Using RegEX To Prefix And Append In Notepad++

Question

I have quite a large list of words in a txt file and I'm trying to do a regex find and replace in Notepad++. I need to add a string before each line and after each line.. So that:

wordone
wordtwo
wordthree

become

able:"wordone"
able:"wordtwo"
able:"wordthree"

How can I do this?

Answer 1

Assuming alphanumeric words, you can use:

Search  = ^([A-Za-z0-9]+)$
Replace = able:"\1"

Or, if you just want to highlight the lines and use "Replace All" & "In Selection" (with the same replace):

Search = ^(.+)$

^ points to the start of the line.
$ points to the end of the line.

\1 will be the source match within the parentheses.

Answer 2

Why don't you use the Notepad++ multiline editing capabilities?

Hold down Alt while selecting text (using your usual click-and-drag approach) to select text across multiple lines. This is sometimes also referred to as column editing.

You could place the cursor at the beginning of the file, Press (and hold) Alt, Shift and then just keep pressing the down-arrow or PageDown to select the lines that you want to prepend with some text :-) Easy. Multiline editing is a very useful feature of Notepad++. It's also possible in Visual Studio, in the same manner, and also in Eclipse by switching to Block Selection Mode by pressing Alt+Shift+A and then use mouse to select text across lines.

Answer 3

Regular Expression that can be used:

Find: \w.+
Replace: able:"$&"

As, $& will give you the string you search for.

Refer: regexr

Answer 4

Use a Macro.

Macro>Start Recording

Use the keyboard to make your changes in a repeatable manner e.g.

home>type "able">end>down arrow>home

Then go back to the menu and click stop recording then run a macro multiple times.

That should do it and no regex based complications!