Re: Wildcard replace and no 64k limit

[Robert Holmgren holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

>> Chet writes: "The wildcard replaces of version 4 are nice, but I had
>> already added them to version 3.5 many years ago."

>> How, please?!? I worked out a way to ch within a v3 defined block, but
>> have never even *thought* about a v3 wildcard-on-both-sides-of-the-
>> delimiter ci.

> Yeah, I tried to do it in 3.5x, and found that to cover *all* possibities
> was a real bear. Became too complex, and I gave up.


A long time ago I wrote, and published as part of OODLES (last version was
OODLES.ZIP v2.0u, dated 5 Oct 90), a routine called WILDCIA that did
precisely this. OODLES should be available on TTG BBS, and maybe even at
ccat (I dunno). The final version of WILDCIA, in OODLES.LIB, includes the
following explanatory text:

------------
WILDCIA.PM R.J.Holmgren 9/2/90 For XyWrite III+ v3.54+ ONLY
Perform CI|CIA|CV|CVA (Change Invisible|Verify [Absolute]) changes that
 preserve Wildcards WA WL WN WS WW WX and "{26}" (aka WC) in the
 *replacement* $tring
The types and number of wildcards on each (/find/replace/) side of the
 argument must be identical
`Esc'ape aborts at any PRompt

Examples: cia |WtyS|WtiesS|    e.g. difficulty, ÍÍ> difficulties,
      cia \SLLQuest\SLLWrite\    "XyQuest  ÍÍ> "XyWrite
      ci /312-491SNNNN/708-491SNNNN/      ÍÍ> change area code
      cva \thatWbum\what aWrascal\ change "that bloody bum" to
                       "what a bloody rascal", etc.etc.
------------

I can't vouch for the quality of the thing, but I remember I was real happy
with it at the time. This is a good example, though, of how tortured
solutions were in v3, and how wonderfully simple they are in v4.


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Robert Holmgren
holmgren@xxxxxxxx
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