Problem with Replace

rsperberg · Post by **rsperberg** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 11:14 pm

I had a series of html documents given to me that had various non-keyboard characters, such as em dash, section symbol, paragraph symbol, and so on.

In order for these to display correctly, I wanted to replace them with character entities. Thus the em dash would become — and the section symbol § and the paragraph symbol ¶ .

However, when I tried to replace these, I had a problem. I selected and copied the character and pasted it into the search field. Textpad had no problems locating the character I was looking for in any case. But when I tried to replace it, Textpad kept the searched-for character and added #x2014; (or whatever) -- the ampersand didn't make it and the searched-for character wasn't replaced.

At first I searched for the character and then pasted in the appropriate string. Then I purchased WildEdit and it didn't have this issue, but I thought I should bring it up.

Jens Hollmann · Post by **Jens Hollmann** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 7:50 am

You had "Regular expression" switched on. In this case using & in the replace-string means "insert the complete search-string".

Better leave that switched off unless you really want to use regular expressions (see TextPad help)

HTH

rsperberg · Post by **rsperberg** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 2:54 pm

You're right. I hadn't realized this (in fact, I would have said I _didn't_ have it checked), but I'm able to repeat or remove the behavior as you indicated.

Appreciate your straightening me out on this.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:33 pm

Glad problem is solvod. so this is just a suggestion.

How about changing the title of the Subject to remove reference to BUG. The current title can create images of buggy program, when TextPad is not really "buggy". Maybe something more like "Need to search/Replace 'xxxx' type of string"

There will always be features that people want, and won't get. These are not bugs. But most problems I have seen with TextPad is ignorance by we users who have not yet learned how to use all of the features and tools available to us. Once again, not bugs.

lionelb · Post by **lionelb** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 11:25 am

It is an oft-cited rule on software-related forums (and Usenet in particular) never to use the word "bug" unless you are really sure that that the problem in question is a bug - or you are the maintainer of the software.

As a rule of thumb 99% of "bugs" are bugs in the user's understanding of the software and use of the term will more than likely simply annoy the people who might potentially sort your problem.