Does XMLmind XML editor have a way/workaround for quickly inspecting
the
replaced text after a single replace command? If not, could it be
addeda?
*General use case:*
* To be able to stopp a replace *and* inspect the result before
proceeding to replace the next occurence of the same search term.
*The problem in XMLmind:*
* When search terms occur, say, every 100th line, and because, for
each replace, the selection/pointer immediately jumps to the next
occurrence of the search term, replace causes the resulting
change
to disappear out of sight, out of the screen. How do I jump back
to
the replaced text to inspect it?
*Alteratives, (1) a solution or (2) a workaround:*
1. A new replace function that brings focus to the replaced text for
easy inspection of result. (Users must thus manually initate the
next search for the term.) Such solutions usually discern between
3
replace functions: «Replace» (hightlights result), «Replace
and
Search» (works like «Replace» in XMLmind) and «Replace all».
I have
two word processors for Mac that work like this.
2. Or (add) a manual, generic command (e.g. Undo+Redo) to be
executed
*after* a replace to relocate the replaced text. Many word
processors works like this. And XMLmind does in theory have this
functionality, but in practice it barely does.
3. Or is there already a solution?
Programs of the second kind, such as XMLmind, typically have two
replace
functions: «Replace» and «Replace all». These programs *usually*
(but
not in XMLmind’s case) have a generic workaround that allows you to
relocate the replaced text:
* After any replace command, simply reach for the shortcut of
«Undo»
to undo last replace, and then reach for the shortcut of «Redo»
to
replace it again. The insertion point will then be placed right
beside the replaced text. For users that are in the need/habit of
inspecting their replace results, this is simple, generic and
relatively intuitive: Undo/Redo are easy to reach and well
known).
But, again, this workaround does not work in XMLmind:
* Accessing the shortcut for «Undo» while using «Replace» does
*not*
interrupt or undo the current replace. (There isn’t even a
warning
sound/signal to show that the feature isn’t available.) Instead
and
(AFAIK) unlike any other programme I tried, one must activate
«Stop»
(via button or F2 key) before the «Undo» shortcut will work.
*Bug?:* Although it is a pretty impracticable solution, it *is*
actually
possible to use «Undo» to interrupt and undo a replace, but only if
one
accesses it via the mouse (by selecting «Undo» from the «View»
menu). Is
this perhaps an oversight from you, the developers, that the shortcut
/doesn’t/ work when mouse+menu /does/ work? Perhaps there is some
low
hanging fruit here?
Ok. Hope this was clear.
