thank you

@Revreo

this means, that the font you used previously has been corrupted.
If you do a web search for fix broken font you should get a plenty
of links which will show you what needs to be done in order to make
this font working properly again.
Btw. npps default font used by the editor control is, afaik, Courier New.

Cheers
Claudia

Hi, @claudia-frank,

In other words, considering the general case, we have to search for C text, between two limits A and B

But, how to define text, which is between these two limits ? Well, simply, because, at ANY location reached :

A limit A must not be found, further on, in the same line

A limit B must be found, further on, in the same line

This implies the two conditions to respect :

The negative look-ahead (?!.*?A)

The positive look-ahead (?=.+?B)

In our particular case :

Limit A is the string "file:\x2F\x2F ( \x2F represents the normal slash character, / )

Limit B is the simple ending " character

And, of course, C is the regex to get special characters [^\w:/.]

Just notice that we could swap the two lookarounds, without any problem ! Remember that, at any location, reached by the regex engine, the two conditions, resulting of the look-arounds, are, necessarily, both, evaluated !

Thus, the complete search regex (?-is)(?=.+?")(?!.*?"file:\x2F\x2F)[^\w:/.], correctly, find the same special characters, as in my previous post !

Now, using the example text, below :

A sim^ple tes#t "file://^598C308F;75D2A1D485#22405CE21918@E94D6475FC22E^pimgpsh_thumbnail_win_distr.jpg" A si;mple Te@st

As long as the current regex engine location is before the string "file:…, the negative look-ahead (?!.*?"file:\x2F\x2F) is not true, so no overall match is possible, whatever the text C searched

As soon as the current regex engine location is at the ending " double quote, or further on, the positive look-ahead (?=.+?") is false, so no overall match is possible, too, whatever the text C searched

But, when the current regex engine location is, BOTH, right after the "file:… string AND before the ending " double quote, the two conditions are, simultaneously, TRUE. So, an overall match may be found, providing it, also, matches the C text. That is to say, the regex [^\w:/.]

Cheers,

guy038

P.S. :

Note that when the current regex engine location is right after the starting double quote, the negative look-ahead (?!.*?"file:\x2F\x2F), this time, is true. So, we need to include the semicolon and the slash, as regular characters. Otherwise, they would be found and deleted, as well as the dot character !

Hello, @gregory-west,

No doubt, @claudia-Frank, that your macro does the job, correctly !!

But, I’m thinking about an easier method !

First, select any range of characters that is to be repeated, several times, with additional text

( In our example it would be all the characters, located to the left of a specific column ! )

Secondly, opens the Replace dialog ( Ctrl + H )

=> The selection is, automatically, filled up, in the Search what: box

In the Replace with: box, simply type $0 added text $0 another text $0

Select the Regular expression search mode ( IMPORTANT )

Click on the Replace button, several times or just once time the Replace All button

Et voilà !

Notes :

The $0 syntax represents ALL the search contents !

To insert a new string, just do any other selection and update the Replace dialog, hitting the Ctrl + H shortcut !

You may, as well, change the additional replacement text. For example : $0 This is $0 the text $0 to insert, among the "$0" strings

Remark :

Gregory, if your selection contains one, or more, of these 13 characters . [ { } ( ) \ * + ? ^ $ |, you’ll must escape each of them, with a backslash ( \ ), as there are special regex characters !

Best Regards,

guy038

thank you so much for the suggestion.
i deleted a few of the installed plugins and the problem immediately disappeared.
phew!
npp is my favorite text editor-
thanks again,