How to multi-line "Replace in files..." in Notepad++

74
votes

If the free source code editor Notepad++ has the feature "Find in files...", that is without the files being opened in the editor, does it also have the feature "Replace in files..."?

Notepad++ is based on the editing component Scintilla - for which at SourceForge there is a response to a request for this feature: "No need for this to be included in SciTE as you can add this command to the Tools menu using the Parameters dialog." So is it possible to do multi-line replace in files in Notepad++?

4
notepad++scintilla
The question was "Missing/desired features in Notepad++", but that would have distracted too much from what I'm particularly trying to find out, and it might have got the question closed. – Rob Kam
Pray tell how the question isn't constructive.. – Drew Alden
Here is a utilitarian solution. stackoverflow.com/a/13892643/5017758 – Aspak Rogatiya

4 Answers

81
votes

It's easy to do multiline replace in Notepad++. You have to use \n to represent the newline in your string, and it works for both search and replace strings. You have to make sure to select "Extended" search mode in the bottom left corner of the search window.

I found a good article describing the features here: http://markantoniou.blogspot.com/2008/06/notepad-how-to-use-regular-expressions.html

71
votes

Actually it's way easier to use ToolBucket plugin for Notepad++ to multiline replace.

To activate it just go to N++ menu:

Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Check ToolBucket > Install.

Restart N++ and press ALT + SHIFT + F to multiline edit.

9
votes

The workaround is

  1. search and replace \r\n to thisismynewlineword

(this will remove all the new lines and there should be whole one line)

  1. now perform your replacements

  2. search and replace thisismynewlineword to \r\n

(to undo the step 1)

0
votes

This is a subjective opinion, but I think a text editor shouldn't do everything and the kitchen sink. I prefer lightweight flexible and powerful (in their specialized fields) editors. Although being mostly a Windows user, I like the Unix philosophy of having lot of specialized tools that you can pipe together (like the UnxUtils) rather than a monster doing everything, but not necessarily as you would like it!

Find in files is on the border of these extra features, but useful when you can double-click on a found line to open the file at the right line. Note that initially, in SciTE it was just a Tools call to grep or equivalent!
FTP is very close to off topic, although it can be seen as an extended open/save dialog.
Replace in files is too much IMO: it is dangerous (you can mess lot of files at once) if you have no preview, etc. I would rather use a specialized tool I chose, perhaps among those in Multi line search and replace tool.

To answer the question, looking at N++, I see a Run menu where you can launch any tool, with assignment of a name and shortcut key. I see also Plugins > NppExec, which seems able to launch stuff like sed (not tried it).