Re: [h-e-w] Re: Global search/replace across files?

[Stephen Leake]

"Raymond Zeitler" <address@hidden> writes:

> Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but after I mark the 100 or so files
> I want to perform a search and replace on, and press Q, and enter the
> search and replacement regexps, I'm forced to press ! about 100 times
> to do the replacement on all the files. I tried using a prefix
> argument C-u in front of Q, but it then it replaces 0 occurrences.

Yes, that's how it works.

> This is Emacs 21.2 on Win2K.
> 
> Shouldn't Q (dired-do-query-replace-regexp) have a "no ask" option?

Yes, it should. I'll admit I haven't looked for one; try reading the
info about dired-do-query-replace-regexp.

> Shouldn't the mode line indicate how many files are marked?

Well, that might be nice.

> Right now, it's better for me to use my file manager to drag the
> files I want to change into Emacs and then write a macro to iterate
> each file, saving it in the process. 

I tend to record a macro in the dired buffer; the macro starts with
<ret> to open the file, and ends with <next> to position on the next
file. 

> Incidentally, why isn't there something like a
> dired-find-marked-files command? And if "Most commands operate on
> the marked files..." why doesn't "f" (dired-find-file)? Can't I even
> visit the marked files? 

Good question.

> Do I really have to use Explorer to visit them?

Hope not :).

> I'll stop now before my ranting causes you to shoot me.  :)

Well, instead of resorting to violence, I'll point out that Emacs is
open source, so _you_ can fix these problems!

-- 
-- Stephe