"Batch" function to apply a macro to multiple text files

[DiamondEagle]

I've written a macro that will apply some formatting rules to text files. I now need to apply the macro to a few hundred text files in various directories on a server. I need to iterate through all the folders on the server and apply the macro to each of the text files in each of the folders, eg:

\\serverX\2007\Jan (contains 100 text files)
\\serverX\2007\Feb (contains 200 text files)
\\serverX\2007\Mar (contains 500 text files)
\\serverX\2007\Apr (contains 200 text files)

So, there are a total of 1000 text files in the folders in the \\serverX\2007 directory. I need to run the macro on all 1000 text files.

Is there a "batch" command in UE that will allow me to go through each of the folders and apply the macro to all the text files in these folders?

[jorrasdk]

Hi DiamondEagle

If you searched forum for "batch" you will see several discussions of invoking UE in command line mode and specifying a file list to open and macro to invoke - see for instance:
Search & replace macro from a list of file names

But I have used another approach several times - but it is only possible for UE13 !

Under "Advanced / tool configuration" I have made a tool called "DIR" with performs a simple DIR dos command :

Code: Select all

DIR /A-D-H-S /B /S C:\temp\work\*.xml %modify%

(see DIR /? for explanation)
Tool options: Create new file, capture output, %modify% = popup box with command line

The macro I want to use on multiple files is assigned in "Macro" "Set macro for file load/save". I use "..on load" 1 times.

You might want to guard against this macro being invoked on unwanted files - for example use a test with IfExtIs (tests extension)

Code: Select all

InsertMode
ColumnModeOff
HexOff
UnixReOff
IfExtIs "xml"
"DO STUFF"
EndIf

To process multiple files with the macro of choice, I then use this script:

Code: Select all

//batchInvokeMacro.js
//Configure a tool called "DIR" that performs a DOS DIR command (see in findDirFiles)

var CRLF = "\r\n";

dirFiles = new Array();
findDirFiles();

if (dirFiles.length>0)
  performBatchProcessing();

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Call tool "DIR" which make
// dir /A-D-H-S /B /S root-filepath/filemask
// (no dirs, no hidden, no system, short list, subdirectories)
// root-filepath/filemask of your choice (eg. c:\temp\*.txt)
// tool should capture DOS output to new file
function findDirFiles() {
   UltraEdit.runTool("DIR");
   dirDoc = UltraEdit.document[getActiveDocumentIndex()];
   dirDoc.selectAll();
   var dirOutput = dirDoc.selection;
   dirFiles = dirOutput.split(CRLF);
  UltraEdit.closeFile(dirDoc.path,2);
}

/* loop through files and do processing of your choice */
function performBatchProcessing() {
   for (i=0;i<dirFiles.length;i++) {
      if (dirFiles[i].length>0) {
         UltraEdit.open(dirFiles[i]); /* Open file, load macro "fires" */
         UltraEdit.closeFile(dirFiles[i],1); /* save and close */
      }
   }
}

/* Find the tab index of the active document */
function getActiveDocumentIndex() {
   var tabindex = -1; /* start value */

   for (i = 0; i < UltraEdit.document.length; i++)
   {
      if (UltraEdit.activeDocument.path==UltraEdit.document[i].path) {
         tabindex = i;
         break;
      }
   }
   return tabindex;
}

Remember to remove your "..on load" macro option if this was a one time job.

Now adjust the above to your situation and then go get a cut of coffee while the script works its way through a 1000 files. I hope you found some inspiration in this.

Cheers, jorrasdk

[maryv]

Very slick! Nice work, jorrasdk!