Update processorText editing and searching commands

Text editing and searching commands

The commands below can be used to insert paragraphs, spaces, tab stops and values.

Inserting

The commands below can be used to insert paragraphs, spaces, tab stops and values.

Command Description
CTRL+M Same as Enter. Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next attribute. If in insert mode or at the end of an item, CTRL+M creates a new paragraph. If the Update processor is being controlled by a dictionary, CTRL+M does not create a new attribute mark, rather the cursor moves to the next attribute.
CTRL+V Inserts a new value. The value mark causes any characters following it in that attribute to be moved to the next line. A value mark has an ASCII decimal value of 253 and cannot be displayed in the Update processor.

The v processing code is used to limit the number of values allowed on an attribute. When the limit is reached, the terminal beeps and no additional values are allowed.

You can enter MultiValues as stacked data or multiple commands from TCL.
CTRL+W Inserts a single space. This command is useful when inserting a single character (or even a few characters). It is often faster than changing from overtype to insert mode.
CTRL+ZT Sets the location of tab stops. It prompts with the message:

Enter Tab stops:

Tab stop positions may be entered with each numeric parameter being separated by a space.

Deleting and undeleting text

As text is deleted, the remaining characters in the paragraph are moved to the left. The cut and paste commands also delete text.

Command Description
CTRL+E Deletes text from the current cursor position to the end of the sentence. As text is deleted, the remaining characters in the paragraph are moved to the left.

A sentence is defined as a series of words terminated by a period.

If Output processor commands are contained in a sentence, the system assumes that the period at the beginning of the Output processor command is the end of the sentence.
CTRL+H Backspaces the cursor (left) one character and replaces the character with a space. On ASCII terminals the BACKSPACE key actually generates a CTRL+H. If the cursor is at the end of an attribute, the character is deleted but not replaced with a space.
CTRL+L Deletes one character from the current cursor position.

As text is deleted, the remaining characters in the paragraph are moved to the left. If the cursor is on the last character of a paragraph, the CTRL+L command deletes the attribute mark.
CTRL+O Deletes a word beginning with the current cursor position. As text is deleted, the remaining characters in the paragraph are moved to the left.

A word is defined as a string of characters terminated by a space or a period.
CTRL+ZO Deletes the characters from the cursor to the end of the paragraph (attribute).
CTRL+ZD Deletes the characters from the cursor to the end of the item.
CTRL+ZX Restores a value to its original contents, providing the line has not been exited.
CTRL+ZZ Undoes the last delete or data change if the change was made by using one of the CTRL-delete keys. This is also used to cancel a cut command in the Update processor.

Searching and replacing text

The search commands in the Update processor offer the capability to search for and replace text.

Command Description
CTRL+A string CTRL+M Searches for the first occurrence of the specified string. When CTRL+A is pressed, the Update processor prompts at the top of the screen: 
search for:
If a match is found, the cursor displays on the first character of the matched string. If no match is found, the cursor remains at the current location and the message below displays. 
String not found
The search string is not case sensitive. To search for case specific letters, enclose the string in single or double quotation marks. If the string itself contains quotation marks, enclose those quotation marks in quotation marks.
CTRL+A

  • If the previous operation was a simple search and the cursor is still positioned on the most recently found string, CTRL+A invokes the search again and finds the next occurrence of the string.

  • If the cursor has been moved off of the most recently executed search string, the search for: prompt redisplays.
CTRL+A string1 CTRL+R string2 CTRL+N Searches for and replace every occurrence of string1 with string2 from the current cursor position to the end of the item. The command sequence is shown below: 
CTRL+A
search for: string1, CTRL+R
replace with: string2, CTRL+N
After entering the replacement string, pressing CTRL+N replaces all occurrences.

The text is replaced as entered. If the replacement is at the beginning of a sentence, the initial letter is replaced as an uppercase letter. To specify an exact replacement of uppercase and lowercase letters, enclose the text in single or double quotation marks.

Note: To delete all occurrences of a string, press CTRL+N at the replace with: prompt instead of entering a replacement string.
CTRL+A string1 CTRL+R string2 <Enter> Searches for the first occurrence of string1. If a match is found, the cursor is positioned on the first character of the match and the Update processor waits for one of the following commands:
CTRL+A Do not replace string1. Search again for next occurrence.
CTRL+N Replace string1 with string2. Replace all further matches.
CTRL+R Replace string1 with string2. Search again for string1.
CTRL+X Stop search. Return to edit mode.

Example(s)

Search for joe's bar, then repeat search.

CTRL+A
search for: joe's bar<Enter>
CTRL+A

Search and replace all occurrences of joe's bar with sam's pub.

CTRL+A
search for: joe's bar CTRL+R
replace with: sam's pubCTRL+N

Search for and delete all occurrences of joe's bar from current position of the cursor to the end of the item.

CTRL+A
search for: joe's bar CTRL+R
replace with: CTRL+N

Cutting and pasting text

Cut commands are used to move or copy data from one place in an item to another. Text can be cut and deleted or copied with the original left in place. After the text is cut, it is placed in the cut buffer, replacing its previous contents. The text in the cut buffer can then be pasted in the current document or it can be pasted in a specified item in a file. Text can also be pasted from a specified item and file. It is possible to cut and paste when editing the TCL command stack item.

Command Description
CTRL+CD Marks the beginning of a block that is to be placed into the cut buffer and deleted from the screen. The next CTRL+CC command marks the end of the cut and places the cut string into the cut buffer.

The beginning cut position is determined by the position of the cursor when the command is issued.

The Update processor marks the beginning of the cut with a backslash. To cancel this command use the CTRL+ZZ command.

The cut buffer remains intact until the Update processor is exited or another cut is performed.
CTRL+CI Copies the internal contents of the current value into the cut buffer. This is mostly used in attributes with conversions. For example, if the cursor is at a value displaying RocketSoftware, and this is a translating attribute where the internal value is rs, the string rs is copied into the cut buffer.
CTRL+CL Marks the beginning of a block that is copied (left). The next CTRL+CC command marks the end of the cut and places the cut string into the cut buffer.

The beginning cut position is determined by the position of the cursor when the command is issued.

The Update processor marks the beginning of the cut with a backslash. To cancel this command use the CTRL+ZZ command.

The cut buffer remains intact until the Update processor is exited or another cut is performed.
CTRL+CC Marks the end of the block that is to be placed in the cut buffer.

  • If the block was initiated by a CTRL+CD, the text is deleted from the screen and placed into the cut buffer.

  • If it was initiated by a CTRL+CL command, the text is placed into the cut buffer, so it can be copied as many times as needed.
CTRL+CO Copies the entire contents of the current value into the cut buffer. This is mostly used in attributes with conversions.
CTRL+CP Inserts the current contents of the cut buffer at the current cursor position. The contents of the cut buffer remain present until the Update processor is exited or another cut is performed.
CTRL+CR {(file.reference}item-ID {n{-m}} CTRL+M Reads the contents of a specified item and pastes it at the current cursor location.

After CTRL+CR is entered, the screen prompts with:

paste from:

Any valid file reference and item-ID are allowed in response to this prompt.

The optional n parameter is an integer that specifies the first attribute to copy; the optional m parameter is an integer specifying the last attribute to copy. If a range is not specified, all attributes in the item are copied.

When in data entry mode, with dictionaries defining the attributes, CTRL+CR has two actions, depending on the status of the item being updated. In both cases, the range is omitted.

  • If the item being updated is new and if the cursor is on the first attribute in the item, CTRL+CR merges the entire item from the source item specified.

  • In all other cases, when CTRL+CR is entered, the corresponding (same attribute position) attribute is merged into the current item from the source item specified.
CTRL+CW {(file.reference}item-ID CTRL+M Writes the contents of the cut buffer to the item specified.

CTRL+CW displays this prompt at the top left corner of the screen:

cut save-id:

  • If only an item-ID is entered, the cut buffer contents are saved in the current file. If the file already has an item with the specified item-ID, the following prompt displays at the top left corner of the screen:

  • item-ID item exists on file, press y to overwrite:

    If y is typed, the item that was on file is overwritten with the cut item. If any key other than y is typed, the cut text is not saved.

  • If a file reference and item-ID are entered, the item is written to the designated file with the specified item-ID. A left parenthesis character is required immediately before the file reference and indicates that a different file is being specified.

See also

Update processor overview

Parent topic: Update processor