Search and replace issue

jbloggs2002 · Post by **jbloggs2002** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 7:22 pm

I would like to be able search and replace in a file, using search terms taken from another file.
Specifically, I have two very long lists, and I would like to remove all instances contained in one list from the other.

Any help gratefully received

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 7:43 pm

Look in TP's help file, search for "How to Sort by Selected Column"
or "How to Sort by Specified Key Positions".

jbloggs2002 · Post by **jbloggs2002** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:01 pm

I don't understand how this will help me search and replace.

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:12 pm

I was hoping you would be able to use the "Delete duplicate lines".
But, I see that TP uses the entire line when it decides what to delete,
not just the key or the block selected.
I can feel an enhancement request brewing.

jbloggs2002 · Post by **jbloggs2002** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:17 pm

"delete duplicate lines" also only deletes one of the lines.
Do you know of any other product that could do this?

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:24 pm

All I can think of is MS Access or Word/Excel. But using Word or Excel
needs coding, not sure about Access. You can also find some scripts on
Google etc.

talleyrand · Post by **talleyrand** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 11:00 pm

Bah, why code when you can have some else do it for you?
Install Python and you're good to go.

file1.txt
a
b
c
d
e
f
goo
hoo
lou

file2.txt
aribba
bob
c
larry
dude
e
f
goo
hoo
louisa

file3.txt
aribba
bob
larry
dude
louisa

Copy this code and paste into Textpad.
Save it to something like C:\removeTerms.py
Update the paths for file1, file2 and file3
C:\>python removeTerms.py

Code: Select all

#keywords exist in this one
file1 = r"c:\bfellows\file1.txt"

#this is the file being compared
file2 = r"c:\bfellows\file2.txt"

#store the results in this file
file3 = r"c:\bfellows\file3.txt"

f1 = open(file1, 'r').readlines()
f2 = open(file2, 'r').readlines()


l = []
for keep in f2:
   #build a new list of everything that exists in f2 that is not in f1
   if (keep not in f1):
      l.append(keep)

#build up a big string to write the data out
bigString = ""
for x in l:
   bigString += x

#create a file and store the data in it
try:
   output = open(file3, 'w')
   output.writelines(bigString)
finally:
   output.close()

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 11:39 pm

Or you can just wait a few sec's for talleyrand to wake up!

s_reynisson wrote:... You can also find some scripts on Google...

jbloggs2002 · Post by **jbloggs2002** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 11:39 pm

Dear Mr. Talleyrand,

You have now officially become my hero. I have erected a small shrine to you in the corner of my cubicle, and I shall worship there at 9am and 3pm MST each day. The taunts of my co-workers shall only make me more devout.

Thanks!

talleyrand · Post by **talleyrand** » Thu Oct 02, 2003 2:05 am

You can pass on the 8 CST o'clock worship session. I'm eating my Wheaties and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and therefore will not be receptive to petitions.

However, if you do lots of little things like that, you should check out Python. It's a great little language to do lots of stuff. TextPad's awesome for it.