EditFind
To execute a find or replace, select Edit Find in the main menu, or enter
.ef in the upper text area.
The FindWindow will appear to display the current FindString, ReplaceString,
case-sensitivity and repetition-count. Change any values you want, then click the
Find, Replace, or Cancel button.
.f and .r
Often the most convenient way to execute find and replace is to enter .f and .r commands
in the upper text area. These are particularly efficient because you can initiate
complex finds and replaces with keystrokes alone, bypassing the mouse and window.
The syntax of the .f and .r commands is:
.[#]f[-] [ find$ ][<tab> replace$ ]
.[#]r[-] [ find$ ][<tab> replace$ ]
find$ is the FindString - keeps its value between finds
replace$ is the ReplaceString - keeps its value between replaces
# is the repetition count
portions in [square-brackets] are optional
a <tab> character separates FindString and ReplaceString
if no find$ argument then use most recent find$
if no replace$ argument then use most recent replace$
The following table lists some combinations this syntax supports:
| .f | find next occurrence of find$ |
| .f- | find previous occurrence of find$ |
| .r | replace next occurrence of find$ with replace$ |
| .f axe | find$ = "axe" : find next find$ |
| .r axe | find$ = "axe" : replace next find$ with replace$ |
| .f axe dog | find$ = "axe" : replace$ = "dog" : find next find$ |
| .r axe dog | find$ = "axe" : replace$ = "dog" : replace next find$ with replace$ |
| .3f | find 3rd occurrence of find$ |
| .6r | replace next 6 find$ with replace$ |
| .8f pig | find$ = "pig" : find 8th find$ |
| .5f pig cat | find$ = "pig" : replace$ = "cat" : find 5th find$ |
| .7r dog cat | find$ = "dog" : replace$ = "cat" : replace next 7 find$ with replace$ |
| .*r pig dog | find$ = "pig" : replace$ = "dog" : replace every find$ with replace$ |
| xxx | xxx |
A repetition count of * means all occurrences, as illustrated by the comment for the final example.