I have a macro that I use to clean database files prior to import into SQL. Until now I have just loaded the files and run the macro on "ALL FILES". However, we are now dealing with a few hundred files at a time.

Is there a way to make UE run our macro on all files within a folder?

I would prefer not having to create a UE project to do this. I was thinking a command line batch file may work.

• Open UltraEdit
• Run XXX.mac on files *.*

But I have read that this is not possible due to auto macro and wildcards?

I am running UE 11.10a+1.

Thanks in advance for any help

PS: If I do have all the files listed in a project, how do I get a macro to run on entire project? I think, I sorted this part  :D
Replace in Files and select Project Files for Select Where option.

Replace in Files has no limits. You can run it on thousands of files each with several MBs or GBs.

Replace in Files does not support hexadecimal replaces except you use the Perl regular expression engine and appropriate search and replace string in hexadecimal notation. However, you can replace all bytes except a NULL byte (00) with Replace in Files too. You just have to use the ASCII/ANSI characters for the bytes you want to replace.

Here is a small macro which is able to run a macro on all files specified by you on startup.

It works only for non FTP files. (To be more precise, I have not tested it with FTP files.)

It works only for UltraEdit v10.20 or later and all versions of UEStudio. Without the first line it should work also for UltraEdit v9.10 and later, but then you have to run the Find in Files with an empty search string and with option Results to Edit Window checked manually.

If you use an UltraEdit version prior v12.00 or an UEStudio version prior v5.50 delete the command UnicodeToASCII from the macro code because those versions already create the Find in Files results window as ASCII file and not as Unicode file.

The conversion from Unicode to ASCII means also that the full file names of the the files found in the specified directory matching the file type pattern cannot contain Unicode characters. I have not tested if this macro would also work without conversion from Unicode to ASCII.

Further the macro identifies the results window by the string "Search complete, found". This string exists at bottom of the results window only for English version of UltraEdit and only when Find Summary is still enabled and contains the default string at Advanced - Configuration - Search - Set Find Output Format depending on version of UltraEdit. If a localized version of UltraEdit is used, this search string must be modified to the localized string. With an unchecked Find Summary configuration setting the macro will not work because it is not able to identify the document window with the results (=file names).

The name of the called macro as written in the string "Name of your macro" is case-sensitive. So, make sure that you enter the macro name correct. Also this macro and your called macro must exist in the same macro file. It is not possible to call a macro stored in another macro file. It is further important to first create the called macro and then create this macro or UltraEdit would remove the line with the PlayMacro on close (compilation) because of the missing macro.

The macro property Continue if a Find with Replace not found or Continue if search string not found must be checked for this macro.

FindInFiles "directory" "file type" ""
Loop
Find MatchCase Up "Search complete, found"
IfFound
ExitLoop
Else
NextWindow
EndIf
EndLoop
DeleteLine
SelectToBottom
IfSel
Delete
EndIf
Top
UnicodeToASCII
Loop
IfEof
ExitLoop
EndIf
StartSelect
Key END
IfSel
Open "^s"
PlayMacro 1 "Name of your macro"
CloseFile Save
EndIf
EndSelect
DeleteLine
EndLoop
CloseFile NoSave

Thanks Mofi!

That's great


If I remove the "file type" prompt at the beginning of the macro, will it still work on all files? Most of the files we need this for don't actually have extensions.

So far I can get it to run and display "Search complete, found '' 0 time(s). (0 files.)" on the screen. So, I think it is having trouble finding the macro to run or trouble finding the files to search.

I made very simple test macro which is just the command Find "PRD". I also have a few test files with both *.txt extension and no extension. All files contain PRD in them.

Thanks again for the help, once I get it going, you'll have saved me hours and hours of tedium with this.

OK, thanks for that Mofi.

Have done some testing,

I am now getting the file list showing up and all files are displayed and listed. I've got a collection of *.txt files with missing the extension.

What happens next is that the macro running/cancel box is displayed and the cursor blinks rapidly. The called macro doesn't appear to run as no changes are made to the files

Obviously I have an error somewhere in the second half of the macro

Both macros are saved in the same macro file.

Called macro with name step2:
Main macro with name step1:

I want to replace the hard coded directory in the FindInFiles command with a dynamic value.

FindInFiles "D:\Users\macro test\" "*" ""

So I tried using the following but neither worked.

1. FindInFiles "^c" "*" ""
   In this case the directory path was copied to the clipboard before executing the macro.
2. FindInFiles "^s" "*" ""
   In this case the directory path was selected text in the current file.

Can anyone help?

Thanks, Krthk

Hi all,

I'm using currently UltraEdit 12.20b+1. How do I get this to work on the whole folder?

I am trying to run a macro on around 100 files to tidy them up with the following macro:
Do I add the command to the macro and do I have to run it on command line and if so how?
or
Many thanks for your time.

Regards, Neil

Hi Mofi,

Thanks for your response, I use this macro to tidy up some sgml data on a regular basis.

Nothing wrong with your macro, I just don't understand the macro language.

Two hours later: Just used your macro. Many thanks, saved me lots of time.

Kind regards, Neil

This thread has become a bit old. I read through the posts here and applied the same but it just didn't work for me. I have multiple folders inside a folder. How can I run my macro on all files in those folders since there are a few thousand of them. I have UltraEdit version 16.

Thanks Mofi,  it worked!