Replace … except

[luha]

If I have a document where I want to change all the instances of «t» to «the» – that is a piece of cake. But when I don’t want to change the t-s that already are in «the»s, and I definitely want no «thehehehe»s – then it is a little more difficult. I know that there are ways around this, but it would be very easy (for me) if I could have one more selection in the «Replace»-box: «Except in». Then I could choose:
[Find «t»
Replace with «the»
Except in «the»]
– and then all the t-s would be changed to «the» – except the t-s occuring in the word «the».

I have needed this function on several different occasions.

Do you think this would be a good idea? Would it be possible? Would it be difficult?

Vennlig hilsen
Sigurd Hasle

[Robert]

Have you tried switching on the "Whole words only" option in the Find/Replace dialog?

[luha]

No, I haven't. I can try that the next time. But I fear it won't help when I want to change each instance of one paragraph end mark into two paragraph end marks - but not two into three.

mvh
Sigurd Hasle

[Robert]

It would help if you gave practical examples. I don't see why anybody would want to replace one paragraph end mark with two.

[luha]

I might - sometimes - to get a little more air in my document.

I still have not got any answer to my initial questions. I begin to feel that someone is trying to hint that this is not a good idea, but nobody is answering whether this is possible - or difficult.

mvh
Sigurd Hasle

[Robert]

"Getting a little more air" in a document was originally achieved in pure text editors by adding empty paragraphs indeed. But this is normally achieved in a different way in word processors, i.e. by setting adequate "Spacing before/After" values in the paragraph properties (Ctrl+G). This is even more practical when these paragraph properties are part of a style.

Now if you want to replace isolated "t" letters with "the", and skip all non-isolated "t" letters, you only have to check "Whole words only" and place "t" in the Find box, "the" in the Replace With box. All instances of "the" that Atlantis finds will be left AS IS.
Cheers
Robert