How To Search And Replace Text In A File

[kalayaan]

I have about 100 text files that contain a particilular string that I need to replace. Simpleminded that I am, what I did was open a file, read each line, search the line for the string and replace it, write the revised line to another file until a new text file is built, then replace the old text file with the newly written one.

I'm almost sure this is taking the long way around so I was wondering if there is another way I can do it without going through all that process. I tried writing directly to the opened file but it would either only write at the end of the file or totally erase all content.

Thanks in advance to all.

[CyberSlug]

Larry's solution should work fine--but you should backup your files just in case or use FileRecycle instead of FileDelete.

[kalayaan]

Works perfectly and !

You guys are great (and darn fast too). I keep learning something new each time I visit this forum. Thanks.

[jjppark]

$szFile = "c:\file.txt"

$szText = FileRead($szFile,FileGetSize($szFile))

$szText = StringReplace($szText, "replace me", "with me")

FileDelete($szFile)

FileWrite($szFile,$szText)

Lar.

Larry,

Sorry for the simple-minded question, but would you mind explaining the logic of the above script. It works great for what I'm using, but I can't figure out why it works. For example, the FileRead function

and the FileWrite functions work differently than I expected. I'm a little new at this.

Thanks in advance.

[randallc]

Hi

Fileread reads the whole file into 1 string; [if you want only one line at a time use filereadLine from HelpFile]

after processing stringreplace

filewriteline writes the whole string back to the file.

Best, randall

[i agree with cyberslug; I would use a line to make a backup before processing]

Best, randall

[Ktulu789]

Wowowowow. That's LIGHTNING fast!!!!!

And is so simple too!

Thinking the minutes it takes to replace >1000 of strings with Notepad (I usually do that with MD5 files I have on a removable drive wich changes its drive letter when on other PC) I see that AutoIt is a blessing.

Thank you, Larry for the code, I added a couple of InputBoxes to it if you don't mind:

$File=InputBox("Find and replace","Name and/or patch of the file",".md5","",500,100)
$FileContent=FileRead($File,FileGetSize($File))
$Find=InputBox("Find and replace","What to find?","FindThisText","",500,100)
$Replace=InputBox("Find and replace","What to write instead?","ReplaceWithThisText","",500,100)
$Confirm=MsgBox(65,"Find and replace","You are about to change every instance of "&$Find&" by "&$Replace&" in the file "<A href="mailto:&$File&@LF&"¿Are">&$File&@LF&"¿Are you sure?")
If $Confirm=1 Then
 $FileContent=StringReplace($FileContent,$Find,$Replace)
 FileDelete($File)
 FileWrite($File,$FileContent)
EndIf

I also added a confirmation question.

[Automan Empire]

Wowowowow. That's LIGHTNING fast!!!!!

And is so simple too!

Thinking the minutes it takes to replace >1000 of strings with Notepad (I usually do that with MD5 files I have on a removable drive wich changes its drive letter when on other PC) I see that AutoIt is a blessing.

Thank you, Larry for the code, I added a couple of InputBoxes to it if you don't mind:

$File=InputBox("Find and replace","Name and/or patch of the file",".md5","",500,100)
$FileContent=FileRead($File,FileGetSize($File))
$Find=InputBox("Find and replace","What to find?","FindThisText","",500,100)
$Replace=InputBox("Find and replace","What to write instead?","ReplaceWithThisText","",500,100)
$Confirm=MsgBox(65,"Find and replace","You are about to change every instance of "&$Find&" by "&$Replace&" in the file "<A href="mailto:&$File&@LF&"¿Are">&$File&@LF&"¿Are you sure?")
If $Confirm=1 Then
 $FileContent=StringReplace($FileContent,$Find,$Replace)
 FileDelete($File)
 FileWrite($File,$FileContent)
EndIf

I also added a confirmation question.

Will this allow me to select multiple files to process at one time?

Edited January 30, 2007 by Automan Empire

[guinness]

You can search a topic which was started 7 years ago but you don't know about _FileListToArray() & _ReplaceStringInFile(), please.

Next time instead of resurrecting an old thread, first consider searching a little deeper and then start a new topic if you're truly stuck.

DO NOT REPLY.

Edited November 10, 2011 by guinness