Multiline Search and Replace in Visual Studio

I was cleaning my older VB .NET project some time ago. I just wanted to "refactor" some code to look more readable. All I needed was several replaces of multiline text. VS 2002, 2003 nor 2005 is unable to perform multiline search/replace. So I wrote a macro that can do it.

As you know, you can use regular expressions (regex in next text) in standard Find/Search. See Regular Expressions in MSDN for more info. You can define newline by \n sequence in regex . So theoretically, all you need to do is to replace newline by \n in Find what and Replace with boxes and select Regular Expressions in Use box. But that means that you cannot just simply copy and paste the text to this dialog.

There's another problem. Regex uses many characters which have special meaning, for example * + [ ] . ^ $ : < > etc. You can find complete definition in MSDN. That means that your original text cannot contain these characters. Or you must escape them all with \ character.

And that's exactly what my macro does:

1. It allows you to enter multiline search/replace text.
2. Then it converts it to regex syntax.
3. Opens standard VS Find/Replace window and automatically fills Find and Replace boxes with regex text. It also selects Regular Expressions mode.

   

You can then search and replace as usually. To create macro:

• Open Macro Explorer. Go to Tools - Macros - Macro Explorer
• Navigate to Macros - MyMacros. Here you must create your own class by right-click and New Module.... Name it MultilineSearch.
• Double click your MultilineSearch module to open Macros IDE.
• Delete its all contents and copy this code:
  

  Imports System
  Imports EnvDTE
  Imports EnvDTE80
  Imports System.Diagnostics
  
  Public Module MultilineSearch
      Sub MultilineSearchReplace()
          Dim winptr As New WinWrapper(DTE)
          Dim sf As New MultilineSearchForm
          sf.ShowDialog(winptr)
          If sf.result <> FindReplaceKind.none Then
              ' temporarily disable Tools - Options -
              ' Environment - Documents - Initialize Find text from editor
              Dim oldFindInit As Boolean
              Try
                  'vs 2002/2003
                  Dim props As EnvDTE.Properties
                  props = DTE.Properties("Environment", "Documents")
                  Dim prop As EnvDTE.Property = props.Item("FindReplaceInitializeFromEditor")
                  oldFindInit = CBool(prop.Value)
                  prop.Value = False
              Catch ex As System.Exception
                  Try
                      'vs 2005/2008
                      Dim props As EnvDTE.Properties
                      props = DTE.Properties("Environment", "FindAndReplace")
                      Dim prop As EnvDTE.Property = props.Item("InitializeFromEditor")
                      oldFindInit = CBool(prop.Value)
                      prop.Value = False
                  Catch ex2 As Exception
                  End Try
              End Try
              DTE.Find.PatternSyntax = vsFindPatternSyntax.vsFindPatternSyntaxRegExpr
              DTE.Find.FindWhat = sf.findText
              If sf.replaceText.Length = 0 Then
                  'If Replace text is empty, the Find dialog automatically
                  'uses the last non-empty value from history. To prevent this,
                  'we must pass some non-empty value which produces empty text.
                  'The ninth regex tagged expression seems good for this as it is very
                  'unlikely that user will add 9 tagged expressions in Find field in
                  'original VS Find dialog after it is pre-filled with this macro.
                  DTE.Find.ReplaceWith = "\9"
              End If
              DTE.Find.ReplaceWith = sf.replaceText
              Select Case sf.result
                  Case FindReplaceKind.find
                      DTE.ExecuteCommand("Edit.Find")
                  Case FindReplaceKind.findInFiles
                      DTE.ExecuteCommand("Edit.FindinFiles")
                  Case FindReplaceKind.replace
                      DTE.ExecuteCommand("Edit.Replace")
                  Case FindReplaceKind.replaceInFiles
                      DTE.ExecuteCommand("Edit.ReplaceinFiles")
                  Case Else
              End Select
              ' restore Tools - Options -
              ' Environment - Documents - Initialize Find text from editor
              Try
                  'vs 2002/2003
                  Dim props As EnvDTE.Properties
                  props = DTE.Properties("Environment", "Documents")
                  Dim prop As EnvDTE.Property = props.Item("FindReplaceInitializeFromEditor")
                  prop.Value = oldFindInit
              Catch ex As System.Exception
                  Try
                      'vs 2005/2008
                      Dim props As EnvDTE.Properties
                      props = DTE.Properties("Environment", "FindAndReplace")
                      Dim prop As EnvDTE.Property = props.Item("InitializeFromEditor")
                      prop.Value = oldFindInit
                  Catch ex2 As Exception
                  End Try
              End Try
          End If
      End Sub
  End Module
  
  '''<summary>Types of find/replace operations.</summary>
  Public Enum FindReplaceKind
      '''<summary>Find</summary>
      find
      '''<summary>Find In Files</summary>
      findInFiles
      '''<summary>Replace</summary>
      replace
      '''<summary>Replace in Files</summary>
      replaceInFiles
      '''<summary>None. Cancel was pressed.</summary>
      none
  End Enum
  
  Public Class MultilineSearchForm
      Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
  #Region " Windows Form Designer generated code "
      Public Sub New()
          MyBase.New()
          'This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
          InitializeComponent()
          'Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call
      End Sub
      'Form overrides dispose to clean up the component list.
      Protected Overloads Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
          If disposing Then
              If Not (components Is Nothing) Then
                  components.Dispose()
              End If
          End If
          MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
      End Sub
      'Required by the Windows Form Designer
      Private components As System.ComponentModel.IContainer
      'NOTE: The following procedure is required by the Windows Form Designer
      'It can be modified using the Windows Form Designer. 
      'Do not modify it using the code editor.
      Friend WithEvents FindBox As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
      Friend WithEvents Label1 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
      Friend WithEvents Label2 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
      Friend WithEvents ReplaceBox As System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
      Friend WithEvents FindBtn As System.Windows.Forms.Button
      Friend WithEvents FindInFilesBtn As System.Windows.Forms.Button
      Friend WithEvents ReplaceBtn As System.Windows.Forms.Button
      Friend WithEvents ReplaceInFilesBtn As System.Windows.Forms.Button
      Friend WithEvents CancelBtn As System.Windows.Forms.Button
      <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> Private Sub InitializeComponent()
          Me.FindBox = New System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
          Me.Label1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
          Me.Label2 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
          Me.ReplaceBox = New System.Windows.Forms.TextBox
          Me.FindBtn = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
          Me.FindInFilesBtn = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
          Me.ReplaceBtn = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
          Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
          Me.CancelBtn = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
          Me.SuspendLayout()
          '
          'FindBox
          '
          Me.FindBox.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 24)
          Me.FindBox.Multiline = True
          Me.FindBox.Name = "FindBox"
          Me.FindBox.ScrollBars = System.Windows.Forms.ScrollBars.Both
          Me.FindBox.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(400, 80)
          Me.FindBox.TabIndex = 0
          Me.FindBox.Text = ""
          '
          'Label1
          '
          Me.Label1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 8)
          Me.Label1.Name = "Label1"
          Me.Label1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(160, 16)
          Me.Label1.TabIndex = 2
          Me.Label1.Text = "Find what:"
          '
          'Label2
          '
          Me.Label2.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 112)
          Me.Label2.Name = "Label2"
          Me.Label2.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(160, 16)
          Me.Label2.TabIndex = 4
          Me.Label2.Text = "Replace with:"
          '
          'ReplaceBox
          '
          Me.ReplaceBox.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 128)
          Me.ReplaceBox.Multiline = True
          Me.ReplaceBox.Name = "ReplaceBox"
          Me.ReplaceBox.ScrollBars = System.Windows.Forms.ScrollBars.Both
          Me.ReplaceBox.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(400, 80)
          Me.ReplaceBox.TabIndex = 3
          Me.ReplaceBox.Text = ""
          '
          'FindBtn
          '
          Me.FindBtn.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(16, 232)
          Me.FindBtn.Name = "FindBtn"
          Me.FindBtn.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(80, 24)
          Me.FindBtn.TabIndex = 5
          Me.FindBtn.Text = "Find>>"
          '
          'FindInFilesBtn
          '
          Me.FindInFilesBtn.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(104, 232)
          Me.FindInFilesBtn.Name = "FindInFilesBtn"
          Me.FindInFilesBtn.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(96, 24)
          Me.FindInFilesBtn.TabIndex = 6
          Me.FindInFilesBtn.Text = "Find in Files>>"
          '
          'ReplaceBtn
          '
          Me.ReplaceBtn.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(216, 232)
          Me.ReplaceBtn.Name = "ReplaceBtn"
          Me.ReplaceBtn.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(80, 24)
          Me.ReplaceBtn.TabIndex = 7
          Me.ReplaceBtn.Text = "Replace>>"
          '
          'ReplaceInFilesBtn
          '
          Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(304, 232)
          Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn.Name = "ReplaceInFilesBtn"
          Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(112, 24)
          Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn.TabIndex = 8
          Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn.Text = "Replace in Files>>"
          '
          'CancelBtn
          '
          Me.CancelBtn.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel
          Me.CancelBtn.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(168, 272)
          Me.CancelBtn.Name = "CancelBtn"
          Me.CancelBtn.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(80, 24)
          Me.CancelBtn.TabIndex = 9
          Me.CancelBtn.Text = "Cancel"
          '
          'MultilineSearchForm
          '
          Me.AutoScaleBaseSize = New System.Drawing.Size(5, 13)
          Me.CancelButton = Me.CancelBtn
          Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(432, 310)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.CancelBtn)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.ReplaceInFilesBtn)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.ReplaceBtn)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.FindInFilesBtn)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.FindBtn)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.Label2)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.ReplaceBox)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.Label1)
          Me.Controls.Add(Me.FindBox)
          Me.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.SizableToolWindow
          Me.Name = "MultilineSearchForm"
          Me.Text = "Multiline Search and Replace"
  
          Me.ResumeLayout(False)
      End Sub
  #End Region
  
  #Region "Properties"
      Private m_result As FindReplaceKind = FindReplaceKind.none
      '''<summary>Gets result button from this dialog.</summary>
      '''<value>The value specifying which button was pressed.</value>
      Public ReadOnly Property result() As FindReplaceKind
          Get
              Return m_result
          End Get
      End Property
      Private m_findText As String
      '''<summary>Gets escaped multiline text to be searched.</summary>
      '''<value></value>
      Public ReadOnly Property findText() As String
          Get
              Return m_findText
          End Get
      End Property
  
      Private m_replaceText As String
      '''<summary>Gets escaped multiline replace text.</summary>
      '''<value></value>
      Public ReadOnly Property replaceText() As String
          Get
              Return m_replaceText
          End Get
      End Property
  #End Region
  
      '''<summary>Transforms the text to regular expression syntax.</summary>
      '''<param name="original">Original text.</param>
      '''<returns>Text with escaped regex characters.</returns>
      Private Function escapeRegEx(ByVal original As String) As String
          Dim specialChars() As Char = "\.*+^$><[]|{}:@#()~".ToCharArray
          Dim c As Char
          For Each c In specialChars
              original = original.Replace(c.ToString, "\" & c.ToString)
          Next
          original = original.Replace(vbCrLf, "\n")
          Return original
      End Function
  
      '''<summary>Transforms the text to regular expression syntax in Replace field.</summary>
      '''<param name="original">Original text.</param>
      '''<returns>Text with some escaped regex characters.</returns>
      Private Function escapeReplaceRegEx(ByVal original As String) As String
          Dim specialChars() As Char = "\".ToCharArray
          Dim c As Char
          For Each c In specialChars
              original = original.Replace(c.ToString, "\" & c.ToString)
          Next
          original = original.Replace(vbCrLf, "\n")
          Return original
      End Function
  
      Private Sub MultilineSearchForm_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
          Try
              Me.Activate()
          Catch ex As System.Exception
          End Try
      End Sub
  
      Private Sub CancelBtn_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CancelBtn.Click
          Try
              m_result = FindReplaceKind.none
              Me.Close()
          Catch ex As System.Exception
          End Try
      End Sub
      Private Sub FindBtn_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles FindBtn.Click
          Try
              m_findText = escapeRegEx(Me.FindBox.Text)
              m_replaceText = escapeReplaceRegEx(Me.ReplaceBox.Text)
              m_result = FindReplaceKind.find
              Me.Close()
          Catch ex As System.Exception
          End Try
      End Sub
      Private Sub FindInFilesBtn_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles FindInFilesBtn.Click
          Try
              m_findText = escapeRegEx(Me.FindBox.Text)
              m_replaceText = escapeReplaceRegEx(Me.ReplaceBox.Text)
              m_result = FindReplaceKind.findInFiles
              Me.Close()
          Catch ex As System.Exception
          End Try
      End Sub
      Private Sub ReplaceBtn_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ReplaceBtn.Click
          Try
              m_findText = escapeRegEx(Me.FindBox.Text)
              m_replaceText = escapeReplaceRegEx(Me.ReplaceBox.Text)
              m_result = FindReplaceKind.replace
              Me.Close()
          Catch ex As System.Exception
          End Try
      End Sub
      Private Sub ReplaceInFilesBtn_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles ReplaceInFilesBtn.Click
          Try
              m_findText = escapeRegEx(Me.FindBox.Text)
              m_replaceText = escapeReplaceRegEx(Me.ReplaceBox.Text)
              m_result = FindReplaceKind.replaceInFiles
              Me.Close()
          Catch ex As System.Exception
          End Try
      End Sub
  End Class
  
  ''' <summary>
  ''' Helper class for passing parent window argument to ShowDialog method.
  ''' </summary>
  ''' <remarks>See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312877 for details.</remarks>
  Friend Class WinWrapper
      Implements System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window
  
      Private vsinstance As DTE
  
      Sub New(ByVal dte As DTE)
          vsinstance = dte
      End Sub
  
      Overridable ReadOnly Property Handle() As System.IntPtr Implements System.Windows.Forms.IWin32Window.Handle
          Get
              Dim iptr As New System.IntPtr(vsinstance.MainWindow.HWnd)
              Return iptr
          End Get
      End Property
  End Class

• Add System.Drawing.dll to References under MyMacros in Macros IDE.
• Close Macros IDE.

Now you can run MultilineSearchReplace macro. You can of course create a toolbar or menu button or assign keyboard shortcut to it.

There is one interesting thing on this macro. It creates its own form. There is no Form designer in Macros IDE so I thought it was not possible to create my own form in macro. Fortunately, I was wrong. Form is a class as any other, it just must inherit from System.Windows.Forms.Form. I created my form in normal VB .NET project using Form designer and then copied the code into macro IDE. It couldn't be easier.

UPDATE 15. October 2008: I have updated the macro code. It fixes two bugs:

1. In VS 2005 and 2008, when using Find/Replace in Files, the "Find what" field didn't contain value entered by user but text from cursor position in editor.
2. When Replace field contained some special characters, they were incorrectly escaped with \.

UPDATE 23. June 2009: I have updated the macro code. It fixes two issues:

1. When Replace with text was empty (you wanted to delete the text), the last non-empty text from replace history was automatically filled. This is behavior of standard VS Find/Replace dialog. To prevent this, we need to pass non-empty value which produces empty text. The "\9" seems OK for this. This is regex tagged expression number nine which is always empty string. You would need to manually add nine tagged expressions (text enclosed with {}) in Find what field in original VS Find/Replace dialog to \9 produce any text.
2. When macro's modal window was open and you switched to another application and then back to VS, the macro window was not visible and you had to activate it from task bar.