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Does the Search and Replace extension allow wildcards on the description field?

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Gerd

09 Sep, 2025 01:00 PM

Hi I am using the Search and Replace extension very often.

One thing I have not found out if it allows wildcards to be used in the description field.. I tried * and & but that does not work.
Unfortunately the User Guide does not open for me, I get a message in Safari that the server was not found.

1. 1 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 09 Sep, 2025 01:33 PM

   

   Help pdf here.
   https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/discussions/general-questions/19...

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2. 2 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 09 Sep, 2025 01:34 PM

   

   See same thread. Perhaps using = and a regex might help?

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3. 3 Posted by Gerd on 10 Sep, 2025 10:07 AM

   

   Thanks for the link. I got the user guide.
   However, I tried some of the regex used in the thread tried to adjust it to my search value, also checked on the internet for regex syntax, but none worked for my description. Either nothing was displayed, or everything was displayed, even though the text did not match the value in my regex string.

   Would you have an example what I would have to enter for a description value like Amazon or TESCO?

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4. 4 Posted by dwg on 10 Sep, 2025 10:59 AM

   

   I think Regex may only work in the Free text search field.

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5. 5 Posted by Gerd on 10 Sep, 2025 11:11 AM

   

   That's the field I use for my description. I just cannot figure out what regex search string I have to enter

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6. 6 Posted by Gerd on 10 Sep, 2025 11:35 AM

   

   I found the right string that work with a singe value in the free text field
   =^\s*Amazon\s*
   shows me all the Amazon payees that start with Amazon.
   Now I have to figure out how to find text within a word, like for AMZNMktplace I would like to search for Mktplace, and last I would like to look for multiple value like Amazon and AMZNMktplace.

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7. 7 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 10 Sep, 2025 12:43 PM

   

   Try
   

   =(?i)\s*\bAmazon[^\s]\b\s
   

   Or even
   

   =(?i)\b(?:Amazon|\QTesco\E|\QAldi\E)[^\s]*\b
   

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8. 8 Posted by dwg on 11 Sep, 2025 04:08 AM

   

   It looks like the regex implementation in F & R will work with very simple expressions.

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9. 9 Posted by Gerd on 11 Sep, 2025 09:32 AM

   

   Thank you very much, Stuart, I tried them when I got back yesterday night, and they sure work.
   Can I still ask you for a search string that would work like a "text contains"? For example if I have AMZNMktplace I would need a string where I could look for Mktpl or Mkt and the regex search finds those transactions. Then I could even search for a certain TESCO NNNN (NNNN = store number), if I want to find out how often I have been at a certain store, or what the total purchases were.

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10. 10 Posted by dwg on 11 Sep, 2025 09:47 AM

    

    I would expect something like

    =.*Mktpl.*

    would work

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11. 11 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 11 Sep, 2025 10:12 AM

    

    @Gerd.... ChatGPT is your friend here.. Just ask it for regex strings and it will help... Feed it the examples that you know work as clues...

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12. 12 Posted by Gerd on 11 Sep, 2025 02:41 PM

    

    Thank you, dwg, I now really feel stupid. The ones from #7 of course worked. ButI tried a good number of other strings, either did not get anything or everything, even ones that were not part of the string.
    I had not tried your search string, which works perfectly.

    And Stuart, I am already a bit older, thus, have not played around with ChatGTP very much, but see, that I should use it more often.

    Thanks guys, for your continued help.

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13. 13 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 11 Sep, 2025 03:08 PM

    

    FYI - I just updated the extension - available here:
    https://infinitekind.com/app/md/extensions/preview/findandreplace.mxt

    Now links to the (old) user guide
    Now has a tooltip to mention that =regex works too...

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14. 14 Posted by Gerd on 11 Sep, 2025 04:19 PM

    

    Hi Stuart,
    are you the one that created the search and replace extension? if yes, I wanted to mention 2 suggestions I had added in this thread
    https://infinitekind.tenderapp.com/discussions/praise/1551-find-and-replace-extension
    If you don't mind have a look at my comments #7 and #9.
    This would be a very helpful add-on.

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15. 15 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 11 Sep, 2025 04:51 PM

    

    Not guilty I'm afraid.. I lurk around here and try and keep (other people's) extensions alive... But unless a request really catches my attention, then it probably won't get done...

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16. 16 Posted by dwg on 11 Sep, 2025 08:49 PM

    

    F & R is now owned/maintained by The Infinite KInd (Moneydance), it should be considered a core extension as it is the way replace data in bulk along with Batch Change it is also the only way to work with Tags globally.

    So I think that any request to make improvements is up to TIK to consider.

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17. 17 Posted by Gerd on 12 Sep, 2025 05:27 AM

    

    Thanks dwg, I am going to put it into the suggestions.

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18. Gerd closed this discussion on 20 Sep, 2025 10:20 AM.