I need a batch file that will find and replace text in a text file!

Does it have to be a Batch file?  This is something that would be relatively simple using a VB script.......if VBS is OK, let me know some more details and I will post something.

Greg

Ok, I need it to replace all the text "TBA" in a .txt file with 12:00am text . I need it to be a batch file.

This is not possible. The batch processor and command line tools of Windows are too limited. There is no way to perform a saerch&replace.
To accomplish this you either need an additional (command line) utility for search&replace that you can call from within your batch OR you have to forget about .bat files and use the Windows Script Host (scripts written in VBScript or JScript). These are .vbs or .js script files that can be launched exactly like the .bat files in the latest versions of windows without additional software and supporting much wider functionalities than batches.

could you send me the file?

could you send me the file? proxy@everyday.com.kh

ok, could you help me make a javascript file .js that will do the find and replace (find TBA and replace with 12:00am)job within the .txt file and copy it form c:\web to c:\cweb

thanx for you help!

here is the script. You can run it with
C:> cscript <scriptname>
or just typyng <scriptname> but in this case the messages may displayed in windows message boxes and you might prefer to remove them (since they wait for the user too click on "OK").

---------
var srcFolder = "C:\\Web";
var dstFolder = "C:\\CWeb";

var fso =new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
if(!fso.FolderExists(srcFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Source folder (" + srcFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}
if(!fso.FolderExists(dstFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Destination folder (" + dstFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}

var fc = new Enumerator(fso.GetFolder(srcFolder).files);
while(!fc.atEnd()) { //for each file in srcFolder
  var fname = fc.item().name;  
  if(fname.match(/\.txt$/)) { //only consider .txt files
    WScript.Echo("Processing " + fname + "...");
    var srcfile = fc.item().OpenAsTextStream(1);
    var srctext = srcfile.AtEndOfStream ? "" : srctext=srcfile.ReadAll();
    srcfile.close();
    var dstfile = fso.CreateTextFile(fso.BuildPath(dstFolder, fname), true);
    dstfile.write(srctext.replace(/TBA/g, "12:00am"));    
    dstfile.close();
  }
  fc.moveNext();
}

I forgot to say that you have to name the file with the script "whatever.js"

ok, one last thing before I GTG, I need it to find a text file called My Tickets.txt in c:\web then after the find and replace, rename it to TTTickets.txt and copy it to c:\cweb

thx you so much for your help alrdy!!

also, I'm getting cscript is not a program internal or external?

Cscript is an external command ususally located in C:\Windows\System32 (if you have win2k or xp).

For the *ticket thing just replace the line "var dstfile=..." with:
    var dstfname= fname == "My Tickets.txt" ? "TTTickets.txt" : fname;
    var dstfile = fso.CreateTextFile(fso.BuildPath(dstFolder, dstfname), true);

BTW, note that this script doesn't modify the files in C:\Web. It only reads tesxt files from C:\Web, do the search&replace in memory and save the results in C:\CWeb\something.txt. Hope this is what you wanted.

ok, its almost working perfectly, but its not renaming, its only making the new file as MyTickets.txt in the correct directory? instead of TTTickets.txt

Sorry, let me clarify. It is doing the find and replace and copying the file perfectly, but it isnt renaming the file to TTTickets.txt. It is removing the space, so it looks like this MyTickets.txt

PERFECT, I'm very sorry I wasn't more specific. My first time using Expert Exchange. I only hope that I can sit down and write a javascript like that , so quickly oneday. I love javascript,I always have. any tips on how to learn it more quickly and completely?

Also, one last question about the script! Can it load a program called c:\cweb\openfeed.exe??? which uploads the text file?


Thank you so much!
Caiapfas
support@ticketstogo.com

Yes, you can find full Windows Script Host documentation and an introduction to jscript at www.microsoft.com/scripting (see links "JScript Documentation" and "Windows Script Host Documentation", these are also available for download using the last 2 links in the same page).
For the execution of openfeed, follow these links (again from the same page mentioned above): Windows Script Host Documentation -> Reference ->Methods -> Run Method. It also has two examples at the end. The equivalent Jscript code (for example 1) is:
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "%windir%\notepad " + WScript.ScriptFullName;

ok, i don't understand . I when to the above site , but only found VBscript?

how can i make this
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "%windir%\notepad " + WScript.ScriptFullName;


run c:\cweb\opfeed.exe?

var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "C:\\cweb\openfeed.exe " + WScript.ScriptFullName;

and if that is it , when do i add it to the script?

Almost:
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "C:\\cweb\\openfeed.exe";

Regarding the position where to insert this piece in the orginal script, it depends on when you want it executed. If you want it executed at the end,after the search&replace thing, just add it at the very end of the file.

These are the links that I see at www.microsoft.com/scripting:
 Script Debugger Documentation
 Remote Scripting Documentation
 JScript Documentation
 VBScript Documentation  
 Windows Script Host Documentation  
 Windows Script Components Documentation  
 Microsoft Windows Script 5.6 Documentation for Download
 Microsoft Windows Script 5.6 Download
The third is javascript.

Your a JavaScript god! If i Had more points I would surely load you up! Might I ask what books, sites you recomend?

I know its due to my stupidity, but i'm getting a error. problay due to where I'm putting the run command.

var srcFolder = "Z:\\web";
var dstFolder = "C:\\cweb";

var fso =new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
if(!fso.FolderExists(srcFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Source folder (" + srcFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}
if(!fso.FolderExists(dstFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Destination folder (" + dstFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}

var fc = new Enumerator(fso.GetFolder(srcFolder).files);
while(!fc.atEnd()) { //for each file in srcFolder
  var fname = fc.item().name;  
  if(fname.match(/\.txt$/)) { //only consider .txt files
    WScript.Echo("Processing " + fname + "...");
    if(fname == "MyTickets.txt") fc.item().move(fname="TTTickets.txt");        
    var srcfile = fc.item().OpenAsTextStream(1);
    var srctext = srcfile.AtEndOfStream ? "" : srctext=srcfile.ReadAll();
    srcfile.close();    
    var dstfile = fso.CreateTextFile(fso.BuildPath(dstFolder, fname), true);
    dstfile.write(srctext.replace(/TBA/g, "12:00am"));    
    dstfile.close();
  }
  fc.moveNext();
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "C:\\cweb\\openfeed.exe";

You have removed one "}" at the end. The file should end like:
...
  }
  fc.moveNext();
}
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "C:\\cweb\\openfeed.exe";

I'm very sorry, I know i'm driving you nuts

But I'm still getting the error?

var srcFolder = "Z:\\web";
var dstFolder = "C:\\cweb";

var fso =new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
if(!fso.FolderExists(srcFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Source folder (" + srcFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}
if(!fso.FolderExists(dstFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Destination folder (" + dstFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}

var fc = new Enumerator(fso.GetFolder(srcFolder).files);
while(!fc.atEnd()) { //for each file in srcFolder
  var fname = fc.item().name;  
  if(fname.match(/\.txt$/)) { //only consider .txt files
    WScript.Echo("Processing " + fname + "...");
    if(fname == "MyTickets.txt") fc.item().move(fname="TTTickets.txt");        
    var srcfile = fc.item().OpenAsTextStream(1);
    var srctext = srcfile.AtEndOfStream ? "" : srctext=srcfile.ReadAll();
    srcfile.close();    
    var dstfile = fso.CreateTextFile(fso.BuildPath(dstFolder, fname), true);
    dstfile.write(srctext.replace(/TBA/g, "12:00am"));    
    dstfile.close();
 }
  fc.moveNext();
}
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run "C:\\cweb\\openfeed.exe";

My mistake, change last line to:
WshShell.Run("C:\\cweb\\openfeed.exe");

ok, I'm getting (Null) The system cannot find the file specified.
I know the path is correct

Probably not, the path must be wrogn: check if it's C: or Z: and use double backslashes "C:\\...", laso check if openfeed is actually a .exe file. I tested the script and works fine.

openfeed is a .exe
this is cut n pasted from explorer - openfeed.exe
I even tried to make the script use a batch file to open the .exe, same error as above?

var srcFolder = "Z:\\";
var dstFolder = "C:\\Program Files\\Openfield Technologies\\OpenFeed\\";

var fso =new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
if(!fso.FolderExists(srcFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Source folder (" + srcFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}
if(!fso.FolderExists(dstFolder)) {
  WScript.Echo("Destination folder (" + dstFolder + ") doesn't exist!");
  WScript.Quit(1);
}

var fc = new Enumerator(fso.GetFolder(srcFolder).files);
while(!fc.atEnd()) { //for each file in srcFolder
  var fname = fc.item().name;  
  if(fname.match(/\.txt$/)) { //only consider .txt files
    WScript.Echo("Processing " + fname + "...");
    if(fname == "MyTickets.txt") fc.item().move(fname="TTTickets.txt");        
    var srcfile = fc.item().OpenAsTextStream(1);
    var srctext = srcfile.AtEndOfStream ? "" : srctext=srcfile.ReadAll();
    srcfile.close();    
    var dstfile = fso.CreateTextFile(fso.BuildPath(dstFolder, fname), true);
    dstfile.write(srctext.replace(/TBA/g, "12:00am"));    
    dstfile.close();
 }
  fc.moveNext();
}
var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell");
WshShell.Run("C:\\Program Files\\Openfield Technologies\\OpenFeed\\openfeed.exe");

oo yea, openfeed has to open up then it goes to the system tray, would this effect it? If so why won't the batch file work, it does when i load it just from the batch file?

Try replacing the last line with:
WshShell.Run("C:\\Windows\\Notepad.exe");

If at the end of the script you see notepad starting without errors then the script is fine and the issue is with your openfeed application.
In any case:
- you probably should open a new request since this is not related to search&replace anymore
- maybe openfeed is not supposed to be used in batch processing but only interactively
- if you still have issues, report exactly the error you are receiving and which program is giving the error. I believe that you are not getting the error from the script but from openfeed. Also try to start openfeed manually from the command prompt and see what happens.

I've been tied up with several projects, so I haven't had a chance to give any input.  It looks like lbertacco has got you pretty well covered, but if for future reference here's a Perl solution.  This assumes that the script is being run in the same directory as the source files; if it's not, then we'll need to make a minor change.

#!perl -w

{local $^I = '.orig';
@ARGV = glob("*.txt");
while (<>) { s/\bwas\b/is/ig; print; } }
@orig = glob("*.orig");
unlink @orig;
system "move Tickets.txt c:/cweb/TTTickets.txt" if (-e 'Tickets.txt');


I love the power of Perl!