Search and replace option in Bot editor
- Updated: 2023/05/25
Search and replace option in Bot editor
The search and replace feature enables you to search for any text or string and variable within an action in the Bot editor, and replace it with text or string and variables of the same type. This feature helps in bulk replacement within the bot.
- Click option.
- Click the Search in this bot icon and click the Open search and replace icon.
- Use Ctrl + H shortcut key.
Search type
- String: To search for text or string.
- Variable name: To search for a variable.
![Search and replace feature](https://automationanywhere-be-prod.automationanywhere.com/bundle/enterprise-v2019/page/enterprise-cloud/topics/aae-client/bot-creator/using-the-workbench/../../../../../searchreplacetype.png?_LANG=enus)
Search
In the Search field, enter the term or keyword you want to search. You can search for a text value, variable name, or long text that has multiple matches.
Replace
- If the Search type field is String, then enter the text or string in the Replace field to replace it.
- If the Search type field is Variable name, then select the variable from the Replace field.
- Ensure that you enter different values or select different variables in Search and Replace fields.
- Search field is case-sensitive.
- When you set the Search type to Variable, the Search is applicable only for the used variables.
- Any search text that you have used in the Search
field of the Advanced search window is retained in
the Search field of the Search and
replace tab.
For example, if you have used the keyword 'commands' in the Search field and then open the Advanced search window, the keyword 'commands' is retained in the Search field of the Advanced search window.
- You can only use the to search a string value. Although you can search and replace the variable types such as number, boolean or datetime, you cannot search or replace their values.
Results
The Results header displays the total count of matched action names and the count of selected actions or line item in a bot. For each action name listed, the line number containing the action and the total matching results found within the action details are displayed as Action or Trigger | Line number | Number of matches.
You can select one, or all line items where the search keyword appears for replacement. When you click the Replace button, all the selected line items are replaced. automatically
Consider the following example when you select the Search type as String. Enter Please enter your commands to loop in the Search field and Please do not edit this in the Replace field. Select the Comment check box for items you want to replace, and click Replace button at the bottom.
![Search and replace feature](https://automationanywhere-be-prod.automationanywhere.com/bundle/enterprise-v2019/page/enterprise-cloud/topics/aae-client/bot-creator/using-the-workbench/../../../../../searchreplace.png?_LANG=enus)
Similarly, here is a sample scenario where you want to search and replace a loop counter variable. You select the Search type as Variable-name. Use the Search drop-down menu to select Loop-Counter-2, click Replace drop-down menu and select Loop-Counter. In the Results tab, select the line item where you want to replace the loop counter and click the Replace button at the bottom.
![Search and replace feature](https://automationanywhere-be-prod.automationanywhere.com/bundle/enterprise-v2019/page/enterprise-cloud/topics/aae-client/bot-creator/using-the-workbench/../../../../../searchreplacevariable.png?_LANG=enus)
- The Results tab displays the total count of search
terms present in a bot, along with the corresponding line
number in the action. However, only the count of matching
line items (or actions) within the bot are
displayed.
Each line item can have multiple matches and is not counted in the total matching line items. For individual line items, the count of multiple matches is displayed within the particular line item in the Results tab.
- The Replace button is enabled when you select one of the line items in the Results tab.
- Click the line item to get more details from the action. If there are multiple matches for the same line item in the detailed view, they are all displayed and you can select the specific match to replace them.
- The Next and Previous arrows at the bottom of the dialog allows you to navigate to the next and previous items in the search list.