Find - Replace pane

• press Ctrl + F in any editor.
• on the "Home" tab, in the "Environment" group, expand "Panes", select "Panes" and then select "Find - Replace".

• The "Find - Replace" pane can be positioned horizontally or vertically.
• It is possible to display multiple search panes. For more details, see Keeping the search results: display multiple search panes.

The search can be performed on:

• 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.

• 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: the different search options

The "Find - Replace" pane proposes several options to find a text:

• 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.
  
  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.
    
    New in version 28
    The search is also performed in the source code of automatic 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.
  
  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, ...).
    
    New in version 28
    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 then select the types of items to be searched for:
    • project alone,
    • reports,
    • windows,
    • analysis,
    • New in version 28
      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.
    
• 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.
    
• 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:
    • The source code: this option corresponds to WLanguage, the functions, the properties, ....
    • The comments: this option corresponds to the comments (//)
    • The chains: 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:
    • The fields: this option corresponds to the controls found in the window, in the page, in the report, ...
    • The links: this option corresponds to the analysis links (integrity constraints)
    • Multilingual properties: this option corresponds to the multilingual characteristics (for a multilingual project)
    • The files and headings: 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)

• 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: Last name First name.
• 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

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.

Search in the elements

• all the Button controls whose name contains "Plus" to check their tooltip.
• all the classes that use the "Customer" HFSQL file,
• ...

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:
   
4. Build the search criterion. For example, indicate the type of element, the search criterion and the value.
   
   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.
   

• 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

• 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 and 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)

Keeping the search results: display multiple search panes

To store the current search, click the lock found in the top right corner of the search window:

History of searches

You also have the ability to fix a search in order to store it in the favorites and to easily find it thereafter.