Need some help writing a Find & Replace script

[DTHPWN]

I need some help writing an AHK script that does this: I have an XML file that has 12 unique strings that I need to change in order to mass-create some charts. These 12 strings will always exist in the template XML file. I need the script to pull the strings to replace them with from a TXT file or similar.

So basically, it needs to have an input to select the template XML file and the TXT file to pull from, then go in the template and find the 12 strings to replace, order through the TXT file one at a time to replace them all, save it, then start a new one from where the last one left off, repeat until the TXT file runs out of lines (there could be anywhere from 50 to 500 lines in the TXT file).

Any chance someone could help with this? Thanks a ton!!

[Delta Pythagorean]

My mind, it can't handle this amount of back and fourth movement @.@

[DTHPWN]

Ok, maybe this would help visualize it a bit more, I have written a layman's version of the code I need:

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i=1 //counter used for main loop
n=1 //counter used for save loop

MainLoop:
loop until i=12 //there are 12 units on each chart
	{for each FindVar in FIND.txt //each "FindVar" is represented by a line of text in FIND.txt
		fCt=count the number of instances FindVar apprears in CHART.xml
		ReplaceVar=get matching ReplaceVar from REPLACE.txt //find the next line in REPLACE.txt
			loop %fCt% //do this section as many times as the FindVar appears in CHART.xml
				{starting from beginning, find next FindVar in CHART.xml
				replace FindVar with ReplaceVar
				return}
	if i=12 then goto SaveLoop //if we have reached 12 units, save the file
	else i=i+1 //otherwise, increase counter by 1 and repeat
	return}
	
SaveLoop:	
	save CHART.xml as CHART%n%.xml //saves a new file with incremental numbers at end of file name
	close CHART.xml without saving //reverts to its original state
	n=n+1 //adds 1 to the filename counter
	i=1 //resets main loop
	goto MainLoop //begins a new cycle of main loop

[FanaticGuru]

Couldn't the Find/Replace txt file just be one file with the Find and Replace combos on one line separated by a delimiter like tab:

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tree   		apple
furniture 	table
computer	PC
children	Mary, Todd, and Suzy
etc.

That seems simpler.

If I am understanding correctly what you want is very doable and probably simpler than your pseudo-code. If I get time I will see what I can do.

FG

[DTHPWN]

Couldn't the Find/Replace txt file just be one file with the Find and Replace combos on one line separated by a delimiter like tab:

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tree   		apple
furniture 	table
computer	PC
children	Mary, Todd, and Suzy
etc.

That seems simpler.

If I am understanding correctly what you want is very doable and probably simpler than your pseudo-code. If I get time I will see what I can do.

FG

I suppose it could be, only thing is the FIND text will always be the same static values as the CHART template. The REPLACE text is the only part that will change over time, so I guess the FIND values could just be worked into the code instead of outsourcing it to a txt file. Thanks in advance!

[FanaticGuru]

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;~ Get the Information from a Haystack and a Needle File
;~ 	if the file paths do not change they could be hardcopied without use FileSelectFile
;~ 	"Loop, Files, FilePattern" could be used to have it Loop through all template XML based on a folder or pattern
FileSelectFile, Haystack_Path,,%A_Desktop%\Test,Haystack
FileSelectFile, Needle_Path,,%A_Desktop%\Test,Needle
FileRead, Haystack_Text, %Haystack_Path%	
FileRead, Needle_Text, %Needle_Path%

;~ Loop through the Needle_Text and Search / Replace in Result 
Result := Haystack_Text
Loop, Parse, Needle_Text, `n, `r
{
	StringSplit, Field, A_LoopField, %A_Tab%
	Result := StrReplace(Result, Field1, Field2)
}

MsgBox % Result

Expects a Haystack file like this:

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A tree is a great thing
to have in place of furniture
when you went to eat food

And a Needle file like this (two fields separate by a tab:

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tree		mature apple tree
furniture	a table
food		an apple

FG

[DTHPWN]

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;~ Get the Information from a Haystack and a Needle File
;~ 	if the file paths do not change they could be hardcopied without use FileSelectFile
;~ 	"Loop, Files, FilePattern" could be used to have it Loop through all template XML based on a folder or pattern
FileSelectFile, Haystack_Path,,%A_Desktop%\Test,Haystack
FileSelectFile, Needle_Path,,%A_Desktop%\Test,Needle
FileRead, Haystack_Text, %Haystack_Path%	
FileRead, Needle_Text, %Needle_Path%

;~ Loop through the Needle_Text and Search / Replace in Result 
Result := Haystack_Text
Loop, Parse, Needle_Text, `n, `r
{
	StringSplit, Field, A_LoopField, %A_Tab%
	Result := StrReplace(Result, Field1, Field2)
}

MsgBox % Result

Expects a Haystack file like this:

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A tree is a great thing
to have in place of furniture
when you went to eat food

And a Needle file like this (two fields separate by a tab:

Code: Select all

tree		mature apple tree
furniture	a table
food		an apple

FG

Excellent, I will work on this and let you know how it turns out. Thank you so much!