#Please insert up references in the next lines (line starts with keyword UP)
UP	arb.hlp
UP	glossary.hlp

#Please insert subtopic references  (line starts with keyword SUB)
#SUB	commands.hlp
SUB	regexpr.hlp

TITLE	Search and Replace Tool (SRT)


DESCRIPTION	The String Parser is used to search and replace substrings.


OCCURRENCE      TREE/Species/Search:PARSE FIELD
                TREE/Properties/NDS


SECTION         SYNTAX

        'search=replace'	means search all occurrences of 'search'
				and replace it by 'replace'

	Different search/replace commands can be separated by ':':

        	'search1=replace1:search2=replace2: ... :searchn=replacen'

SECTION SPECIAL CHARACTERS

	Search && Replace string:

		:               separates two commands
		=               separates the search from the replace string
		\               Escape symbol
		\\              the '\' symbol itself
		|               newline
		\t              tabulator
		\:              ':'
		\=              '='
		\?              '?'
		\*              '*'

	Search string:

		?               single letter wildcard
		*               multi letter wildcard

	Replace string:

		?               a reference to the corresponding single
                                letter wildcard in the search string
                                (if no digit or '(' follows).
		?n              n = { 1,...,9 }
                                a reference to the n'th single letter wildcard
                                in the search string
		*               a reference to the corresponding multi
                                letter wildcard in the search string
                                (no digit or '(' follows).
		*n              n = { 1,...,9 }
                                a reference to the n'th multi letter wildcard
                                in the search string
		*(key)          the value of a database field named <key>
                                if this field does not exits then the string ''
		*(key#mystring) the value of a database field named <key>
                                if this field does not exits then the string 'mystring'
		*(key\:nsrt)    invokes the SRT recursively on the value of the
                                database field 'key'
                                NOTE: All ':' have to be 'escaped'
		*([key]|ACI)    starts ACI (see LINK{commands.hlp})
                                on the value of '[key]' (which may be empty).


EXAMPLES
		'p?r=p?w'

                        replaces all	par to paw
                                        pbr to pbw
                                        pcr to pcw ...

		'p??r=p?2?1r'

                        swaps the two letters between p and r

		'a*=b*'

                        replaces only the first 'a' by 'b'

		'?* *=?. *2'

                    Replaces the first word by its first letter + '.'

		'\:=\n'

                        replaces all ':' by <newline>

		'*=* *(key1)'

                     appends the database field <key1>.
                     if <key1> does not exists append nothing

		'*=* *(key1#no info)'

				appends the database field <key1>
				if <key1> does not exists append
				'no info'

		'*=*(key2\: =)'

                            The value of 'key2' with all spaces removed

		'*=*(key2|remove(.-))'

				the value of the database entry 'key2',
				but all '.' and '-' characters removed

WARNINGS
		Be careful when search or replace string contain
		special characters (such as ':'). Avoid to write too
		complicated commands.

BUGS
                None