Replacing Characters with [Return}s

[CWBillow]

How can I replace a typed character (^) with an actual hard carriage return?

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[Bob Hansen]

Hello Chuck, try this:

Search for: \^
Replace with: \n

Checkmark for Regular Expression, using POSIX syntax

[CWBillow]

Hello Chuck, try this:

Search for: \^
Replace with: \n

Checkmark for Regular Expression, using POSIX syntax

Bob:

Worked *exactly* as desired.... But I'm unclear as to the "using POSIX syntax" as I didn't see any choice of that in the query box.

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[ben_josephs]

It's hidden under configuration settings:

Configure | Preferences | Editor

[X] Use POSIX regular expression syntax

In fact, it doesn't make any difference with this particular regular expression (\^), as it doesn't use any of:
( ) { } |

Look in TextPad's help, under How To... | Find and Replace Text | Use Regular Expressions. Posix syntax often leads to more readable regular expressions.

[CWBillow]

thanks...



Chuck

[Rediranch]

I thought this is what I needed as well, but it's not working the way I expected it.

I have a file someone gave me (uncooperative someone) and it's record length is 1MB. It's full of sql insert statements, but not in the format that I need in order to process in my db.

I used textpad to format the lines into the statements I need, however, I need to do a global replacement of a character - ; with a ;<nl> in order to break these huge lines into multiple lines.

Basically I need to have the program do the equivalent of me hitting the RETURN key right after each ; encountered.

I must be missing something on the file format or encoding when I save this file after attempting to replace ; with ;\n .

Any help is appreciated.

[ben_josephs]

You haven't told us in what way this appears not to be working.

Did you select Regular expression in the Replace dialogue box?

[Rediranch]

That would be why - b/c I didnt read thoroughly enough

It's working now that I checked Regular Expression, thank you.