Author Topic: WildGem 1.1 (Read 59198 times)

Twinbee · « **on:** June 15, 2015, 01:34 PM »

I originally posted an idea for a new "find and replace" program here. A couple of people liked the idea, so I developed it into a real application.

It takes the good bits from Regex, but makes the syntax simpler in a few ways. The program is great for people who don't want to get into Regex, but who find the usual find/replace feature in many text editors too limiting. More information on its advantages can be found in the link below, or in that thread from earlier.

For those who missed it, or who want a faster, non-glitchy, updated version of that beta edition, download the latest version 1.1 here:

http://www.skytopia.com/software/wildgem (requires .NET 4)

Here's some screenshots:

cranioscopical · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2015, 02:11 PM »

I had no trouble at all when replacing my wife with a compliant blonde.

Seriously though, nice work!

Twinbee · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2015, 04:28 PM »

Thankies!

Some errr, creative uses of the program I see too

hamradio · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2015, 05:15 PM »

Idea: What about a way to disable/hide replace and size the find and the textarea accordingly if all you want to do is build regex in your program for use elsewhere?

Target · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2015, 05:32 PM »

Idea: What about a way to disable/hide replace and size the find and the textarea accordingly if all you want to do is build regex in your program for use elsewhere?
-hamradio (June 16, 2015, 05:15 PM)

were you experimenting with the program when you wrote this?

Twinbee · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2015, 05:42 PM »

Idea: What about a way to disable/hide replace and size the find and the textarea accordingly if all you want to do is build regex in your program for use elsewhere?

Nooooo, the special non-regex syntax is the best bit!

Seriously, would you personally find that useful? If so, I'll put it on the todo list!

hamradio · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2015, 05:47 PM »

Idea: What about a way to disable/hide replace and size the find and the textarea accordingly if all you want to do is build regex in your program for use elsewhere?

Nooooo, the special non-regex syntax is the best bit! Seriously, would you personally find that useful? If so, I'll put it on the todo list!
-Twinbee (June 16, 2015, 05:42 PM)

I had that idea as a way to help with writing .net regex for use in my own .net programs that I want to validate data in textboxes without having to use the special textbox to validate data since I am not that good at regex as I once was.

Ex. Phone and/or other type of fields...

So up to you as it doesn't have to be in there was merely an idea.

Twinbee · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2015, 05:51 PM »

I'm sure you know, but just in case - you can write in the regex section and completely ignore the 'WildGem syntax' Find section if you wish. But yeah, good to save space if possible.

hamradio · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2015, 05:52 PM »

I'm sure you know, but just in case - you can write in the regex section and completely ignore the 'WildGem syntax' Find section if you wish.
-Twinbee (June 16, 2015, 05:51 PM)

Yes, as for the find section I was using the 'WildGem syntax' to help get me the regex I want.

dr_andus · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2015, 06:02 PM »

Twinbee, many thanks for this! I haven't tried it yet but I love the idea and I'm definitely a target user (i.e. regex does my head in

Twinbee · « **Reply #10 on:** June 16, 2015, 06:05 PM »

@hamradio: Oh, I read your initial post again. Properly this time. I see what you want - for the Find section to cover the whole width (and to hide the entire Replace section).

That's... interesting. I like it. I'll put that on the todo list instead.

@dr_andus: Good to hear!

hamradio · « **Reply #11 on:** June 16, 2015, 06:12 PM »

@hamradio: Oh, I read your initial post again. Properly this time. I see what you want - for the Find section to cover the whole width (and to hide the entire Replace section).

That's... interesting. I like it. I'll put that on the todo list instead.
-Twinbee (June 16, 2015, 06:05 PM)

Thanks. Glad you figured out what I was getting at.

Twinbee · « **Reply #12 on:** June 16, 2015, 06:22 PM »

In the meantime, you can drag the vertical center bar to have it cover 90% of the screen space.

kunkel321 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 17, 2015, 09:48 AM »

Wow very cool!
Thanks for sharing :-]

mouser · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2015, 06:20 PM »

Mentioned on ghacks today: http://www.ghacks.ne...wildgem-for-windows/

Twinbee · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2015, 06:45 PM »

Oh nice! Better get working on that Load button and batch processing functionality

hamradio · « **Reply #16 on:** June 29, 2015, 02:56 PM »

Thanks for the update!

Twinbee · « **Reply #17 on:** July 04, 2015, 05:41 AM »

Just to add something interesting I discovered. Find and replace is almost 10x faster in WildGem compared to Notepad++, at least for many use-cases. I tried replacing tons of commas with a tab character in a 10MB file when I found that. Notepad++ took around a minute compare to 7 seconds in WildGem. I can imagine for 100MB or even 1GB files that this could be very useful to know. (make sure you turn 'Realtime' off in Wildgem for large operations like this).

(Btw, version 1.21 is out which allows you to isolate the matches).

dr_andus · « **Reply #18 on:** July 04, 2015, 09:49 AM »

Twinbee, what's the maximum file size in terms of number of characters (or any other measure that defines its limits) that WildGem can handle?

Twinbee · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2015, 10:40 AM »

Well, in theory around 1.5-2GB, since it uses the Scintilla text component which I think also has that limit. I tried with a 700MB text file, and everything seemed fine.

How much were you hoping for? If you really want to go over 2GB, then I could reprogram it a little so all replacements are done behind the scenes. That should theoretically allow 'unlimited' file sizes if you have a 64bit OS and enough memory.

dr_andus · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2015, 04:42 PM »

Thanks Twinbee, no worries, that's way more than enough for me

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #21 on:** August 27, 2015, 06:45 AM »

After a few months of not even thinking about this program, I ran into a need for it yesterday. So I was basically going into a production project with it cold. To that end I found it to be one of the most intuitive programs I've ever used, as it appears to have a virtually nonexistent learning curve.

Twinbee · « **Reply #22 on:** August 28, 2015, 03:47 AM »

So awesome to hear. Posts like yours make it all worthwhile =)

Remember what your most complex query was like? If you have any thoughts on how WildGem could be made even easier to use, let me know.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #23 on:** August 28, 2015, 06:55 AM »

Remember what your most complex query was like?
-Twinbee (August 28, 2015, 03:47 AM)

Honestly the queries used weren't that complex. It's just that RegEx is a bit of a blind spot for me, as I've never had time or the need to learn it. I know what it's for...and I knew the situation called for its usage...I just needed something to handle stumbling through the syntax so I could focus on getting the result right. And in that use case WildGem proved to be quite the gem indeed.

If you have any thoughts on how WildGem could be made even easier to use, let me know.
-Twinbee (August 28, 2015, 03:47 AM)

I've always felt that in any project success is best achieved by knowing when to quit f***ing with it. So to that end I wouldn't change anything.

Like Einstein said: Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.

Curt · « **Reply #24 on:** August 28, 2015, 11:17 AM »

Be it documents or media files, I often find it important for me to have them ordered in "latest change" (or what the English term may be? My "Explorer" is not in English), because I really am no good at remembering file names. At the same time a file should preferably be at the "right" usual place, if I merely have made a minor change - which is what I would use WildGem for. Especially my picture files are ordered in themes, easily made possible by manipulating their "date of latest change", and should really not be given another time stamp (in any way) than it already was showing. Argh, does any one understand what I am trying to say here?

Twinbee, can you make WildGem offer an option to let the altered files keep old "not touched since..." (or what the English term may be), please?