

CSV Processing Functions

Sorting, Deleting, and Copying

Numeric Sorting in CSV

For accurate numeric sorting in CSV files, the following settings and regex patterns can be used:

Purpose Find Pattern Replace With Regex Use Variables
Align Numbers with Leading Zeros (Decimal) \b(\d*)\.(\d{2}) set(string.rep("0",9-string.len(string.format("%.2f", CAP1)))..string.format("%.2f", CAP1)) Yes Yes
Align Numbers with Leading Zeros (Non-decimal) \b(\d+) set(string.rep("0",9-string.len(CAP1))..CAP1) Yes Yes
Remove Leading Zeros (Decimal) \b0+(\d*\.\d+) $1 Yes No
Remove Leading Zeros (Non-decimal) \b0+(\d*) $1 Yes No

Option ‘Use Variables’

Activate the ‘Use Variables’ checkbox to employ variables associated with specified strings, allowing for conditional and computational operations within the replacement string. This Dynamic Substitution is compatible with all search settings of Search Mode, Scope, and the other options. This functionality relies on the Lua engine.

Note: Utilize either the set() or cond() command in ‘Replace with:’ to channel the output as the replacement string. Only one of these commands should be used at a time.

Variables Overview

| Variable | Description | |———-|————-| | CNT | Count of the detected string. | | LINE | Line number where the string is found. | | APOS | Absolute character position in the document. | | LPOS | Relative line position. | | LCNT | Count of the detected string within the line. | | COL | Column number where the string was found (CSV-Scope option selected).| | MATCH| Contains the text of the detected string, in contrast to CAP variables which correspond to capture groups in regex patterns. | | FNAME| Filename or window title for new, unsaved files. | | FPATH| Full path including the filename, or empty for new, unsaved files. | | CAP1, CAP2, … | These variables are equivalents to regex capture groups, designed for use in the ‘Use Variables’ environment. They are specifically suited for calculations and conditional operations within this environment. Although their counterparts ($1, $2, …) cannot be used here.|

Decimal Separator
When MATCH and CAP variables are used to read numerical values for further calculations, both dot (.) and comma (,) can serve as decimal separators. However, these variables do not support the use of thousands separators.

Command Overview

String Composition

.. is employed for concatenation.
E.g., "Detected "..CNT.." times."

set(strOrCalc)

Directly outputs strings or numbers, replacing the matched text in the Replace String with the specified or calculated value.

Example Result (assuming LINE = 5, CNT = 3)
set("replaceString"..CNT) “replaceString3”
set(LINE+5) “10”

cond(condition, trueVal, [falseVal])

Implements if-then-else logic, or if-then if falseVal is omitted. Evates the condition and pushes the corresponding value (trueVal or falseVal) to the Replace String.

Example Result (assuming LINE = 5)
cond(LINE<=5 or LINE>=9, "edge", "center") “edge”
cond(LINE<3, "Modify this line") (Original text remains unchanged)
cond(LINE<10, cond(LINE<5, cond(LINE>2, "3-4", "0-2"), "5-9"), "10+") “5-9” (Nested condition)

init({Variable1=Value1, Variable2=Value2, …})

Initializes custom variables for use in various commands, extending beyond standard variables like CNT, MATCH, CAP1. These variables can carry the status of previous find-and-replace operations to subsequent ones.

Custom variables maintain their values throughout a single Replace-All or within the list of multiple Replace operations. So they can transfer values from one list entry to the following ones. They reset at the start of each new document in ‘Replace All in All Open Documents’.

Note: An empty Find string can be used to set variables for the entire Find and Replace list without linking it to a specific Find action. This string will not match any text but is triggered at the start of ‘Replace’ or ‘Replace All’ process when ‘Use List’ is enabled, allowing the Replace field to initialize commands like init() for the entire operation. The position of the entry in the list is irrelevant.

Find: Replace: Before After
(\d+) init({COL2=0,COL4=0}); cond(LCNT==4, COL2+COL4); if COL==2 then COL2=CAP1 end; if COL==4 then COL4=CAP1 end; 1,20,text,2,0
2,30,text,3,0
3,40,text,4,0		 1,20,text,2,22.0
2,30,text,3,33.0
3,40,text,4,44.0
\d{2}-[A-Z]{3} init({MATCH_PREV=''}); cond(LCNT==1,'Moved', MATCH_PREV); MATCH_PREV=MATCH; 12-POV,00-PLC
65-SUB,00-PLC
43-VOL,00-PLC		 Moved,12-POV
Moved,65-SUB
Moved,43-VOL

fmtN(num, maxDecimals, fixedDecimals)

Formats numbers based on precision (maxDecimals) and whether the number of decimals is fixed (fixedDecimals being true or false).

Note: The fmtN command can exclusively be used within the set and cond commands. | Example | Result | |————————————-|———| | set(fmtN(5.73652, 2, true)) | “5.74” | | set(fmtN(5.0, 2, true)) | “5.00” | | set(fmtN(5.73652, 4, false)) | “5.7365”| | set(fmtN(5.0, 4, false)) | “5” |

Operators

| Type | Operators | |————-|——————————-| | Arithmetic | +, -, *, /, ^, % | | Relational | ==, ~=, <, >, <=, >=| | Logical | and, or, not |

If-Then Logic

If-then logic is integral for dynamic replacements, allowing users to set custom variables based on specific conditions. This enhances the versatility of find-and-replace operations.

Note: Do not embed cond(), set(), or init() within if statements; if statements are exclusively for adjusting custom variables.

Syntax Combinations
Example

This example shows how to use if statements with cond() to manage variables based on conditions:

init({MVAR=""}); if CAP2~=nil then MVAR=MVAR..CAP2 end; cond(string.sub(CAP1,1,1)~="#", MVAR); if CAP2~=nil then MVAR=string.sub(CAP1,4,-1) end

DEBUG option

The DEBUG option lets you inspect global variables during replacements. When enabled, it opens a message box displaying the current values of all global variables for each replacement hit, requiring confirmation to proceed to the next match. Initialize the DEBUG option in your replacement string to enable it.

Find: Replace with:
(\d+) init({DEBUG=true}); set("Number: "..CAP1)

More Examples

| Find in: | Replace with: | Description/Expected Output | Regex | Scope CSV | |———————|——————————————————————————-|—————————————————————————————————————-|——-|———–| | ; | cond(LCNT==5,";Column5;") | Adds a 5th Column for each line into a ; delimited file. | No | No | | key | set("key"..CNT) | Enumerates key values by appending the count of detected strings. E.g., key1, key2, key3, etc. | No | No | | (\d+) | set(CAP1.."€ The VAT is: ".. (CAP1 * 0.15).."€ Total with VAT: ".. (CAP1 + (CAP1 * 0.15)).."€") | Finds a number and calculates the VAT at 15%, then displays the original amount, the VAT, and the total amount. E.g., 50 becomes 50€ The VAT is: 7.5€ Total with VAT: 57.5€ | Yes | No | | --- | cond(COL==1 and LINE<3, "0-2", cond(COL==2 and LINE>2 and LINE<5, "3-4", cond(COL==3 and LINE>=5 and LINE<10, "5-9", cond(COL==4 and LINE>=10, "10+")))) | Replaces --- with a specific range based on the COL and LINE values. E.g., 3-4 in column 2 of lines 3-4, and 5-9 in column 3 of lines 5-9 assuming --- is found in all lines and columns.| No | Yes | | (\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)| cond(CAP1 > 0 and CAP2 == 0 and CAP3 == 0, MATCH, cond(CAP2 > 0 and CAP3 == 0, " " .. MATCH, " " .. MATCH)) | Alters the spacing based on the hierarchy of the version numbers, aligning lower hierarchies with spaces as needed. E.g., 1.0.0 remains 1.0.0, 1.2.0 becomes ` 1.2.0, indicating a second-level version change.| Yes | No | | (\d+) | set(CAP1 * 2) | Doubles the matched number. E.g., 100 becomes 200. | Yes | No | | ; | cond(LCNT == 1, string.rep(“ “, 20- (LPOS))..”;”) | Inserts spaces before the semicolon to align it to the 20th character position if it's the first occurrence. | No | No | | - | cond(LINE == math.floor(10.5 + 6.25 * math.sin((2 * math.pi * LPOS) / 50)), “”, “ “) | Draws a sine wave across a canvas of '-' characters spanning at least 20 lines and 80 characters per line. | No | No | | ^(.)$ | init({MATCH_PREV=1}); cond(MATCH == MATCH_PREV, ‘’); MATCH_PREV=MATCH; | Removes duplicate lines, keeping the first occurrence of each line. Matches an entire line and uses MATCH_PREV` to identify and remove consecutive duplicates. | Yes | No |

Engine Overview

MultiReplace uses the Lua engine, allowing for Lua math operations and string methods. Refer to Lua String Manipulation and Lua Mathematical Functions for more information.

User Interaction and List Management

Manage search and replace strings within the list using the context menu, which provides comprehensive functionalities accessible by right-clicking on an entry, using direct keyboard shortcuts, or mouse interactions. Here are the detailed actions available:

Context Menu and Keyboard Shortcuts

Right-click on any entry in the list or use the corresponding keyboard shortcuts to access these options:

Menu Item Shortcut Description
Transfer to Input Fields Alt+Up Transfers the selected entry to the input fields for editing.
Search in List Ctrl+F Initiates a search within the list entries. Inputs are entered in the “Find what” and “Replace with” fields.
Cut Ctrl+X Cuts the selected entry to the clipboard.
Copy Ctrl+C Copies the selected entry to the clipboard.
Paste Ctrl+V Pastes content from the clipboard into the list.
Edit Field   Opens the selected entry for direct editing.
Delete Del Removes the selected entry from the list.
Select All Ctrl+A Selects all entries in the list.
Enable Alt+E Enables the selected entries, making them active for operations.
Disable Alt+D Disables the selected entries to prevent them from being included in operations.

Note on the ‘Edit Field’ option: When you paste text into the edit field opened in the list, any line breaks are automatically removed. This simplifies the process of inserting complex, structured ‘Use Variables’ statements without the need to convert them into a single line first. However, make sure to include the necessary final semicolons and spaces.

Additional Interactions:

List Columns

You can manage the visibility of the additional columns via the Header Column Menu by right-clicking on the header row.

List Toggling

Entry Interaction and Limits

Data Handling

Import/Export

Bash Script Export

UI and Behavior Settings

Column Locking

Lock column widths to prevent resizing during window adjustments. This is useful for key columns like Find, Replace, and Comments.

Configuration Settings

The MultiReplace plugin provides several configuration options, including transparency, scaling, and behavior settings, that can be adjusted via the INI file located at:

C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\plugins\Config\MultiReplace.ini

INI File Settings:

Multilingual UI Support

The UI language settings for the MultiReplace plugin can be customized by adjusting the languages.ini file located in C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins\MultiReplace\. These adjustments will ensure that the selected language in Notepad++ is applied within the plugin.

Contributions to the languages.ini file on GitHub are welcome for future versions. Find the file here.

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