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Hamatoma edited this page Aug 6, 2022 · 1 revision

Table of Contents

Overview

  • clear A buffer can be cleared. If the buffer does not yet exist, it will be created.
  • copy Copies one buffer into another, or a given text into a buffer.
  • count Counts the occurrences of a search pattern in a buffer.
  • duplicate "Duplicate" a text, whereby consecutive numbers, consecutive character strings or specified individual values can be contained with placeholders.
  • execute Execute commands in a buffer.
  • filter Patterns are used to specify the parts of the input that should appear in the output.
  • load Load a buffer with a file content.
  • replace This can be used to replace search patterns. Strings or regular expressions can be used as search patterns.
  • reverse Sort the rows in reverse order.
  • show Prints information about internal structures.
  • sort Sort row by row.
  • store Store a buffer to a file.
  • swap Swaps the contents of two buffers.

Objective

The Textbutler is a flutter app. This allows the "conversion of text", whereby a Input text is converted into a Output text, but also "information" about a text.

As a conversion there is:

  • "Multiplication": a text appears several times, with parts changing, for example a sequential number.
  • Filtering: By specifying a search pattern, only parts of the template are accepted
  • Deletions: Specifying a search pattern removes parts of the template
  • Substitutions: Parts are changed by specifying a search pattern and a replacement. References to the hit location can be contained in the replacement text.
  • Sorting: Sorting according to different specifications
  • Reversion: Sort in reverse order
The information is:
  • The number of a search pattern

Structure (syntax)

The actions are specified with "commands" in an input line. Every command has parameters.

The program manages any number of text buffers, which are marked with names. There are predefined buffers:

  • input: is used by default as a template for the conversion.
  • output: is used as the target of the conversion by default.
  • history: the commands are stored there. Incorrect commands are marked with a leading "#".
  • examples: there is at least one example for each command, the most important parameters are listed.
  • log: If inconsistencies occur during processing, the messages are output here.
The program offers four text areas, for each area you can use a combo box to determine which buffer is displayed there. Each buffer can only be displayed once. If you set a buffer that already has another display, another buffer that has not yet been displayed is assigned to this display.

Abbreviation of command names and parameter names

Commands can be shortened as long as the input is clear, as can the parameters: For example, there are the commands "clear", "copy" and "count". So "cl" is unique, or "cop" or "cou", but not "c" or "co".

Commands

Commands consist of the command name and parameters which start with parameter=value must be specified, except for boolean parameters, there is no "assignment". The order of the parameters is irrelevant.

Convention for Plural parameters: If there is a singular and plural parameter, the plural parameter is capitalised: Example: value and Values. Reason: This means that both names can be greatly abbreviated.

Parameters with texts need Delimiters. Any character except letters and digits can be used as a delimiter, it is only important that the selected delimiter is placed before and after the string. Valid examples are regexpr=!<a href="#">(.*?)</a>!, what="super" or text=?Delimiters are " or '?.

Interpolated texts

There are also interpolated texts: These are marked with an 'i' and an ESC character in front of the delimiter.

Example: 

text=i&"Name: joe&nId: 101&n"

In interpolated texts, meta-constructs such as line breaks, tabs... can appear: These are written with the ESC character and an identifier. In the following, the ESC symbol & is used:

  • &n is a newline
  • &t is a tab
  • &r is a "carriage return"
  • &v is a vertical tab
  • &f is a FormFeed (page break)
  • &<bufferName> is the content of the buffer "bufferName"
  • Note: The special form &[bufferName]type" can be used for string lists. Description below.

Strings without delimiters

There are strings that do not need a delimiter because they are one character long or cannot contain blanks (buffer names).

Example: 

input=script

== String lists, auto separator Parameters with lists need a separator that separates the list elements. If the list contains text, an auto-separator is used: this is the first character of the list.

Example: 

Values=;"a";i~/"Hi~n/;'/home/bin'</code>.
Here a list with three texts is defined, the first text has as delimiter ", the second is an interpreted text with meta character ~ and delimiter "/", the third uses as delimiter '.

Auto separators have the advantage over fixed separators that conflicts with the rest of the text can be avoided.

String lists with interpreted text

A string list can also be expressed with an interpreted string. The content of the list is then fetched from a buffer:

  • i&"&[bufferName]type&" The content of buffer "bufferName" is inserted as a list, where "type" specifies how the content is separated into list elements. "type" can be:
    * '''line''' Each line is a list element
    * '''sentence''' The list items are separated by blank lines
  • Multiple use of the pattern is possible, i.e. assembling the list from several buffers.
  • Mixing with constant list elements and list elements from buffers is possible.
Example: 
Values=;"header";i%"%[data]line%";"footer"
Buffer "data" contains: 
Johnny
Eve
The list then contains the elements: 
headers
Johnny
Eve
footer

Regular Expressions

A regular expression is syntactically a string prefixed with 'r' (case-sensitive) or 'R' (case-insensitive).

Of course, a regular expression only makes sense for search patterns.

Examples 

# Simple search string for decimals:
what=r/(\d+)/
# list of search strings, finds "<name>" and "<id>" and "<BR/>> and "<br/> ...
What=;r/<(name|id)>/;R"<br/?>"

A mixture with interpreted texts is possible, then ri<Esc> or Ri<Esc> is placed before the delimiter: 

what=Ri&/###&<name>&\d+/
Here it searches for "###" followed by the contents of the buffer "name" followed by a decimal number, case insensitive.

Parameter Types

Surname description examples
bool realtime value. No value is required for this. The "value" is created when the parameter is specified with type bool (without '=').
bufferName Name of a buffer. Without delimiters. Only letters, digits and '_'. input ScriptSQL
character exactly one character. Without delimiters. % ~
nat "natural" number, that is a non negative integer. 0 3299
natList List of natural numbers, separator is comma ',', so no autoseparator. 3,9,2,44
pattern Match pattern: either a string, a case-insensitive string, a regular expression. Each of these subtypes may be interpolating. "simple string" I/case insensitive string/ i~"one~ntwo~n" r![rR]eg( ular)? [eE]xpr!
patternList List of search patterns, with autoseparator. ;r/[Rr]eg[eE]xp/;I/name/;"Adam"
string String with delimiters, also interpolated. "Adam" i~'1~n2'
stringList List of strings, with autoseparator. ;"Adam";!"Adam" and "Eve"!

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