Freeware for text manipulation?

[JK]

Having spent the last two weeks doing some mind-numbing editing of some
huge text files, I'm looking for an easier way.

Basically I'm looking for a piece of software that will go beyond basic
search and replace and allow easy GUI-based manipulation of data for those
of us that are not experts in regular expressions and the like.

The king in the shareware world appears to be TextPipe
(http://www.crystalsoftware.com.au/textpipe/standard.html), which is hugely
attractive and exactly what I need, but expensive. Anyone know any decent
freeware alternatives?

JohnK

 

[Susan Bugher]

Having spent the last two weeks doing some mind-numbing editing of some
huge text files, I'm looking for an easier way.

Basically I'm looking for a piece of software that will go beyond basic
search and replace and allow easy GUI-based manipulation of data for those
of us that are not experts in regular expressions and the like.

Have you looked at the two Pricelessware programs?

Info-Rapid Search & Replace
ReplaceEm (was BK ReplaceEm)

http://www.pricelessware.org/2003/PL2003TEXT.htm#Search&ReplaceTool


Susan

 

[JK]

Have you looked at the two Pricelessware programs?
Info-Rapid Search & Replace
ReplaceEm (was BK ReplaceEm)

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I have taken a look at them (only a quick look,
mind you), Search & Replace, in particular, is powerful and does much of
what I need to do - I was just hoping for a bit more "hand-holding". This
is the kind of stuff I want to do:

If line does not contain alphanumeric character, then delete line.
If line contains eight digit string (e.g. phone number 34564567), then
insert space in middle of string (e.g. 3456 4567).

I know this is regular expression territory, but I struggle with using RE,
and the fore-mentioned TextPipe puts a user-friendly face on quite complex
manipulation. I was hoping there would be a freeware alternative.

JohnK

 

[JK]

i can't cope with complicated reg expressions though.

That's more complicated than the stuff I can cope with though!

The phone number was a good example of my problem. I did finally do a
successful regular expression just like yours, but it took me half an hour
to get it right. I think it's one of my blind spots, but maybe I just need
to persevere and it will all eventually click. I can certainly see the huge
potential of reg expressions if you know what you're doing. Thanks for your
advice.

JohnK

 

[jack horsfield]

The phone number was a good example of my problem. I did finally do a
successful regular expression just like yours, but it took me half an hour
to get it right.

yes, but the next time it will take only 15 minutes


jack
sedum spurium fuldaglut