Regular Expressions Extension

AlexPeake · Post by **AlexPeake** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 4:22 am

When building complex Search and Replace regular expressions, the one-line edit boxes are very cumbersome. Could we have more text space to deal with more complicated expressions please?

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 4:49 am

WorkAround:
Create RegEx on blank document, then copy/paste to Find box.

Can also add frequently used RegEx to clipboard for easier paste to document for editing prior to paste to Find.

AlexPeake · Post by **AlexPeake** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 5:25 am

Thank you Bob. It turns out that this is what I am currently doing.

I was hoping for an enhancement in TextPad that gave us a larger pair of edit boxes to alleviate the switching between documents. Also I often Search and Replace across "All Documents" which would include changing the "blank document"!

The same issue relates to the drop-down of previously used Search and Replace expressions. The expressions are too long to see (differentiate) on the drop-downs.

If you do this a lot, which I do, "there has to be a better way"!

gracefool · Post by **gracefool** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:37 am

This is one of the many problems with the Find and Replace dialog boxes, as described in the Find and Replace: Grand Unification thread.

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 9:02 am

In the meantime you can do this. HTH

mo · Post by mo » Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:36 am

I think setting up a clip library specifically for regex is a more satisfying solution for the meantime as one can 1. title the regex for recollection and 2. the number that can be retained is large and 3. the retention is permanent.

Open the "RegEx" clip book. Click on the expression you want to use, Ctrl+S, click in the Search and Replace Dialog, Ctrl+V

Manny Pereira · Post by **Manny Pereira** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 10:34 am

I also have a problem with the input box length, it is much to small. I would also like to be able to dock the Search/Replace window at the bottom (to the status bar) so it is always there during complex Search/replace's.

Jan Paul · Post by **Jan Paul** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 6:45 am

Manny Pereira wrote:I also have a problem with the input box length, it is much to small. I would also like to be able to dock the Search/Replace window at the bottom (to the status bar) so it is always there during complex Search/replace's.

I like your suggestion of docking the search (& replace) window.
If you make it a valid poll, I will surely vote for it!

Jan Paul

s_reynisson · Post by **s_reynisson** » Sat Apr 24, 2004 12:27 pm

It's in the Find and Replace: Grand Unification thread.

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