source: branches/tree/HELP_SOURCE/source/srt.hlp

#Please insert up references in the next lines (line starts with keyword UP)
UP      arb.hlp
UP      glossary.hlp

#Please insert subtopic references  (line starts with keyword SUB)
SUB     reg.hlp

TITLE   Search and Replace Tool (SRT)


DESCRIPTION     The String Parser is used to search and replace substrings.


OCCURRENCE      TREE/Species/Search:PARSE FIELD
                TREE/Properties/NDS


SECTION         SYNTAX

        'search=replace'        means search all occurrences of 'search'
                                and replace it by 'replace'

        Different search/replace commands can be separated by ':':

                'search1=replace1:search2=replace2: ... :searchn=replacen'

SECTION SPECIAL CHARACTERS

        Search && Replace string:

                ':'                separates two commands
                '='                separates the search from the replace string
                '\'                Escape symbol
                '\\'               the '\' symbol itself
                '\n'               newline
                '\t'               tabulator
                '\:'               ':'
                '\='               '='
                '\?'               '?'
                '\*'               '*'

        Search string:

                '?'                single letter wildcard
                '*'                multi letter wildcard

        Replace string:

                '?'                a reference to the corresponding single
                                   letter wildcard in the search string
                                   (if no digit or '(' follows).
                '?n'               n = { 1,...,9 }
                                   a reference to the n'th single letter wildcard
                                   in the search string
                '*'                a reference to the corresponding multi
                                   letter wildcard in the search string
                                   (no digit or '(' follows).
                '*n'               n = { 1,...,9 }
                                   a reference to the n'th multi letter wildcard
                                   in the search string
                '*(key)'           the value of the database field named 'key' (or '' - see below)
                '*([key]#default)' value of DB field 'key' (if empty or missing -> return 'default')
                '*([key]\:nsrt)'   invokes the SRT recursively on the value of DB field 'key' (or on '')
                                   (Note: all ':' have to be escaped using '\')
                '*([key]|ACI)'     invokes ACI (see LINK{aci.hlp}) on the value of DB field 'key' (or on '')

                Note: all above "*(key...)"-constructs read the content of DB field 'key'.
                If no fieldname is specified (possible where '[key]' is used in the description above)
                or if the field does not exists, an empty string is used instead.


EXAMPLES
                'p?r=p?w'

                        replaces all    par to paw
                                        pbr to pbw
                                        pcr to pcw ...

                'p??r=p?2?1r'

                        swaps the two letters between p and r

                'a*=b*'

                        replaces only the first 'a' by 'b'

                '?* *=?. *2'

                    Replaces the first word by its first letter + '.'

                '\:=\n'

                        replaces all ':' by <newline>

                '*=* *(key1)'

                     appends the database field <key1>.
                     if <key1> does not exists append nothing

                '*=* *(key1#no info)'

                                appends the database field <key1>
                                if <key1> does not exists append
                                'no info'

                '*=*(key2\: =)'

                            The value of 'key2' with all spaces removed

                '*=*(key2|remove(.-))'

                                the value of the database entry 'key2',
                                but all '.' and '-' characters removed

WARNINGS
                Be careful when search or replace string contain
                special characters (such as ':'). Avoid to write too
                complicated commands.

BUGS
                None