I like TextCrawler, fantastic program. Keep up the good work! During use I found the following things you may want to incorporate. Here she goes...
Search sub-folders should be a check box in the main window. Having it in the options window is too hidden.
Export match detail - remember folder from one export to next
Opening of Extracted window should be an option
Is there a way to select a file only? Seems I have to select a folder and then select a file from the presented list. This is a rather dangerous way and easy to work the wrong file.
Once clicked on 'Find' there does not seem to be a way to select another folder/file. I now quit and restart TextCrawler. Am I missing something here?
Alphabetize, or make it possible to move, the regexes in the Library.
Possibility to make a batch file without having to make components in the library first. To reducer clutter there.
An option to turn the "Replace" confirmation question off.
TC does not scale very well. Does 1MB over 80 files in batch mode (4 parts) in under 1 minute. 14MB (800 or so files) takes hours. Pretty fast first 20-25% and then degrades. Why not just replace and save a file at a time without storing stuff first. Would that be faster? Is the "Find" function really needed in replace mode? Option to turn off?
Confirming question should pop up even when minimized. Option?
When minimized show progress in TC task bar window.
Option to time job. In batch mode with different components broken out as percentage or fastest set to 1 and others as multiple. This makes it possible to compare regexes and optimize.
Help file -> View Mode:
"Only list files with matches" - "When enabled, this option causes every file searched to be listed, even if nothing was found."
To me the first part says the opposite of the last part.
"Preview all matches together"
If that is not turned on does not replace anything (since no matches are shown). Should a warning window pop up?
Batch mode possible also in Regex tester.
Where are Find results stored, in memory or temp file?
Can you make TC portable?
Where is history etc. stored?
In what order does TC do Find/Replace? It does not appear to be listed in alpha/numeric order, making it difficult to find specific files.
Feature requests, Questions
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DV
Thanks for all the suggestions! Some good ones. A few answers-
-Currently no easy way to select one file. You need to run it on a whole folder then tick it as you said - something to add in the future.
"Once clicked on 'Find' there does not seem to be a way to select another folder/file. I now quit and restart TextCrawler. Am I missing something here?"
-Not sure what you mean here - you just change the folder/search phrase/some other setting and click find again.
"Only list files with matches"
-I think there is a mistake in the help text!
"Preview all matches together"
-The replace still works, it just doesn't show all the replace results in the window.
-Find results are in memory
-Path/phrase history etc is stored in the system registry in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\DigitalVolcano\TextCrawler
"In what order does TC do Find/Replace?"
It works in the order it finds the files on disk. However you can sort the results alphabetically by clicking on the 'file name' heading.
-Currently no easy way to select one file. You need to run it on a whole folder then tick it as you said - something to add in the future.
"Once clicked on 'Find' there does not seem to be a way to select another folder/file. I now quit and restart TextCrawler. Am I missing something here?"
-Not sure what you mean here - you just change the folder/search phrase/some other setting and click find again.
"Only list files with matches"
-I think there is a mistake in the help text!
"Preview all matches together"
-The replace still works, it just doesn't show all the replace results in the window.
-Find results are in memory
-Path/phrase history etc is stored in the system registry in
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\DigitalVolcano\TextCrawler
"In what order does TC do Find/Replace?"
It works in the order it finds the files on disk. However you can sort the results alphabetically by clicking on the 'file name' heading.
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Frode Hansen
Quote from Juergen:
"Once clicked on 'Find' there does not seem to be a way to select another folder/file. I now quit and restart TextCrawler. Am I missing something here?"
Quote from DV:
-Not sure what you mean here - you just change the folder/search phrase/some other setting and click find again.
Juergen's "in marked files only" checkbox was probably checked there..
The fact that this checkbox can be grayed out in checked state is odd. I would suggest automatically unchecking it when all files are deselected.
"Once clicked on 'Find' there does not seem to be a way to select another folder/file. I now quit and restart TextCrawler. Am I missing something here?"
Quote from DV:
-Not sure what you mean here - you just change the folder/search phrase/some other setting and click find again.
Juergen's "in marked files only" checkbox was probably checked there..
The fact that this checkbox can be grayed out in checked state is odd. I would suggest automatically unchecking it when all files are deselected.
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Juergen
Quote: "Once clicked on 'Find' ..."
I don't remember any more the sequence. It was early on. The only thing I remeber is that I tried to do the same regex on another file or folder. But it also could have been just trying to select a different file only (which cannot be done as I found out later and you confirmed).
But I do remember getting confused, early on, since you do say "Filename" that there should be a way to select a file only. So a lot of things could have been. Clarifying some of the titles used probably would not be bad. Here a slash frequently stands for "either/or".
If I run across it again I will do a better job remembering.
I don't remember any more the sequence. It was early on. The only thing I remeber is that I tried to do the same regex on another file or folder. But it also could have been just trying to select a different file only (which cannot be done as I found out later and you confirmed).
But I do remember getting confused, early on, since you do say "Filename" that there should be a way to select a file only. So a lot of things could have been. Clarifying some of the titles used probably would not be bad. Here a slash frequently stands for "either/or".
If I run across it again I will do a better job remembering.
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krtek
Quote form Frode Hansen
Juergen's "in marked files only" checkbox was probably checked there..
I had the same problem as Juergen and that's the answer.
If "In marked files only" is checked and you tick any file on the filelist then the filter/start location part of window gets greyed and disabled. You can untick the file and nothing changes.
It's very confusing as user have no idea why, he/she can't change the folder.
Only unticking "In marked files only" solves the problem.
DV, is this intended behaviour of the app? I can't find any reason of protecting user from changing folder at that point...
Juergen's "in marked files only" checkbox was probably checked there..
I had the same problem as Juergen and that's the answer.
If "In marked files only" is checked and you tick any file on the filelist then the filter/start location part of window gets greyed and disabled. You can untick the file and nothing changes.
It's very confusing as user have no idea why, he/she can't change the folder.
Only unticking "In marked files only" solves the problem.
DV, is this intended behaviour of the app? I can't find any reason of protecting user from changing folder at that point...
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krtek
Quote form Frode Hansen
The fact that this checkbox can be grayed out in checked state is odd. I would suggest automatically unchecking it when all files are deselected.
I guess it's not bad, it becomes greyed when all files are deselected. It's even nice behaviour - it shows you that no file is selected and it has nothing to do.
The BAD thing is that it can make it impossible to change the folder (if you have "in marked files only" ticked and you select and deselect a file in files table).
So I guess greying out filter/start location section IS a BUG.
The fact that this checkbox can be grayed out in checked state is odd. I would suggest automatically unchecking it when all files are deselected.
I guess it's not bad, it becomes greyed when all files are deselected. It's even nice behaviour - it shows you that no file is selected and it has nothing to do.
The BAD thing is that it can make it impossible to change the folder (if you have "in marked files only" ticked and you select and deselect a file in files table).
So I guess greying out filter/start location section IS a BUG.
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DV
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krtek
Thanks! It works fine now.
Although how it works is still a bit confusing and unclear for the first sight (for a newbie).
But it's a design question. There's no visual connection between "Start Location", "Find" button and "In Marked Files Only" tickbox.
And that's why a newbie, who wants to change a folder or filter, might not see (and understand) the role of "In Marked Files Only" tickbox.
Cause as influence of "In Marked FO" on the action performed with Find button is quite obvious. It's not as obvious, why one can't change the folder (even though it's a great idea to grey it out).
Although how it works is still a bit confusing and unclear for the first sight (for a newbie).
But it's a design question. There's no visual connection between "Start Location", "Find" button and "In Marked Files Only" tickbox.
And that's why a newbie, who wants to change a folder or filter, might not see (and understand) the role of "In Marked Files Only" tickbox.
Cause as influence of "In Marked FO" on the action performed with Find button is quite obvious. It's not as obvious, why one can't change the folder (even though it's a great idea to grey it out).
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Sammy