Feature request: separate tabs for "Find in Files" and "Replace in Files"
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@Scott Sumner
Thank you for your reply. That is useful and good information and in fact I will admit that I have never used “Replace in Files.” That does make me a little bit less paranoid about using the “Find in Files” feature.
That said, I do think that two separate tabs would a more ergonomic choice, and safer still.
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I would agree with Nicholas-Moses. The logic is perfectly valid whether or not there are extra safeguards in place.
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The “invalid logic” part was about the assertion by @Nicholas-Moses that one could accidentally destroy data simply by pressing the wrong button (Replace in Files when one intended Find in Files). This data destruction simply can’t happen…because of the confirmation that must be made by the user for the replace command. Thus I stand by my original statement of “totally invalid logic”. And, BTW, @Nicholas-Moses seemed to agree with me after reading my explanation.
Now if you, @David-Baines, meant to say that it is logical to have the file-based Find and Replace controls on separate tabs of the Find window family (without the qualifier about data loss), I’ve already stated that this personal-preference desire is fine. But my feeling is that this would be a worse user interface than the way it exists currently.
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It seemed to me that Nicholas was offering some useful feedback about how he feels about an aspect of the design. He mentioned feeling ‘less paranoid’ knowing that there is a warning dialog that pops up.
Personally I notice that I feel some anxiety when I’m using the Replace tab because of the ‘Replace All in All open documents’ button right next to the ‘Replace All’ button. There’s no warning dialog for that button. I’m aware that I could easily do a lot of damage to code if I’m not very careful, especially if any of the open documents have had work done on them that has not been saved. All that work could potentially be lost.
The programmers give up lots of their time to develop N++ and make it available for free. So this isn’t meant to be critical of the program.
Users that take the time to make comments like that are also giving up their time to provide potentially useful information to the developers.
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@David-Baines said:
It seemed to me that Nicholas was offering some useful feedback about how he feels about an aspect of the design
Yes, and I acknowledged that, TWICE. :-)
Users that take the time to make comments like that are also giving up their time to provide potentially useful information
Yes, I ack that too. +1
I feel some anxiety…
Sorry for your anxious feelings. :)
…because of the ‘Replace All in All open documents’ button right next to the ‘Replace All’ button…no warning dialog for that button
YES! A VALID CONCERN! Maybe that button should have a confirmation as well.
Reduce your anxiety somewhat, though, as the UNDO feature can fix an errant button press here. However, the UNDO would have to be done manually once per open document, and if one has a lot of open documents it could get rather annoying. But at that point it is a choice between annoying and not getting your original data back, so… -
Hello, @david-baines, @scott-sumner and All,
David, I do agree with you, regarding a warning pop-up dialog when clicking on the Replace All in All opened documents button, of the Replace dialog. It could be identical to the dialog which occurs when clicking on the Replace in Files button, in the Find in Files dialog
Indeed, Scott, it would be sensible to add such a security level ! I, recently, did the same mistake, on more than 40 opened documents. Luckily, my search regex was restrictive enough and the replacement regex, a very specific string. So, only few files were modified ;-))
However, David, you can identify, easily enough, the files concerned by a wrong replacement : all the tabs of the modified files, opened in N++, should have, this time, a red file icon, instead of the blue colour !
Best Regards,
guy038
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@guy038 said:
a red file icon, instead of the blue colour
Let’s just hope that just before an errant replacement, all files were saved! Otherwise, even trying to use the Undo feature on all open (red-tabbed) files is problematic! :-(
Now I am paranoid. For years I ignored the Replace All In All Open Documents button (don’t think I’ve ever used it, except maybe when a Community posting about it occurred and I wanted to test something out…). But NOW I am like a downhill skier, drawn inexorably and unexplainably toward that single tree in my field of view…I am going to accidentally press this button at the wrong time soon, I just know it…
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I suggest adding a checkbox with the ability to reserve changed files. In the settings, specify the path. A reservation creates a date and a path, for example 2018-02-03_12-45-31_C_ProgramData_NewFolder
Usually the size of text files is small, so this function will not be a problem -
Hi, @scott-sumner,
But NOW I am like a downhill skier, drawn inexorably and unexplainably toward that single tree in my field of view…I am going to accidentally press this button at the wrong time soon, I just know it…
I do like your humour ! Regarding skiing, no problem ! Do not be paralysed and try the Parallel or Hockey Stop method ;-)) I do hope that you’ve got a ski helmet, just in case your speed is, still, above 0, when reaching that bloody tree !!
Now, regarding N++, may be a new feature, which would always keep the pointer outside the Replace All in All Opened Documents button ( so only accessible after numerous hits on the Tabulation key ! ) ? Of course, I’m joking.
Cheers,
guy038
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I adhere to the safety criterion:
- Do not press what you do not know.
- Before you press make a copy (always)
- Allow yourself to test for things that do not have value
