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search for single and special characters [message #1098] Sun, 01 November 2020 07:54 Go to next message
falsifiable
Messages: 1
Registered: November 2020
Junior Member
Hi,

I'd need to find files that contain "read.table" R "+". How do I search for the standalone single R character and the plus sign?

I found no documentation on how to search for special characters. Sorry if I missed the obvious.

thanks
Re: search for single and special characters [message #1099 is a reply to message #1098] Mon, 02 November 2020 10:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 383
Registered: April 2020
Senior Member
The following only applies to FoxTrot Pro, version 7:

To search for the whole word "R" in uppercase, immediately followed by a "+", you can search for:
[contents] [includes the exact string] [ignoring: ] [R+]

But if the R character may be preceded by other alphabetical characters, and thus it is not a whole word, then instead you can search for:
[all items of type] [any file or folder]
[then apply advanced filter] [contents] [contains the string] [R+] []

This is more flexible, but it is much slower; try to reduce the number of files to apply the filter on, for example:
[all items of type] [source code]
[then apply advanced filter] ...

or more preferably:
[contents] [includes consecutive words] [read.table]
[then apply advanced filter] ...

You can also consider using [then apply advanced filter] [contents] [contains the regular expression] for even more complex searches.

For more info, take a look at https://help.foxtrot-search.com/700-advanced-searches#page-toc-5


Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
Re: search for single and special characters [message #1100 is a reply to message #1099] Mon, 02 November 2020 10:59 Go to previous message
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 383
Registered: April 2020
Senior Member
For example, if "R" may be preceded by some other alphabetical characters, but "+" may NOT be followed by alphabetical characters:
[contents] [includes consecutive words] [read.table]
[then apply advanced filter] [contents] [contains the regular expression] [R\+\b]


Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
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