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Find and Replace (CLI)

Current Status

The CLI backend does not have built-in Find/Replace commands. The CLI follows the classic MBASIC-80 command set, which did not include these features.

Alternative Methods

Finding Text in Your Program

Method 1: LIST with Line Ranges

Search visually by listing portions of your program:

LIST 100-200     ' List lines 100 to 200
LIST 500-        ' List from line 500 to end
LIST -100        ' List from start to line 100

Method 2: Save and Search Externally

SAVE "TEMP.BAS"
Then use shell commands: 
grep "SEARCH_TERM" TEMP.BAS
grep -n "PRINT" TEMP.BAS  # Show line numbers

Method 3: Use LIST and Visual Scan

LIST            ' Show entire program
Scroll through output to find text.

Replacing Text

Method 1: Direct Line Replacement

To replace text, retype the entire line:

100 PRINT "Old text"    ' Original line
100 PRINT "New text"    ' Type this to replace

Method 2: Delete and Re-enter

100             ' Delete line 100
100 PRINT "New" ' Add new line 100

Method 3: External Editor

SAVE "PROGRAM.BAS"
Edit in external editor, then: 
NEW
LOAD "PROGRAM.BAS"

Batch Operations

Replacing Variable Names

If you need to rename a variable throughout your program:

  1. Save the program: 

    SAVE "ORIGINAL.BAS"

  2. Use external tools: 

    sed 's/OLDVAR/NEWVAR/g' ORIGINAL.BAS > MODIFIED.BAS

  3. Load modified version: 

    NEW
LOAD "MODIFIED.BAS"

Finding All Occurrences

To find all uses of a variable or statement:

SAVE "SEARCH.BAS"

In shell: 

grep -n "VARIABLE_NAME" SEARCH.BAS
grep -n "GOSUB" SEARCH.BAS

Using Other UIs

For built-in Find/Replace, use the Tk UI:

# Start Tk UI instead of CLI
python3 mbasic --ui tk

Tk UI provides: - {{kbd:find:tk}} for Find dialog - {{kbd:replace:tk}} for Replace dialog - F3 for Find Next - Visual highlighting

Tips for CLI Users

  1. Use meaningful line numbers - Group related code
  2. Comment your code - Makes visual searching easier
  3. Keep procedures together - Related SUBs in sequence
  4. Use consistent naming - Easier to find/replace manually

Why No Find/Replace in CLI?

The CLI maintains compatibility with original MBASIC-80, which predated modern text editing features. The CLI focuses on: - Authentic classic experience - Command-line automation - Batch processing - Testing and debugging

For modern editing conveniences, we recommend the Tk or Web UIs.

Examples

Example: Finding a Subroutine

REM Find subroutine at line 1000
LIST 1000-1100

Example: Replacing a PRINT Statement

REM Original
250 PRINT "Hello"

REM To replace, just retype:
250 PRINT "Goodbye"

Example: Finding All GOSUBs

SAVE "TEMP.BAS"
REM Then in shell: grep GOSUB TEMP.BAS

See Also