In the last lesson we covered

• The main elements of TextPipe's screen
• How to use the Trial Run area
• How to open and save filters.

In this lesson we'll look at

• How to add filters to the filter list
• The importance of filter order.

Before we begin, open the filter called 'tutorial\lesson2.fll'

Adding Filters to the Filter List

New filters can be added to the filter list to perform additional processing steps. The Filter menu group filters by function. To add a new filter, select a menu item from the Filter menus and it will be added, below the currently selected filter.

Filters cannot be added or moved above the File input filter or below the File output filter. It doesn't make sense to put filters before or after these items.

To demonstrate adding new filters, we will add to the filter list we started with in Lesson 1. Let's add a simple search and replace filter - but this time, replacing capital 'T' and replacing with '*':

1. Select the Replace filter (replacing 'T' with 't')
2. Select Filters Menu\Replace Menu\Find exactly
3. A Replace filter is added below the current filter
4. Type the capital letter 'T' (without quotes) in the Find section
5. Type the letter '*' (without quotes) in the Replace With section
6. Ensure the Match Case check box is checked
7. Click the Trial Run button.

The text will be unchanged from before - the addition of the new filter has not made any difference.

Why? Order is important!

Filters are always applied from top to bottom, corresponding to the way they are shown.

The order that filters are applied is VERY important to TextPipe. Let's see why.

1. Switch back to the Filters to Apply tab (remember - you can click the Trial Run button to toggle back)
2. Select the Replace [T] with [*] filter
3. Click the Up arrow button at the bottom of the window, just to the right of the [Remove All] button
4. The Replace [T] with [*] filter is now moved up one position
5. Click the Trial Run button.

Now the changes are made correctly. The second filter is unnecessary because all capital T's have already been replaced.

An important part of advanced use of TextPipe is understanding how to break a task down into smaller steps. There are thousands of uses for TextPipe's filtering by just combining filters together.

In the next lesson we'll look at

• How to remove filters from the filter list
• How to move filters in the filter list
• How to disable filters.

Exercise 2

Position the mouse cursor over each icon in TextPipe's toolbar (at the top of TextPipe's window), and read the hint that appears in TextPipe's status bar (at the base of TextPipe's window).

Hints are also available on every control in TextPipe's windows.

Tutorial Index

 Contact Us   Support   Community   Tutorials and User Guides (online)
 © 1999-2005 Crystal Software. All rights reserved.