CADXChange

All LISP commands

CXTXTREPLTextVersion 1.0.0Tested in AutoCAD

Find and replace in many texts at once

Replaces a word or phrase in every selected text, with an optional match-case switch, and tells you how many replacements it made.

How to use it

  1. Type CXTXTREPL and select the texts.
  2. Enter the text to find, then the text to replace it with (- for nothing).
  3. Choose whether the case must match.

Good to know

  • Only the visible text is searched, never the formatting codes.

Load it in AutoCAD

  1. Save the file anywhere you like.
  2. Type APPLOAD, pick the file and choose Load.
  3. Type the command name: CXTXTREPL.

To have it at every start, add it to the Startup Suite in the same dialog, or load a whole folder at once with the optional loader. About the optional loader

Tested in AutoCAD (full version). Other programs that run AutoLISP may work, but they are not tested.

The code

Plain text, nothing hidden. Copy it into a file named cxtxtrepl.lsp, or download it.

;;; ============================================================================
;;; CXTXTREPL - Find and replace in selected texts
;;; Version 1.0.0
;;; CADXChange LISP tools - https://cadxchange.net/resources/lisp/cxtxtrepl
;;; Tested in: AutoCAD (full version). Other programs that run AutoLISP may work but are not tested.
;;; Copyright (c) CADXChange. Free for personal and commercial use; do not resell or
;;; republish it as a collection. Terms: https://cadxchange.net/legal/lisp-terms
;;; ============================================================================

;; Replace FIND by REPL in the texts of NAMES; MATCHCASE = T for an exact-case match.
;; Returns (texts-changed . replacements). Matches that run across a format code in an MTEXT are not found.
(defun cx:txtrepl-run (names find repl matchcase / n total old new mt cnt)
  (setq n 0 total 0)
  (foreach e names
    (setq old (cx:text-get e) mt (= (cx:dxf 0 (entget e)) "MTEXT") cnt 0)
    (setq new (cx:fmt-map old mt
                (function (lambda (s prev)
                  (setq cnt (+ cnt (cx:count-sub (if matchcase s (strcase s)) (if matchcase find (strcase find)))))
                  (if matchcase (cx:replace s find repl) (cx:replace-ci s find repl))))))
    (if (/= new old)
      (progn (cx:text-set e new) (setq n (1+ n) total (+ total cnt)))))
  (cons n total))

(defun c:CXTXTREPL ( / *error* cx:sv ss find repl mc r)
  (setq *error* cx:err)
  (if (setq ss (cx:pick "\nSelect texts: " '((0 . "TEXT,MTEXT"))))
    (progn
      (setq find (cx:ask-str "Find" "-"))
      (if (/= find "")
        (progn
          (setq repl (cx:ask-str "Replace with (- for nothing)" "")
                mc   (= (cx:ask-kw "Match case" "Yes No" "No") "Yes"))
          (cx:start '(("CMDECHO" . 0)))
          (setq r (cx:txtrepl-run (cx:ss->list ss) find repl mc))
          (princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (cdr r)) " replacement(s) in " (itoa (car r)) " text(s)."))
          (cx:end)))))
  (princ))


;;; ---- Shared helpers (used by the command above; identical in every CADXChange tool) ----

(defun cx:dxf (code ed)
  (cdr (assoc code ed)))

;; The text of a TEXT, ATTRIB, ATTDEF or MTEXT (MTEXT keeps its codes).
(defun cx:text-get (ename / ed s)
  (setq ed (entget ename))
  (if (= (cx:dxf 0 ed) "MTEXT")
    (progn
      (setq s "")
      (foreach p ed (if (= (car p) 3) (setq s (strcat s (cdr p)))))
      (strcat s (cx:dxf 1 ed)))
    (cx:dxf 1 ed)))

;; Split a TEXT (MT = nil) or MTEXT (MT = T) string into ((T . "plain") (C . "format code") ...).
;; Codes are %%c-style symbols, and in MTEXT also \P, \f...; \H...; \S...; {, } and the like.
(defun cx:fmt-tokens (str mt / out plain i n c d j k)
  (setq out nil plain "" i 1 n (strlen str))
  (while (<= i n)
    (setq c (substr str i 1) k 0)
    (cond
      ((and (= c "%") (= (substr str (1+ i) 1) "%") (< (1+ i) n))
       (setq k (if (wcmatch (substr str (+ i 2) 1) "#") 5 3)))
      ((and mt (= c "\\"))
       (setq d (substr str (1+ i) 1))
       (cond
         ((= d "") (setq k 1))
         ((member d '("P" "X" "x" "L" "l" "O" "o" "K" "k" "~" "\\" "{" "}")) (setq k 2))
         ((member d '("U" "u")) (setq k 7))
         (T
          (setq j i)
          (while (and (<= j n) (/= (substr str j 1) ";")) (setq j (1+ j)))
          (setq k (if (<= j n) (1+ (- j i)) 2)))))
      ((and mt (or (= c "{") (= c "}"))) (setq k 1)))
    (if (> k 0)
      (progn
        (if (/= plain "") (setq out (cons (cons 'T plain) out) plain ""))
        (setq out (cons (cons 'C (substr str i k)) out) i (+ i k)))
      (setq plain (strcat plain c) i (1+ i))))
  (if (/= plain "") (setq out (cons (cons 'T plain) out)))
  (reverse out))

;; Apply FN to the plain parts of a TEXT or MTEXT string, leaving format codes alone.
;; FN gets the plain part and the character before it (a space at the start).
(defun cx:fmt-map (str mt fn / out prev)
  (setq out "" prev " ")
  (foreach tk (cx:fmt-tokens str mt)
    (if (= (car tk) 'T)
      (setq out (strcat out (apply fn (list (cdr tk) prev)))
            prev (substr (cdr tk) (strlen (cdr tk))))
      (setq out (strcat out (cdr tk))
            prev (if (= (cdr tk) "\\P") " " prev))))
  out)

;; 1-based position of SUB in STR at or after START, or nil.
(defun cx:find (str sub start / n i r)
  (setq n (strlen sub) i start r nil)
  (if (> n 0)
    (while (and (not r) (<= i (1+ (- (strlen str) n))))
      (if (= (substr str i n) sub) (setq r i))
      (setq i (1+ i))))
  r)

;; How many times SUB occurs in STR.
(defun cx:count-sub (str sub / n pos p)
  (setq n 0 pos 1)
  (while (setq p (cx:find str sub pos))
    (setq n (1+ n) pos (+ p (max 1 (strlen sub)))))
  n)

;; Replace every OLD in STR by NEW (case sensitive).
(defun cx:replace (str old new / n out pos)
  (setq n (strlen old) out "" pos 1)
  (if (= n 0)
    str
    (progn
      (while (<= pos (1+ (- (strlen str) n)))
        (if (= (substr str pos n) old)
          (setq out (strcat out new) pos (+ pos n))
          (setq out (strcat out (substr str pos 1)) pos (1+ pos))))
      (strcat out (substr str pos)))))

;; Replace every OLD in STR by NEW, ignoring case.
(defun cx:replace-ci (str old new / n out pos up uo)
  (setq n (strlen old) out "" pos 1 up (strcase str) uo (strcase old))
  (if (= n 0)
    str
    (progn
      (while (<= pos (1+ (- (strlen str) n)))
        (if (= (substr up pos n) uo)
          (setq out (strcat out new) pos (+ pos n))
          (setq out (strcat out (substr str pos 1)) pos (1+ pos))))
      (strcat out (substr str pos)))))

;; Replace the text of a TEXT, ATTRIB, ATTDEF or MTEXT.
(defun cx:text-set (ename str / ed out)
  (setq ed (entget ename))
  (if (= (cx:dxf 0 ed) "MTEXT")
    (progn
      ;; MTEXT stores text in 250-character pieces: 3 groups for the first pieces, 1 for the last
      (foreach p ed (if (not (member (car p) '(1 3))) (setq out (cons p out))))
      (setq out (reverse out))
      (while (> (strlen str) 250)
        (setq out (append out (list (cons 3 (substr str 1 250)))) str (substr str 251)))
      (setq ed (append out (list (cons 1 str)))))
    (setq ed (subst (cons 1 str) (assoc 1 ed) ed)))
  (entmod ed)
  (entupd ename)
  T)

;; Close the undo step and put the system variables back.
(defun cx:end ()
  (foreach v cx:sv (setvar (car v) (cdr v)))
  (command "_.UNDO" "_End")
  (setq cx:sv nil)
  (princ))

;; Error handler: restores everything, stays quiet on Esc.
(defun cx:err (msg)
  (if (> (getvar "CMDACTIVE") 0) (command))
  (cx:end)
  (if (and msg (not (wcmatch (strcase msg) "*BREAK*,*CANCEL*,*EXIT*")))
    (princ (strcat "\nError: " msg)))
  (princ))

;; Use the objects already selected, or ask the user to select; FILTER is an ssget filter list or nil.
(defun cx:pick (msg filter / ss)
  (setq ss (if filter (ssget "_I" filter) (ssget "_I")))
  (if (null ss)
    (progn
      (princ msg)
      (setq ss (if filter (ssget filter) (ssget)))))
  ss)

;; Ask for a string (spaces allowed) with a default; "-" means an empty string.
(defun cx:ask-str (msg def / v)
  (setq v (getstring T (strcat "\n" msg " <" def ">: ")))
  (cond ((= v "") def) ((= v "-") "") (T v)))

;; Ask for one of the keywords in BITS ("Yes No"), default DEF; returns the keyword.
(defun cx:ask-kw (msg bits def / v)
  (initget 0 bits)
  (setq v (getkword (strcat "\n" msg " [" (cx:replace bits " " "/") "] <" def ">: ")))
  (if v v def))

;; Save the system variables in VARS ((name . value) ...), set them, and open one undo step.
;; The caller declares cx:sv as a local so the saved values live exactly as long as the command.
(defun cx:start (vars)
  (setq cx:sv (mapcar (function (lambda (v) (cons (car v) (getvar (car v))))) vars))
  (command "_.UNDO" "_Begin")
  (foreach v vars (setvar (car v) (cdr v)))
  (princ))

;; Selection set to a list of entity names.
(defun cx:ss->list (ss / i out)
  (setq i 0)
  (if ss
    (repeat (sslength ss)
      (setq out (cons (ssname ss i) out)
            i   (1+ i))))
  (reverse out))

(princ "\nCXTXTREPL loaded. Type CXTXTREPL to start.")
(princ)

Version history

Version 1.0.0 · 27 Ekim 2026

First release.

Need this across many drawings?

TextSync does this kind of job on a whole folder of drawings in one run.

TextSync

More commands: Text