Text Processing GUI - like grepWin [Solved]

[@ajaxStardust]

It's different times we live in. I read an article about "the Linux-ification of Windows".

In any case. One of the things about Linux that I find I'm irritated about -- sometimes -- is that there's not an app that already does X,Y,Z. Don't get me wrong. I realize there's a valid and irrefutable reason for that quality. It's the quality that inspires you. Yes. Most likely, you as well. To do something with what you know, and just create it yourself because it's clearly within the realm of possibility.

I like regular expressions. It's probably my favorite thing I encounter when playing with code. It stands to reason that I might be critical about a text processing tool which implements regular expressions.

I really like SearchMonkey... discovered it on MX-Linux 21! (Catfish claims to search content if a checkbox is selected, but i don't think that's true...). But it doesn't replace text (ideally, the regex replacement expression of course).

I realize some text editors (at least I think some do) have the "find and replace in folder" option in their search utility. But I tend to like the way GUI's like SearchMonkey are setup for really digging down into RegEx w/ effective options for some things that might otherwise be a bit confusing or time consuming to come up w/ an complex expression in 2 secs. Also, it's awesome the way it provides the preview w/ optional before/after line selection (just like grep commandline). Highlighting and the whole nine! (screenshot of my custom SearchMonkey search for an NGINX config setting)

The multi-highlight preview-- to me-- is really useful, if not essential for this type of tool. So you can see what your replacements will do if the expression matches unexpected source large or multiple files. The text processor I really like is "TextCrawler" by digital volcano, but only avail for the other platform.

As I was alluding above, if I knew the software app exists, I'll certainly give it a try! I wonder if a person could build a "plugin" for SearchMonkey so it could offer replacements? I wouldn't know where to begin.

So, I'm looking for

• 1.) A software app like SearchMonkey w/ option for match replacement
  2.) whether i'm crazy for thinking about trying to learn to code something when i'm unemployed and otherwise on Indeed all day...
  a.) helpful hints for where to begin
  i.) online gtk tutorial...
  ii.) unemployment line
  b.) where to throw in the towel

Cheers all! Happy Sunday!

[CharlesV]

It sounds like your wanting to check out Regexxer , which is in the MX Package Installer - enabled page.

When I left windows one of the best utilities I struggled finding a replacement for was Search and Replace, which I used ALL the time. I have always worked with grep and sed and learned how to do it via cli, but being a "GUI Guy" .. kept looking. Regexxer is pretty good and filled the spot I was after.

[thomasl]

Not sure whether the following two fit the bill but that's what I've been using for a long time; both utilities are CLI but the second can be enhanced with other tools to provide an interactive mode, ie it works as a TUI.

If I don't need visuals, eg I know that I want to change Q to Z in certain files, I use sd. This is fast and far easier to use than sed (though not as powerful for complex jobs).

If I want to see what's going to happen I use sad, together with fzf and some other interactive CLI utilities. The sad website has descriptions as to how to do that and also a few gaudy example screens. sad will need some upfront configuration but once it's up and running it's amazingly fast and flexible.

[@ajaxStardust]

If I want to see what's going to happen I use sad, together with fzf and some other interactive CLI utilities. The sad website has descriptions as to how to do that and also a few gaudy example screens. sad will need some upfront configuration but once it's up and running it's amazingly fast and flexible.

Thank you for this. I was a bit confused about "sAd" vs sEd. I see you put a URL to the repo. thank you! i just recently installed fzf and didn't invest ANY time in trying to understand its proper use yet.
I think i found that after discovering fsearch. Good stuff!

Have you ever seen this? "Seddy" - a "live tool" for testing sed expressions.

[@ajaxStardust]

It sounds like your wanting to check out Regexxer , which is in the MX Package Installer - enabled page.

Hey there @CharlesV ! Nice to see you, and thank you for the reply!
YES! Regexxer. I def remember using it before! Just tried it. awesome. will have to become acquainted a bit, but i think it's precisely the thing I wanted. thank you, thank you, thank you!
:)

On the subject of the MX Package installer:
I've been a bit confused about it. When I use "Enabled Repos": is that not selecting "all enabled repos"? In other words, I thought using that tab, I was by default also using backports and testing.
Also, not sure about my sources list. Ugh. there's jsut never time to fix everything. lol. some things aren't a big deal (the way I see it) so I don't bother with concern. E.g.

Code: Select all

sudo apt update
...
Err:8 http://nyc.mirrors.clouvider.net/debian bookworm-security Release                            
  404  Not Found [IP: 2a0b:f300:2:b::2 80]

That's fairly "normal", right? and can be ignored? Will "fix itself" so to speak?

Code: Select all

Err:20 https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu bookworm Release
  404  Not Found [IP: 2600:9000:246d:b200:3:db06:4200:93a1 443]
  

this is because i added docker via some tutorial. i think the official Docker site? advised how to "correctly install" docker. (e.g. i believe advised apt remove docker.io , etc then add theirs via cURL). no time to check that ref at moment.

Code: Select all

Reading package lists... Done
E: The repository 'http://nyc.mirrors.clouvider.net/debian bookworm-security Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.
E: The repository 'https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu bookworm Release' does not have a Release file.
N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.
N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.

So, I'm not getting duplicate repo messages. What is the recommended action here? I recall in the past I've had my apt/ rpm sources all messed up and never tended to it properly, and such errors can grow and grow if the correct actions aren't applied thoughtfully.

Advice?

Thank yoU!
And thanks so much for participating in my query about the regex tool!

[CharlesV]

Not sure where you got that cloudvider repo from, but because it is http: and not https: is why your getting that first message - It is not a secure connection. If there is no https then you should remove it.

And yes, remove that docker repo you have listed and get one from docker (and not an ubuntu version .)

If you run repo manager from the menu, you can uncheck the boxes on those and they will no longer be used. (You can also just remove them too, I usually advise to uncheck them first, work that way for a while, THEN remove the lines from your sources.

As for MX Package Installer, my understanding is that all of the tabs server completely different AREA functions. So, no "Enabled Repos" = the repo list that YOU Have in your repos, and not 'all the repos in all those tabs'. ( ie you have to check EACH TAB, unless you have added the test repos to your normal repo list (and checked it - or enabled it.) Which is not a great idea as some packages in the Test repo have NOT been fully tested and should be considered 'beta' )

[MXRobo]

FYI - "Enabled Repos" includes the packages that are usually "enabled", the other repos (test, backports) are disabled and each are temporarily enabled only when installing packages from within those tabs. Stevo provided a reason for this, but it may be to avoid dependency conflicts – at least that idea might suffice conceptually.

Some people permanently enable these in the Repo Manger and then have problems because of this.

[thomasl]

Have you ever seen this? "Seddy" - a "live tool" for testing sed expressions.

No, I haven't. Looks pretty good, thanks for sharing.

[@ajaxStardust]

forgive me. replying before i hit the hay. i didn't realize i'd never seen this.
I'll have to take a close look in the morning. well. it is morning. you get the idea.

@CharlesV - who knows where i got that repo / advisory. i sit here for hours at times without sleep and do dumb $#!t like ... whatever I did there. find myself waking up. meh.