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From: John Albert on 7 May 2010 00:15
Hello all -

I've tried searching for solutions to the following problem,
not very successfully.

My question:
Using Apple's "TextEdit" application, how does one _type in_
a "tab" character into the "find/replace" dialog?

I can copy a tab character from the document and then paste
it into the fields of the find/replace dialog, but can't
seem to type a "tab" directly into those fields.

Of course, hitting the "Tab" key doesn't work -- it just
toggles between the "find" and "replace" text entry fields.

Trying to type "Control-i" (which I believe is the control
character for "tab") doesn't work, either.

I currently use the "copy/paste" routine when needed, but
being able to enter the tab character directly from the
keyboard would speed up my work.

Is this possible?

Having written that, I'll also ask this:

Are there any text editors out there that can save
often-used "search and replace" routines? And, thus, skip
having to set up a find/replace dialog at all?

For example, I routinely need to find ". " (period, space)
and replace with ". " (period, tab).

I'd like an app (not-otherwise-too-heavy) that can save
several "canned" search/replace routines for immediate use.

Anything out there that can do that?

Thanks,
- John
From: David Empson on 7 May 2010 01:25
John Albert <j.albert(a)snet.net> wrote:

> I've tried searching for solutions to the following problem,
> not very successfully.
>
> My question:
> Using Apple's "TextEdit" application, how does one _type in_
> a "tab" character into the "find/replace" dialog?

Option-Tab does the trick.

> Having written that, I'll also ask this:
>
> Are there any text editors out there that can save
> often-used "search and replace" routines? And, thus, skip
> having to set up a find/replace dialog at all?

TextWrangler (from BareBones) is a free plain text editor which supports
many advanced features. In the realm of find/replace, this includes
regular expressions and history of recent find/replace operations. It is
also scriptable, so you could drive it via AppleScript to perform a
find/replace.

BBEdit is the commercial big brother of TextWrangler. It adds the
ability to create a Text Factory, which is a scripted set of operations
(including Find/Replace), which is much easier than mucking around with
AppleScript. I've used this feature to do some repetitive text editing
tasks. If you save a text factory with BBEdit, it can also be used by
TextWrangler.

Another option you might be able to use is an Automator script.
Automator has some text processing features, and can create standalone
applications which perform pre-defined scripted tasks.

--
David Empson
dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz
From: John Albert on 7 May 2010 09:47
RE:
"Using Apple's "TextEdit" application, how does one _type
in_ a "tab" character into the "find/replace" dialog?"


Michelle replied:
"option-tab"

Thanks, that works (on the version of TextEdit included with
10.6.3)

Interestingly, it _doesn't_ work on an older version of
TextEdit under 10.3.9 (on my older PowerMac g4). When I type
"Option-Tab" in the find dialog, it invokes the application
switcher.

I also found TextWrangler and will give that a try....
(Thanks, David)

- John
From: Fred Moore on 7 May 2010 11:57
In article <4be41a32$0$9039$2c56edd9(a)usenetrocket.com>,
John Albert <j.albert(a)snet.net> wrote:

> RE:
> "Using Apple's "TextEdit" application, how does one _type
> in_ a "tab" character into the "find/replace" dialog?"
>
>
> Michelle replied:
> "option-tab"
>
> Thanks, that works (on the version of TextEdit included with
> 10.6.3)
>
> Interestingly, it _doesn't_ work on an older version of
> TextEdit under 10.3.9 (on my older PowerMac g4). When I type
> "Option-Tab" in the find dialog, it invokes the application
> switcher.
>
> I also found TextWrangler and will give that a try....
> (Thanks, David)

FYI, in TextWrangler and BBEdit, the search/replace string for tabs is
'\t'. Returns are '\r'. (without the single quotes, of course)
From: Edward Grant on 8 May 2010 14:41
Try iText. I don't remember where I got it but I'm sure a google
search will show it.

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