When we deal with TXT files, some system files, data export records or text contents often contain a large amount of specific date information, such as 2025-01-15, 2025/02/28 and other dates. When we need to protect privacy, unify the format or hide data, the dates in the text are different. Even if fuzzy matching is used, the search and replacement can only be searched and replaced one by one, which is inefficient and prone to the risk of leakage, with eyes to see a delete a more dazzling.
So in such a situation, how should we replace all the date information with similar formats in the text in batches? Here are five efficient take-off techniques to easily achieve batch fuzzy date replacement, so that the work to achieve a qualitative leap. Come and learn with me!
What situation do you want to batch replace all similarly formatted dates in TXT Notepad?
Unified data format
When you want to find all records of a month or a year in a TXT file, but do not care about the specific date, we can use fuzzy replacement to adjust 2025-01-01 to 2025-01-XX or 2025-XX-XX, which does not display months or days, to achieve fuzzy matching of date ranges.
Simplified date information
In some cases, the complete date content may be redundant in Notepad. If we only need to keep the year or year month, and do not need a specific date, we can replace all dates with separate years or years plus months by fuzzy replacement. For example, 2025-01-01 is replaced by 2025 or 2025-01.
Protect privacy content
When sharing and disclosing some documents, there may be sensitive dates in the documents. Direct display of these contents may lead to the risk of privacy disclosure. In order to protect data, we can use fuzzy matching to replace all dates with similar formats in the documents, such as 2025-01-01, 2025-02-28 and other dates with similar structures, with hidden dates.
Preview of the effect of replacing different dates in TXT documents in batches
Before treatment:
After treatment:
Method 1: Use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool Batch complete fuzzy replacement
Recommended Index:★★★★★
Advantages:
- Hundreds or thousands of files can be processed in batches at the same time, even if a lot of old files are squeezed, they can be replaced in batches in the fastest time.
- All files are processed locally and will not have the nature of uploading files, protecting user privacy.
Disadvantages:
- Can only be installed in the computer operation.
Operation steps:
1. Open 【 HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ], select [Text Tool]-[Find and Replace Keywords in Text]].
2. Click a method in [Add File] or [Import File from Folder] to add the text file to be replaced, or drag the file directly below to add it, and then click Next.
3. Enter the option interface, select [Use Formula Fuzzy Search Text], enter the formula under the search keyword list to find all corresponding dates, here my formula is [\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}], then enter the text to be replaced under the replaced keyword list, and finally click Next. Then enter the save page, click browse, and select the save location of the new file.
4. After waiting for the processing to end, click the path to open the folder to view that all dates in TXT have been replaced successfully.
Method two: computer TXT Notepad comes with function replacement
Recommended Index:★★☆ ☆ ☆
Advantages:
- All computers can be operated without any restrictions.
- The operation is simple and intuitive, and the whole process is completely free.
Disadvantages:
- You can only change one date at a time.
- Dates in different formats may need to be modified multiple times.
Operation steps:
1. Open the TXT Notepad file, press Ctrl H to open the replacement window, enter a specific date in the search content, and enter new content in the replacement.
2. Then click Replace.
3. Other dates shall be replaced in sequence.
Method Three: Replace date in TXT with Notepad batch
Recommended Index:★★★☆ ☆
Advantages:
- It supports replacing all date formats at once and can batch process multiple files.
- Text can use regular expressions to match operations.
Disadvantages:
- The download software needs to be installed.
- To learn simple regular grammar, not too friendly to small white.
Operation steps:
1. Use the Notepad to open the text file and press Ctrl H to open the replacement window.
2. Select a regular expression in the search mode, enter the matching rule:\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}, and enter the new text to be replaced below.
3. Click Replace All to complete it quickly.
Method 4: Replace date in text file with Word document wildcard
Recommended Index:★★★☆ ☆
Advantages:
- No need to use complex regular expressions.
- All operations are visual and the replacement effect is accurate.
Disadvantages:
- Word needs to be installed in order to use it.
- The large volume of text files is easy to cause the phenomenon of Caton.
Operation steps:
1. Open TXT text file with Word and press Ctrl H to open the replacement box.
2. Click More and check Use Wildcard.
3. Then enter [0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2} in the search content, and replace it with enter new text.
4. Finally, click Replace All to complete.
Method 5: Batch replace similar structured dates in TXT Notepad with PowerShell scripts
Recommended Index:★★★☆ ☆
Advantages:
- Able to do fully automatic batch processing, processing speed is the best.
- Suitable for quick operation by technicians.
Disadvantages:
- To understand some basic programming commands, the cost of learning is large.
- If the operation is not correct, an error may occur.
Operation steps:
1. Press Shift right mouse button in TXT folder and select to open the PowerShell window here.
2. Then enter the following command inside. (New Text can customize the text content after replacement)
Get-ChildItem *.txt | ForEach-Object {
(Get-Content $_.FullName) -replace '\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}', 'New Text' | Set-Content $_. FullName
}
3. Press Enter to execute.
