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I have a single line file (long line) comprising column headings separated by tabs. If I use a search and replace I can replace all tabs with semi-colons.

But if I have selected the line first, so that the search text box is pre-filled with the contents of the line I am trying to replace, then even though I replace the search text with \t , when I do the replace it replaces the whole line and I end up with close to nothing left.

When I call up the search/replace window again, and examine the history of my search text it shows nothing unusual i.e. the previous search text is the single regular expression \t and not a whole line of text.

This is repeatable. Has anyone founfd the same problem?

I have just tested this with v4.6.2 and the result is exactly the same.

I cannot reproduce this behaviour.

What are the other options set to in your replacement dialog (like regex, selected text ...)

Does this happen with short lines as well or only when the line has a certain minimum length?

I have text, regular expression and active document options selected when this happens. I also have an entire line selected, by clicking in the margin.

My first line is 658 characters long, something like this:

Checkout Country;Cin Cynnmm;Segment;Rate Code;Table Num;Fleet Owner;CDW Liab Lev;TP Liab Lev;CDW Flag;PAI Flag;LI Flag;TP Flag;CDW Chg Flag;PAI Chg Flag;LI Chg Flag;TP Chg Flag;CDW Inc Flag;PAI Inc Flag;LI Inc Flag;TP Inc Flag;Rev CDW Flag;Rev TP Flag;Rev CDW Inc Flag;Rev TP Inc Flag;CDW Flag Reason;CDW Inc Reason;TP Flag Reason;TP Inc Reason;CDW1 CPD;CDW2 CPD;CDW3 CPD;TP1 CPD;TP2 CPD;TP3 CPD;Net Rate Flag;Rentals;Billed Days;CDW Liability Amt;TP Liability Amt;CDW Charged Days;PAI Charged Days;LI Charged Days;TP Charged Days;CDW Incl Days;PAI Incl Days;LI Incl Days;TP Incl Days;CDW Charge Amount;PAI Charge Amount;LI Charge Amount;TP Charge Amount

The funny thing is, when I was trying to narrow down what causes this I created a second line looking completely different e.g. aaaa bbbb; etc and performed the edit by selecting the second line first. I then press Ctrl-H to bring up the replace box (I use Windows short-cut keys). The default text in the search field is the selected text in the second line (presumably including any carriage return character etc) e.g. aaaa bbbb; I simply type a semi-colon ; to replace this text, then I tab to the replace field and type a comma, and then I click on replace all.

The entire first line disappears as a result of the edit!

This is very weird! Please try to reproduce this to reassure me I'm not going mad. Otherwise I can email you the text file - it is very small.

Thanks

Matthew

This problem occurs whether or not regular expression is selected as an option, but it only seems to occur if active document is selected and not if selected text is selected as the option.

I can reproduce the problem by copying the 658 character line of text out of the email above into line 1 of a new file. Then select the line by clicking in the margin and bring up the replace box.

Make sure that active document is selected as the scope of the edit.

Replace the highlighted text in the Find what field with any single character e.g. a semi colon or the letter a and put a single character e.g. an x or a comma into the Replace with field.

Press enter, and the line disappears (except for a few spaces and possibly a single occurrence of the replace with character).

The good thing about this problem is that you can easily undo it.

The bad thing is that you do not always realise that it has happened, particularly if the line you select is far removed in the file from the line that disappears ...

Matthew,

We're looking into this problem, which seems only to occur when a line is selected by double clicking in the left margin. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Keith MacDonald
Helios Software Solutions

Thanks, Keith, for your prompt recognition of this as a problem.
I am confident that it will be resolved in due course.

Matthew

I was very surprised to receive a beta release this morning and can confirm that this problem has now already been fixed in the beta release - that was certainly an efficient response from Helios software development. Well done, guys!

Matthew