Matlab Editor: How to limit a "replace" to just the selected text?

Matlab Editor: How to limit a "replace" to just the selected text?

I don't see a check-box for this.

It would be very useful when searching and replacing.

Is this even possible in the Matlab editor (cf the Visual Studio editor).

[Matt Fig]

I guess I don't understand the problem. In the editor, I highlight a section of code then hit ctrl+f. This brings up the 'Find and Replace' dialog with the highlighted text filled into the 'Find' box. I then type in something to replace the text in the 'Replace' box. If I push the replace button MATLAB replaces only that section that is highlighted with what I put in the replace field. Then I close the 'Find and Replace' dialog.

Thus, as I described, MATLAB was limited to 'replacing' just the selected text.

[Bryan]

If we are lucky they might introduce this function before 2040.

[Walter Roberson]

I seem to recall reading that this is supported in the Live Script editor, but it would take me research to locate that. Live Script editor gets new features first.

Answer 1

[Sam Johnson]

I have submitted the replaceInSelection function to the File Exchange which solves this problem using the MATLAB Editor API. Having selected text in the editor window you can call replaceInSelection(oldSubStr, newSubStr) to perform a limited replace. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

[AwedBy Matlab]

It's beyond belief that MathWorks are ignoring user requests to implement this very basic feature! Right now if you want to do a find&replace within a selection of your code, you have to Cut the text to a word processor, do the find&replace there, then Paste it back into Matlab. Completely ludicrous that they release two versions a year, yet it doesn't cross their minds to add this essential feature!

[Walter Roberson]

We don't know that it hasn't crossed their minds: we only know that it isn't publicly available through any known commands.

Answer 3

[Jan]

No, this is not possible in the Matlab editor. Let's ask Yair, if his EditorMacro could solve this.

[Oliver Woodford]

It should be. I have just submitted a feature request.

[Sinan Islam]

Why some basic options are impossible in MATLAB editor?!!!

[Babak Zandi]

Still not possible after 10 years? unbelievable @MathWorks Support Team

[Walter Roberson]

Ed Callway comments to Babak Zandi:

Yup, I waste HOURS doing search and replace over large areas by hand. Every other editor trivially handles search/replace on highlighted text. C'mon, this is a 1 week coop project, not a giant rewrite.

Answer 4

[the cyclist]

I am not 100% sure if this is what you mean, but if you select some text, and "copy" it (e.g. with cntl-c in Windows) before opening the search/replace window with cntl-f, then that text will appear in the "Find What" textbox, and you can replace it.

[Kevin Claytor]

I don't think that's what he means, but FYI - you don't even have to copy the text first, just highlighting the text and pressing ctrl-f should auto-fill the "find" box.

Answer 5

[Micky Harris]

I think the question is how to do multiple replacements in the selected text of the open file. Or another way to say this limit the scope of replacement to only what is selected. The other editors i use notepad++ and nedit have this feature.

[James Bell]

It's abhorrent that they still don't have this. I just open a new file in matlab and do the find/replace there... do they even have human factors engineers at Mathworks or just a bunch of 60's C programmers?

[Walter Roberson]

James Bell, C as a programming language was not started until 1971, so if Mathworks has a bunch of 60's C programmers then they would have to be time travelers.

Answer 6

[Leonard König]

Sam Johnson's Solution works! Not as comfortable as a checkbox in the search and replace GUI, but at least it works. Sadly that MathWorks wasn't able to add this funktion in the past 6 years.

[brian zhang]

can't believe this does not work! a basic function for programmer.

[Sinan Islam]

I also get surprised when MATLAB lack the most basic tools and options.

Answer 7

[WAPAstobbem]

For me, the replace feature is about 50% working. I can highlight a section of text, but a Replace All will still replace from that cursor point to the end of the file. However, everything before the cursor point remains fine. So, I'm doing something wrong with the controls, or else the end cursor point is not yet considered under Replace All. Individual Replace seems to be working just fine.

Answer 8

[Aron Magesh]

Yes, it strange that the Find and Replace feature does not work for selected part of the code. I have to copy the selected text/code to a blank script, do F&R and then paste back.

Answer 9

[Marco Pretorius]

This is now possible with MATLAB R2023a by pressing "ctrl + H" and clicking on "Find in selection"

You can look at the updated documentation as well: https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/find-and-replace-text-in-files.html