Replace text in a text file

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Hi!

And old question, I know. But the answers here is too complicated for me :slight_smile:

Is there a simple way of change the word(s) “null” in a text file to “” (nothing)?

/Jonas

#2

There’s many ways to do this.

choose file with prompt "Replace text in this file:" without invisibles
set theFile to result

display dialog "Find this:" default answer ""
set find to text returned of result

display dialog "Replace with:" default answer ""
set replace to text returned of result

try
	set fileRef to open for access theFile with write permission
	set fileText to read result
	
	set ASTID to AppleScript's text item delimiters
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to find
	set fileText to every text item of fileText
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to replace
	set fileText to (fileText as text)
	set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ASTID
	
	write fileText to fileRef starting at 0
	close access fileRef

	display dialog "Script finished." buttons "OK" default button 1
on error errorMsg number errorNum
	try
		close access fileRef
	end try
	display dialog "Error: (" & errorNum & "):" & return & return & errorMsg buttons "Cancel" default button 1
end try
#3

Nice!

But if I don’t want the dialogs, just the replace function…?

#4

You didn’t need to start another thread.

Is this a standalone script, or do you want something that you can include in another script?

If you’re just trying to get rid of the dialogs, try change the top part of the second script.

choose file with prompt "Replace text in this file:" without invisibles
set theFile to result

display dialog "Find this:" default answer ""
set find to text returned of result

display dialog "Replace with:" default answer ""
set replace to text returned of result

.to something like this:

property theFile : "" -- put a valid file inside the quotes
property find : "null"
property replace : ""

If what you really wanted was a function, then you should have said so. Then I would’ve pointed you to this thread.

Edit: You should’ve found the above thread if you used the forum’s search function. Of course, there are other ways to find it. (I just found that yesterday, so I had to try it out. :P)

#5

I tried to search but there was no hits what so ever that helped me :confused:

But you have come to my rescue so everything is all right now :lol:

Anyway…
I’m almost there but there is one step left.
i cant write the results of the replace to the file.

Here is the script:
(The word “WHAT?” is a substitute for the thing i’m looking for)

set the_file to "Macintosh HD:Users:abisilla:Desktop:images:TheTextFile.txt"
findAndReplace("null", "hello", the_file)

on findAndReplace(tofind, toreplace, TheString)
	set ditd to text item delimiters
	set res to missing value
	set text item delimiters to tofind
	repeat with tis in text items of TheString
		if res is missing value then
			set res to tis
		else
			set res to res & toreplace & tis
		end if
	end repeat
	set text item delimiters to ditd
	return res
end findAndReplace

try
	(open for access the_file with write permission) as text
	set eof of the_file to 0
	write "WHAT?" to the_file starting at eof as list
	close access the_file

end try

…hoping