|
#REDIRECT [[Regular expression]]
<!-- Please do not remove or change this AfD message until the issue is settled -->
{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Find_and_replace|timestamp=20120816052133|year=2012|month=August|day=16|substed=yes}}
<!-- For administrator use only: {{Old AfD multi|page=Find_and_replace|date=16 August 2012|result='''keep'''}} -->
<!-- End of AfD message, feel free to edit beyond this point -->
{{for|the book|Find and Replace (book)}}
'''Find and replace''' is a function in most [[Word processor|word processing]] [[Computer program|software programs]] which is used to locate specific text and replace it with different text. It may be used to replace anything from specific characters to entire words, or, conduct an operation restricted to entire words by using the ''Find whole words only'', or similar checkbox. It is usually found in the "Edit" menu. Many software programs will allow the use of [[regular expression]]s.<ref name="bare_url">[http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/find-and-replace-text-or-other-items-HP005189433.aspx Find and replace text or other items - Word - Office.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It allows users to choose which direction to search, whether up or down in the document. It uses both the FindText and ReplaceText functions.<ref>[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms646956(v=vs.85).aspx Find and Replace Dialog Boxes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In typical word processors, the procedure is:
#Select the ''Edit'' menu
#Select ''Find and replace''
#In the ''Find'' box, the user may enter the desired text to be found
#In the ''Replace with'' box, the user may enter the desired text to replace all instances of the desired string with
#The user may select ''Replace'' to replace the first instance of the desired string, and may continue to click {{button|Replace}} to replace the desired string one string at a time. The user may select {{button|Find}} to only find text, or, select {{button|Replace all}} to automatically replace all instances of the string without confirmation, however, still leaving the ability for the user to [[undo]] if the result is undesirable.
More advanced software programs will allow users to find and replace elements with specific formatting, such as bold text.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{computing-stub}}
[[Category:Computing]]
[[Category:Information technology]]
| 