Can't do simple text replacement in multiple MS-Word files

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Puzzled

Can't do simple text replacement in multiple MS-Word files

Post by Puzzled »

Just downloaded AFR for testing and immediately ran into the following problem.
I would like to try out some simple text replacement operations on a bunch of MS-Word files, so I clicked the "Replace" tab and proceeded to type in the text to be replaced (in quotes) in the "Text to find" box, and added the replacement text (in quotes) in the "Replace/Insert by text" box. Checked the "Replace with" radio button and confirmed that the "Replace in MS Office files" was ticked in Options. Hit the execute button. Result: AFR reports "Found 0 files of 48 in 54 secs." The text to be replaced is in each of the 48 Word files. If I just try locating the files using the "Search query" box (under the "Find" tab), AFR finds all 48 in the blink of an eye. If I go back to the "Replace" dialogue, and click the "Just find" radio button, I get the same (non-)result. TIA for any suggestions. P.S. I'm running Word 2003 under Win XP.

Abacre
Site Admin
Posts: 1223
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 5:32 pm

Post by Abacre »

You made correct actions and configurations.

Verify that in Replace tab you have no trailing spaces in "Search for"
and "Replace with". Want normally happens:
you type Hello World in "Search for" or "Replace with"
it may have some spaces (tabs, spaces, new line chars) after last
word. For example:
Hello Worldspacenewline
newline

If you still have the issue: please send your doc file and config file
(default.cfg) to support@abacre.com
Kind regards,
Abacre Limited
http://www.abacre.com
support@abacre.com

Maudie

Can't do simple text replacement in multiple MS-Word files

Post by Maudie »

To quote you:

"...and proceeded to type in the text to be replaced (in quotes) in the "Text to find" box, and added the replacement text (in quotes)..."

In AFR, using quotes to define text segments is not necessary. If you add quotes, it will look for the quotes in the source files. That is why it "didn't find" your text - because the quotes were not in your word files.

Type it in without quotes, and try again, e.g.:

_Text to Find_
try to find this

_Replace/Insert by Text_
and replace it with this

Notice -> no use of ""

was that it maybe?

- maudie -

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