MultiReplace is a Notepad++ plugin that allows users to create, store, and manage search and replace strings within a list, proving useful across various sessions or projects. This enhancement increases efficiency when multiple replacements need to be made concurrently, thereby bolstering the overall functionality of Notepad++.
- Key Features
- Match and Replace Options
- Scope Functions
- CSV Processing Functions
- Option 'Use Variables'
- User Interaction and List Management
- Data Handling
- Multiple Replacements: Execute multiple replacements in a single operation, in one document or across all opened documents.
- Entry Toggling: Toggle list entries for replacement, highlighting, or searching.
- String Storage: Store and load your search and replace strings in a list, facilitating reuse across different sessions or projects.
- CSV Scope Functionality: Target specific columns in a delimited file for search or replacement operations, offering precision in managing CSV data.
- Scripted Text Replacements: Export to bash script for scripted text replacements.
- Highlighting: Highlight multiple find words in unique colors for better visual distinction.
- Variable Usage: Employ variables for conditional and computational operations within the replacement string.
This chapter provides an overview of the various match and replace options available in MultiReplace, enhancing the flexibility and precision of your search and replace operations.
Match Whole Word Only: When this option is enabled, the search term is matched only if it appears as a whole word. This is particularly useful for avoiding partial matches within larger words, ensuring more precise and targeted search results.
Match Case: Selecting this option makes the search case-sensitive, meaning 'Hello' and 'hello' will be treated as distinct terms. It's useful for scenarios where the case of the letters is crucial to the search.
Use Variables: This feature allows the use of variables within the replacement string for dynamic and conditional replacements. For more detailed information, refer to the Option 'Use Variables' chapter.
Replace First Match Only: The "Replace First Match Only" option is ideal for Replace-All operations, where it replaces only the first occurrence of a match in each list entry. This is particularly useful for different replace strings with the same find pattern. It's designed for modifying only the initial match in a document or scope, while keeping other instances intact. The same effect can be achieved with the 'Use Variables' option using cond(CNT == 1, 'Replace String') for conditional replacements.
Wrap Around: When this option is active, the search will continue from the beginning of the document after reaching the end, ensuring that no potential matches are missed in the document.
Scope functions define the range for searching and replacing strings:
- Selection Option: Supports Rectangular and Multiselect to focus on specific areas for search or replace.
- CSV Option: Enables targeted search or replacement within specified columns of a delimited file.
Cols: Specify the columns for focused operations.Delim: Define the delimiter character.Quote: Delineate areas where characters are not recognized as delimiters.
- Sorting Lines in CSV by Columns:Ascend or descend, combining columns in any prioritized order.
- Toggle Sort: Allows users to return columns to their initial unsorted state with just an extra click on the sorting button. This feature is effective even after rows are modified, deleted, or added.
- Deleting Multiple Columns: Remove multiple columns at once, cleaning obsolete delimiters.
- Clipboard Column Copying: Copy columns with original delimiters to clipboard.
- Exclude Header Lines from Sorting: Set
HeaderLines=<number>in%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\plugins\config\MultiReplace\MultiReplace.inito specify the number of top lines to exclude from sorting as headers.
- For accurate numeric sorting in CSV files, the following settings and regex patterns can be used:
| Purpose | Find Pattern | Replace With | Regex | Use Variables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Align Numbers with Leading Zeros (Decimal) | \b(\d*)\.(\d{2}) |
set(string.rep("0",9-string.len(string.format("%.2f", CAP1)))..string.format("%.2f", CAP1)) |
Yes | Yes |
| Align Numbers with Leading Zeros (Non-decimal) | \b(\d+) |
set(string.rep("0",9-string.len(CAP1))..CAP1) |
Yes | Yes |
| Remove Leading Zeros (Decimal) | \b0+(\d*\.\d+) |
$1 |
Yes | No |
| Remove Leading Zeros (Non-decimal) | \b0+(\d*) |
$1 |
Yes | No |
Activate the 'Use Variables' checkbox to employ variables associated with specified strings, allowing for conditional and computational operations within the replacement string. This Dynamic Substitution is compatible with all search settings of Search Mode, Scope, and the other options.
Note: Utilize either the set() or cond() command in 'Replace with:' to channel the output as the replacement string. Only one of these commands should be used at a time.
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| CNT | Count of the detected string. |
| LINE | Line number where the string is found. |
| APOS | Absolute character position in the document. |
| LPOS | Relative line position. |
| LCNT | Count of the detected string within the line. |
| COL | Column number where the string was found (CSV-Scope option selected). |
| MATCH | Contains the text of the detected string, in contrast to CAP variables which correspond to capture groups in regex patterns. |
| CAP1, CAP2, ... | These variables are equivalents to regex capture groups, designed for use in the 'Use Variables' environment. They are specifically suited for calculations and conditional operations within this environment. Although their counterparts ($1, $2, ...) cannot be used here. |
Decimal Separator
When MATCH and CAP variables are used to read numerical values for further calculations, both dot (.) and comma (,) can serve as decimal separators. However, these variables do not support the use of thousands separators.
.. is employed for concatenation.
E.g., "Detected "..CNT.." times."
Directly outputs strings or numbers, replacing the matched text in the Replace String with the specified or calculated value.
| Example | Result (assuming LINE = 5, CNT = 3) |
|---|---|
set("replaceString"..CNT) |
"replaceString3" |
set(LINE+5) |
"10" |
Implements if-then-else logic, or if-then if falseVal is omitted. Evaluates the condition and pushes the corresponding value (trueVal or falseVal) to the Replace String.
| Example | Result (assuming LINE = 5) |
|---|---|
cond(LINE<=5 or LINE>=9, "edge", "center") |
"edge" |
cond(LINE<3, "Modify this line") |
(Original text remains unchanged) |
cond(LINE<10, cond(LINE<5, cond(LINE>2, "3-4", "0-2"), "5-9"), "10+") |
"5-9" (Nested condition) |
Initializes custom variables for use in various commands, extending beyond standard variables like CNT, MATCH, CAP1. These variables can carry the status of previous find-and-replace operations to subsequent ones.
Custom variables maintain their values throughout a single Replace-All or within the list of multiple Replace operations. So they can transfer values from one list entry to the following ones. They reset at the start of each new document in 'Replace All in All Open Documents'.
| Find: | Replace: | Before | After |
|---|---|---|---|
(\d+) |
init({COL2=0,COL4=0}); cond(LCNT==4, COL2+COL4); if COL==2 then COL2=CAP1 end; if COL==4 then COL4=CAP1 end; |
1,20,text,2,02,30,text,3,03,40,text,4,0 |
1,20,text,2,22.02,30,text,3,33.03,40,text,4,44.0 |
\d{2}-[A-Z]{3} |
init({MATCH_PREV=''}); cond(LCNT==1,'Moved', MATCH_PREV); MATCH_PREV=MATCH; |
12-POV,00-PLC65-SUB,00-PLC43-VOL,00-PLC |
Moved,12-POVMoved,65-SUBMoved,43-VOL |
The DEBUG option lets you inspect global variables during replacements. When enabled, it opens a message box displaying the current values of all global variables for each replacement hit, requiring confirmation to proceed to the next match. Initialize the DEBUG option in your replacement string to enable it.
| Find: | Replace with: |
|---|---|
(\d+) |
init({DEBUG=true}); set("Number: "..CAP1) |
Formats numbers based on precision (maxDecimals) and whether the number of decimals is fixed (fixedDecimals being true or false).
Note: The fmtN command can exclusively be used within the set and cond commands.
| Example | Result |
|---|---|
set(fmtN(5.73652, 2, true)) |
"5.74" |
set(fmtN(5.0, 2, true)) |
"5.00" |
set(fmtN(5.73652, 4, false)) |
"5.7365" |
set(fmtN(5.0, 4, false)) |
"5" |
| Type | Operators |
|---|---|
| Arithmetic | +, -, *, /, ^, % |
| Relational | ==, ~=, <, >, <=, >= |
| Logical | and, or, not |
If-then logic is integral for dynamic replacements, allowing users to set custom variables based on specific conditions. This enhances the versatility of find-and-replace operations.
Note: Do not embed cond(), set(), or init() within if statements; if statements are exclusively for adjusting custom variables.
if condition then ... endif condition then ... else ... endif condition then ... elseif another_condition then ... endif condition then ... elseif another_condition then ... else ... end
This example shows how to use if statements with cond() to manage variables based on conditions:
init({MVAR=""}); if CAP2~=nil then MVAR=MVAR..CAP2 end; cond(string.sub(CAP1,1,1)~="#", MVAR); if CAP2~=nil then MVAR=string.sub(CAP1,4,-1) end
| Find in: | Replace with: | Description/Expected Output | Regex | Scope CSV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
; |
cond(LCNT==5,";Column5;") |
Adds a 5th Column for each line into a ; delimited file. |
No | No |
key |
set("key"..CNT) |
Enumerates key values by appending the count of detected strings. E.g., key1, key2, key3, etc. | No | No |
(\d+) |
set(CAP1.."€ The VAT is: ".. (CAP1 * 0.15).."€ Total with VAT: ".. (CAP1 + (CAP1 * 0.15)).."€") |
Finds a number and calculates the VAT at 15%, then displays the original amount, the VAT, and the total amount. E.g., 50 becomes 50€ The VAT is: 7.5€ Total with VAT: 57.5€ |
Yes | No |
--- |
cond(COL==1 and LINE<3, "0-2", cond(COL==2 and LINE>2 and LINE<5, "3-4", cond(COL==3 and LINE>=5 and LINE<10, "5-9", cond(COL==4 and LINE>=10, "10+")))) |
Replaces --- with a specific range based on the COL and LINE values. E.g., 3-4 in column 2 of lines 3-4, and 5-9 in column 3 of lines 5-9 assuming --- is found in all lines and columns. |
No | Yes |
(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+) |
cond(CAP1 > 0 and CAP2 == 0 and CAP3 == 0, MATCH, cond(CAP2 > 0 and CAP3 == 0, " " .. MATCH, " " .. MATCH)) |
Alters the spacing based on the hierarchy of the version numbers, aligning lower hierarchies with spaces as needed. E.g., 1.0.0 remains 1.0.0, 1.2.0 becomes 1.2.0, indicating a second-level version change. |
Yes | No |
(\d+) |
set(CAP1 * 2) |
Doubles the matched number. E.g., 100 becomes 200. |
Yes | No |
; |
cond(LCNT == 1, string.rep(" ", 20- (LPOS))..";") |
Inserts spaces before the semicolon to align it to the 20th character position if it's the first occurrence. | No | No |
- |
cond(LINE == math.floor(10.5 + 6.25 * math.sin((2 * math.pi * LPOS) / 50)), "*", " ") |
Draws a sine wave across a canvas of '-' characters spanning at least 20 lines and 80 characters per line. | No | No |
^(.*)$ |
init({MATCH_PREV=1}); cond(MATCH == MATCH_PREV, ''); MATCH_PREV=MATCH; |
Removes duplicate lines, keeping the first occurrence of each line. Matches an entire line and uses MATCH_PREV to identify and remove consecutive duplicates. |
Yes | No |
MultiReplace uses the Lua engine, allowing for Lua math operations and string methods. Refer to Lua String Manipulation and Lua Mathematical Functions for more information.
Manage search and replace strings within the list using the context menu, which provides comprehensive functionalities accessible by right-clicking on an entry, using direct keyboard shortcuts, or mouse interactions. Here are the detailed actions available:
Right-click on any entry in the list or use the corresponding keyboard shortcuts to access these options:
| Menu Item | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer to Input Fields | Alt+Up | Transfers the selected entry to the input fields for editing. |
| Search in List | Ctrl+F | Initiates a search within the list entries. Inputs are entered in the "Find what" and "Replace with" fields. |
| Cut | Ctrl+X | Cuts the selected entry to the clipboard. |
| Copy | Ctrl+C | Copies the selected entry to the clipboard. |
| Paste | Ctrl+V | Pastes content from the clipboard into the list. |
| Edit Field | Opens the selected entry for direct editing. | |
| Delete | Del | Removes the selected entry from the list. |
| Select All | Ctrl+A | Selects all entries in the list. |
| Enable | Alt+E | Enables the selected entries, making them active for operations. |
| Disable | Alt+D | Disables the selected entries to prevent them from being included in operations. |
Note on the 'Edit Field' option: When you paste text into the edit field, any line breaks are automatically removed. This simplifies the process of inserting complex, structured 'Use Variables' statements without the need to convert them into a single line first. However, make sure to include the necessary final semicolons and spaces.
Additional Interactions:
- Space Key: Toggles the activation state of selected entries, similar to using Alt+E to enable or Alt+D to disable.
- Double-Click: Mirrors the 'Transfer to Input Fields' action by transferring the contents of a row with their options to the input fields, equivalent to pressing Alt+Up.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| W | Watch whole word only |
| C | Match case |
| V | Use Variables |
| N | Normal |
| E | Extended |
| R | Regular expression |
- "Use List" checkbox toggles operation application between all list entries or the "Find what:" and "Replace with:" fields.
- Statistics Button: Located to the left of the list, this button when clicked, opens two new columns:
- Find Count: Displays the number of times each 'Find what' string is detected.
- Replace Count: Shows the number of replacements made for each 'Replace what' string.
- Note: The values in 'Find Count' and 'Replace Count' can differ, especially when 'Use Variables' is employed to conditionally modify text.
- Manage Entries: Manage search and replace strings in a list, and enable or disable entries for replacement, highlighting or searching within the list.
- Highlighting: Highlight multiple find words in unique colors for better visual distinction, with over 20 distinct colors available.
- Character Limit: Field limits of 4096 characters for "Find what:" and "Replace with:" fields.
- Supports import/export of search and replace strings with their options in CSV format, including selection states.
- Adherence to RFC 4180 standards for CSV, enabling compatibility and easy interaction with other CSV handling tools.
- Enables reuse of search and replace operations across sessions and projects.
- Exports Find and Replace strings into a runnable script, aiming to encapsulate the full functionality of the plugin in the script. However, due to differences in tooling, complete compatibility cannot be guaranteed.
- This feature intentionally does not support the value
\0in the Extended Option to avoid escalating environment tooling requirements.
The MultiReplace plugin offers a multilingual UI, enabling navigation in various languages through adjustments in the languages.ini file within the plugin's configuration directory:
%APPDATA%\Notepad++\plugins\config\MultiReplace\languages.ini
This file enables users to select or customize the UI language settings, enhancing the accessibility and usability of the plugin for non-English speakers.