Application Synopsis
Search/Replace Application Synopsis Version 4.1.0 for Win95/NT4.0

This Win95/NT4.0 Windows Search/Replace application was built to allow
application developers, html writers, system/network administrators,
and others to change multiple instances of a key word, phrase,
sentence, or paragraph in many text files quickly and efficiently.
It was designed to be used stand-alone by developers, administrators,
HTML authors, et. al. who need to change a piece of information in
multiple lines of many files located in multiple directories.  It can
also be wired it into the Microsoft C++ visual work bench through its
Options/Tools menu to enrich the editing capability.
 
Search/Replace allows you to:
o   define the search and replace strings or use
    previously defined strings;
o   search and replace across multiple lines new in
    Version 3.2;
o   display multiline search and replace results on
    multiple lines new in Version 3.4;
o   define search/replace strings up to 2000
    characters new in Version 3.2;
o   define long search/replace strings using an
    extended edit dialog to accommodate up to 2000 characters new in
    Version 3.3;
o   define DOS file like wild cards in the search
    string new in Version 4.0;
o   use a set of special characters (discussed below)
    enhanced in Version 3.2;
o   define whether or not the search will be case
    sensitive (replace is always as entered);
o   define whether or not it must find the search
    string as a whole word or allow it to be embedded;
o   control whether the replace operation will be
    global or a confirmation is required for each replace (it will allow
    you to change from confirm each to global during the confirmation
    process plus other options);
o   automatically switches between a small and large
    query replace dialog (new in Version 4.1) for enhanced decision
    making during replace;
o   select one or more files you want it to search in
    one or more directories using an extended file dialog (all customers)
    or new in Version 3.0 to specify a starting directory and file filter
    and let the application add the qualifying files to the list
    (registered customers only);
o   define whether to replace all instances in a line
    or only the first;
o   define the file extensions you want to Always
    Search or Exclude (prompts you when it encounters an extension not on
    one of these two lists or allows you to add it to one of two
    additional lists which are search/exclude for this session only;
o   include an extension to search, for this session
    only, from its Always Exclude list;
o   define whether the files it searches conform to
    the UNIX file type rules for end-of-line (discussed below);
o   abort/stop in the middle of a replace session
    when confirm each is selected;
o   abort in the middle of a global replace session
    by double left clicking on a displayed line in the active window
    during a global replace;
o   control whether or not the back up file that is
    created to allow abort/restore is retained or automatically deleted;
o   control how to create the backup (by prepending a
    character to the existing extension or new in Version 3.1 by defining
    your own replacement back up extension); and
o   change from search/replace to insert a string at
    a specific column in every line of the files you select (discussed
    below). 
Search/Replace also:
o   remembers its last screen/toolbar position;
o   remembers the last drive/directory you searched;
o   allows you to define how many previous
    search/replace strings to remember;
o   allows you to close all open display windows with
    one button click (new in Version 4.1);
o   allows you to define the character it uses to
    create a backup of files it modifies or to define your own
    replacement extension;
o   allows you to define your own set of file type
    filters;
o   automatically adds filter extensions containing
    no wild card characters to Search This Session Only list when you
    define files via the Start Directory and File Filter method new in
    Version 3.4;
o   allows you to define an editor to launch and will
    launch that editor when you double left click on a file or file line
    at the conclusion of the search and replace operation;
o   allows you to print the results of the search and
    replace operation or save the results in a file; 
o   allows you to define the printer font size (new
    in Version 4.1);
o   allows you to dictate the number of lines per
    page to print and whether of not to print the "not found in" files
    and related details new in Version 3.4; and
o   allows you to define how many spaces it will use
    to expand tabs.

Display Limitation
The application was designed to handle a huge number of files from
multiple directories.  There is a 128,000 line display limitation
that will limit the number of files you can search and replace at one
time.  If 32 lines are modified per file (96 display lines), the file
limitation is about 1,300 files.  If no changes are made, the
application can handle 128,000 files.  The application will stop the
search/replace operation when the display line limitation is reached.
 Search and replace strings are each limited to 2000 characters.

Windows 95 Customers
With Windows 95, I had hoped that the display limitations for list
boxes et. al. would no longer be a concern.  In fact, I assumed that,
only to find out that I can only display 32767 lines in a list box. 
As a result, only 32000 lines are displayed per display frame.  To
overcome this limitation, I allow you to switch display frames using
the Up (cyan) and Down (yellow) arrow buttons on the tool bar or
selecting the Next/Previous Display Frame option from the View Menu. 
New in Version 4.0, you can now jump to a specific display page using
the Right (green) arrow button on the toolbar.  For those of you who
running NT, forget this paragraph.

Newline in Files Required
The application expects to find newline characters, as a minimum, at
the end of each line (text file) and will not process files that are
not constructed in this manner.  Files generated by word processors
may or may not fall into this category unless they are saved in
ASCII/text.  When the application encounters such a file, it excludes
the file from the session.

Lists Maintained by Search/Replace
Files are generally grouped by extension, and in today's environment,
more than one type of file can have the same extension.  As one
example, Microsoft Word stores their files, by default, in non-text
format using the doc extension while you or others may use the same
extension to store files in text format.  Search/Replace makes no
assumptions about file types except for a few universal ones such as
exe, com, etc.  You may define the file extensions you do and do not
want included in your search.  You need not predefine the extensions,
since the application will prompt you each time it encounters an
extension it does not know about.  The application keeps five (5)
file extension lists which are Always Search, Always Exclude, Search
This Session Only, Exclude This Session Only, and Override.  Override
allows you to include an always excluded extension for this session
only.  You may predefine the Always ... file extension types by
selecting the Options menu and then the File Types tab.

Back Ups are Automatic
Any time a file is modified by the application, a backup file is
generated that contains the original information.  If you choose to
Abort a search/replace operation, all files modified during the
session up to the Abort point are restored (via the back ups) to
their pre-session state.  You may also decide, after the fact, that
the changes made were not "as expected" and manually restore them
yourself.  By default, a tilde (~) is prepended to the original
file's extension.  If a tilde is not to your liking, you may change
it to a valid DOS file name character of your choosing by selecting
the Options menu and then the Back Ups tab.  Alternately, you may
define your own backup extension.  The extension must be composed of
valid DOS file name characters.  Using this option, the characters
beyond the last period are replaced with your backup extension. 
These back up files may optionally be automatically deleted at the
conclusion of the search/replace operation by selecting No for the
Retain Back Up option in the Back Ups tab.

UNIX versus DOS File Types
In today's networking environment, many files can be manipulated on
foreign machines.  The UNIX file type option is available for those
who need to remotely alter text files that conform to the UNIX file
standard.  For those not familiar with UNIX vs DOS file types, UNIX
saves files with just a newline (\n) while DOS saves files with a
carriage return (\r)-newline(\n) combination to signify the end of
the each line.  The application can process both file types but by
default expects the DOS carriage return-newline combination.  If you
are processing UNIX files, check the UNIX file types box.  If not
checked and the application detects a UNIX file type file, it will
inform you and ask if you want to process it as a UNIX file type (new
in version 3.2).  This prompt can be annoying if you are processing a
lot of UNIX files.  If you specified the $ special character and a
UNIX file is detected, you will not be given the opportunity switch
to UNIX file processing since a \r\n is substituted for the $
character before any files are processed and it needs to be just the
\n for UNIX (new in version 3.4).  Be aware of the following:
o   files moved from a UNIX machine to your DOS
    machine may not contain the carriage return; and
o   some editors allow you to store files in UNIX
    format on your DOS machine.
You can use this application to change the end-of-line marker in
every line from one format to the other.

Switching from Search/Replace to Insert At
There have been times when I needed to insert a character or a
character string at a specific column of every line in a data file
and had to do it manually.  As an added bonus, the application will
do that for you if you check the Insert @ Column box in the
Search/Replace Dialog.  Instead of a search/replace application, the
application magically changes to insert at a column.  The
search/replace string captions change as well as the functionality of
its controls allowing you to define the character or string and the
column (1 through 254 minus the insert string length) where you want
it inserted.  Be aware, that formerly blank lines will contain the
inserted string at the specified column at the conclusion of the
operation.

The application handles long file names (256 characters max. for the
total of the path, file name, and extension) as long as the files are
located on your machine.  If your network does not handle long file
names without mangling, they will appear in the dialogs in 8.3
format.