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 WINDEVWEBDEV AND WINDEV MOBILE

Help / Editors
  • Overview
  • How to?
  • Find - Replace pane
  • Find text
  • Find text: the different search options
  • Searched text: special and wildcard characters :?, *, - (wildcard)
  • Replacing the searched text
  • Finding elements
  • Search in the elements
  • Search result
  • Search result
  • Filtering the results displayed (text search only)
  • Keeping the search results: display multiple search panes
  • History of searches
WINDEV
WindowsLinuxUniversal Windows 10 AppJavaReports and QueriesUser code (UMC)
WEBDEV
WindowsLinuxPHPWEBDEV - Browser code
WINDEV Mobile
AndroidAndroid Widget iPhone/iPadIOS WidgetApple WatchMac CatalystUniversal Windows 10 App
Others
Stored procedures
Overview
Being able to perform a search in the editors significantly improves efficiency. WINDEV, WEBDEV and WINDEV Mobile propose a very powerful search module. This module is used to find different types of elements in one or more projects.
How to?

Find - Replace pane

The search is performed from the "Find - Replace" pane.
To display this pane:
  • press Ctrl + F in any editor.
  • on the "Home" tab, in the "Environment" group, expand "Panes", select "Panes" and then select "Find - Replace".
Remarks:
The search can be performed on:
Targets of the search
  • text: words, expressions or part of a word. The text can be typed in the search area.
    To learn more about this type of search, see Find text.
  • a regular expression.
  • a conditional target-code: in this case, simply select the type of target-code to find.
  • the last modifications: simply specify the contributors who made the modification and the search period.
  • a help about a command or a feature: simply specify the word to find.
  • specific processes/events: to do so, specify the type of process or event to find:
    • processes/events that contain automated procedures,
    • processes/events that automatically handle errors,
    • processes/events that automatically handle exceptions,
    • processes/events that contain a predefined action.
  • elements: Simply specify the relevant elements and the search criteria.
Shortcuts used for search:
  • To perform a search on the selected text: Ctrl + F
  • To search the selected text in the entire project: Ctrl + Shift + F
  • To search the selected text in the current element: Ctrl + Alt + F
  • To search the selected text directly in the online help: Alt + F. Double-click on the result to open the help page.
Find text

Find text: the different search options

The "Find - Replace" pane proposes several options to find a text:
Options for text search
Search options:
  • Choosing the type of element to find (1): In this case, the search is performed on a text.
  • In (2):
    The searched text can correspond to code, to the name of an element or to a word in the caption of a control.
    Search in
    Specify the type of element where the search will be performed:
    • the code: the search is performed in the source code only. This type of search is used to find a variable, a function, a comment, or any word or expression found in a source code.
      The search in the source code is also performed in the automatic procedures, the preset actions and the processes with error and/or automatic exception.
      The search is also performed in the source code of the automated tests.
    • the UI: the search is performed in the UI (interface) only. This type of search is used to find a window name, a control name, an image name, or any word or expression found in the interface of the project (window, page, report, ...).
    • the code and UI: the search is performed both in the source code and in the UI (interface).
  • For (3):
    This option is used to specify the target of the search, which means the elements that will be taken into account by the search.
    Target of the search
    The target can be:
    • the current code view: the search will be performed in the code window currently displayed in the code editor.
    • the current element: for example, the window currently used, the code displayed, a report, ...
    • all the project elements: the search will be performed on all the elements found in the current project (windows, source code, reports, pages, ...).
      In this case, the search will first be performed on the current element in the editor and then on all the elements in the project.
    • some project elements: you can select the type of elements on which the search will be performed:
      • project only,
      • reports,
      • windows,
      • analysis,
      • automated tests.
    • several projects simultaneously (multi-project search): the search will be performed in several projects. You must specify the projects on which the search will be performed.
      • the "Directory" button is used to select the projects found in a directory or on a disk. All the WINDEV, WEBDEV or WINDEV Mobile projects found at this location will be taken into account. The search is also performed in the subdirectories of the specified locations. A UNC path can be specified.
      • the "Project" button is used to add a specific project (WINDEV, WEBDEV or WINDEV Mobile). Different types of projects can be added (a WINDEV project and a WINDEV Mobile project for example).
  • Of (4):
    If your project includes several configurations or internal components, you have the ability to specify whether the search will be performed in these modules. The search can be performed:
    • in all the configurations.
    • in a specific configuration.
    • in all internal components.
    • in a specific internal component.
      Affected modules
  • With (5):
    When searching for text, you have the ability to specify the search options for the text:
    • Ignore case: the search ignores the case (uppercase and lowercase characters)
    • Ignore the accented characters: the search ignores the accented characters
    • Ignore the punctuation: the search ignores the punctuation characters (comma, dot, dash), ...
    • Ignore spaces: the search will ignore the space characters found before, after or between the words.
    You also have the ability to specify the selection mode of the words:
    • Word contains: the searched expression must contain the specified expression.
    • Whole word: the searched expression corresponds exactly to the specified expression.
    • Word starts with: the searched expression starts with the specified expression.
    • Word ends with: the searched expression ends with the specified expression.
      Search options on the text
  • Advanced options (6):
    You also have the ability to apply a filter. This filter can be performed:
    • on the code: you can take into account or ignore:
      • Source code: this option corresponds to WLanguage, the functions, the properties, ....
      • Comments: this option corresponds to the comments (//)
      • Strings: this option corresponds to the static character strings, between quotes.
      • Multilingual strings: this option corresponds to the translated strings (for a multilingual project).
    • on the UI: you can take into account or ignore:
      • Controls: this option corresponds to the controls found in the window, in the page, in the report, ...
      • Links: this option corresponds to the analysis links (integrity constraints)
      • Multilingual properties: this option corresponds to the multilingual characteristics (for a multilingual project)
      • Files and items: this option corresponds to the files described in the analysis, to the description of each file and to the description of items.
      • Dependencies: this option corresponds to all the objects associated with the project such as the images for example.
    • on the languages: Used to select the languages in which the search will be performed for a multilingual project.

Searched text: special and wildcard characters :?, *, - (wildcard)

When entering the text to search for, you can use special characters to refine the search:
  • The SPACE character allows you to search for multiple terms. For example, to search for all the elements that contain both "LastName" and "FirstName", simply separate the terms with a space: LastName FirstName.
  • Quotation marks are used to search for an exact string (which can contain a space). For example, to search for exactly the string "Date<Space>of<Space>birth", simply type "Date of birth".
  • The "?" character is used to replace any other character at the location where it was used. Several "?" characters can be used in the same search. This wildcard character can be used anywhere in the searched word.
    For example, LOUI? can be used to find LOUIS as well as LOUIX.
  • The * character is used to replace one or more characters. This wildcard character can be used anywhere in the searched word.
    For example:
    • LOUI* allows you to find LOUIS and LOUISE, etc.
    • Customer.* = is used to find all the assignments of items in the Customer data file.
  • The - character (minus) is used to exclude words from the search. In this case, the word must be preceded by the minus sign -.
    For example "Position -HPosition -HRestorePosition" is used to find all the occurrences of "Position" other than "HPosition" and "HRestorePosition".

Replacing the searched text

The searched text can be replaced with new text:
  1. Perform the search for the text.
  2. Type the replacement text in the "Replace by" area.
  3. Expand the replacement arrow (9) and select the desired option:
    • Replace all: all the occurrences of the search will be replaced.
    • Replace the selection: the replacement will be performed for the selected result lines only.
Finding elements

Search in the elements

This type of search allows you to find elements (windows, pages, controls, classes, etc.) that match one or more criteria.
You can for example find:
  • all the Button controls whose name contains "Plus" to check their tooltip.
  • all the classes that use the "Customer" HFSQL file,
  • ...
To perform this search:
  1. In the search pane, specify the type of search: "elements".
  2. Click "No criterion" (if necessary) to add a criterion.
  3. Select the type of item you want to search for:
    Relevant type of element
  4. Build the search criterion. For example, indicate the type of element, the search criterion and the value.
    Search criterion
    Remark: The different lists containing the elements to be taken into account include the most common options. the "More choices" option is used to display the full list of available options.
  5. Add (if necessary) several criteria by clicking the "+" button.
  6. Click the "Search" button to start the search.
    Search result
Remarks:
  • This search mode cannot be used to perform a replacement.
  • To access the searched element, simply double-click the line with the result.
Search result

Search result

The search result is displayed in a list. The element found is highlighted. If the element found corresponds to a code, the coloring of the code editor is applied. This allows you to easily identify the results and to simplify the reading.
Search result
You can perform several actions on the content of this list:
  • Set a breakpoint on a line of code in the search result (via the context menu).
  • Print the entire content of the list or a selection (via the context menu).
  • Display the results on several lines.
To group the occurrences of a same line, click the Dialog box launcher and Dialog box launcher buttons. If the searched term appears more than once in a given line of code, there is no need to display this line more than once in the result.

Filtering the results displayed (text search only)

Once the results are displayed, you have the ability to apply a filter in order to view some types of answers only. You have the ability to display answers coming from the code and/or from the UI.
Filtering the display

Keeping the search results: display multiple search panes

You have the ability to store the current search in order to perform another simultaneous search on other criteria.
Then, you can switch from a search to another one in order to compare the results or to perform different actions on the project.
The number of simultaneous searches is limited to 5.
To store the current search, click the lock found in the top right corner of the search window: Locking

History of searches

The history of previous searches can be displayed at any time, to continue to analyze the results if you have been interrupted or to restart the same search. All you have to do is expand "Find".
You also have the ability to fix a search in order to store it in the favorites and to easily find it thereafter.
History of searches
Minimum version required
  • Version 18
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Last update: 07/03/2023

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