Facing the same type of old titles, year lines, numbering lines, or configuration items across multiple TXT files, manually opening each file to replace entire lines is highly inefficient. This article introduces how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , selecting "Find and replace complete lines in text files based on keywords" in a text tool, and using formulas for fuzzy searches by entering wildcard regular expressions like \d{4} to batch identify lines containing four-digit numbers and uniformly replace them with new standard text lines, helping office users quickly complete batch text cleaning.
Many office files are not necessarily Word, docx, doc, Excel, or PDF; a large amount of data is also saved in TXT text format, such as exported directories, system logs, configuration lists, instruction documents, data lists, etc. TXT files may seem simple, but when the number of files increases, batch modification becomes very cumbersome. Especially when what we need to process is not a single word, but the "entire line containing a certain keyword," ordinary find-and-replace is often not direct enough.
For example: there are 5 txt files in a folder, and each file might contain old title lines with a year, such as "Annex A - Food and drink standards - revised 2020". Now, the goal is to uniformly change this entire line containing a four-digit year to "Annex A - Q&A". If done manually, one would need to open the files one by one, locate the line with the year, select the entire line, and replace it with new content. This is tolerable with few files but wastes a lot of time when there are many.
This article, combined with screenshots, will introduce how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , a batch file processing software for office scenarios, to process multiple TXT files at once using the "Find and replace complete lines in text files based on keywords" feature with wildcard regular expressions. After reading, you can master the complete process: preparing files, importing files, setting fuzzy search expressions, filling in the new replacement line, executing batch processing, and checking the results.
Applicable Scenarios: When Batch Replacing Entire Lines is More Suitable than Ordinary Find-and-Replace
In actual work, we often encounter the need: "If a line contains a certain characteristic, replace the entire line." In such cases, if we only perform a normal string replacement, parts of the old content might remain, leading to an unclean result. For example, if "2020" is replaced with "Q&A", the original line might become "Annex A - Food and drink standards - revised Q&A", which is clearly not the standard title we want.
Therefore, when your goal is to completely overwrite an old line with a new piece of content, you should use the "Find keywords and replace the complete line" approach. It is suitable for the following office scenarios:
- Batch replacing directory title lines: Chapter titles, appendix titles, and table of contents lines in multiple text files need to be uniformly rewritten.
- Batch processing lines containing years: For instance, old descriptions containing years like 2020, 2021, 2022 need to be replaced with standard text.
- Batch updating configuration items: A line of configuration containing an old version number, port, path, or switch field needs to be entirely replaced with a new configuration.
- Batch cleaning logs or reports: Lines containing specific error codes, status codes, or markers need to be replaced with a uniform description, or in some cases directly deleted.
- Batch standardizing TXT materials: Plain text converted from Word, docx, doc, PDF, or web pages often needs to have entire lines cleaned based on keywords.
The value of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool is that it turns manual operations that would otherwise need to be repeated dozens or even hundreds of times into a single rule configuration and a single batch execution. For users who frequently deal with office documents, text materials, and batch files, this can significantly reduce repetitive work.
Effect Preview: Files Before Processing and Target Text Lines
First, look at the file environment before processing. The screenshot shows that the current folder contains multiple TXT text files, named 1.txt, 2.txt, 3.txt, 4.txt, 5.txt. This indicates we are not processing a single text file, but batch processing a group of files.
Next, open 1.txt to view its content. The screenshot shows the file contains text content like "Annexes" and "Contents," and one of the lines is:
Annex A - Food and drink standards - revised 2020
The red box and arrow mark the "2020" at the end of the line. In this article's example, we will target lines that "contain four digits." The "2020" here perfectly matches the four-digit rule, so this entire line will be identified and replaced.
It is important to emphasize that the goal of batch processing is not just to change the four characters "2020", but to replace the entire line. This determines the functionality and setup method we will choose later.
Effect Preview: The Processed Entire Line Becomes New Standard Content
After processing is complete, when reviewing 1.txt, the original line containing "2020" has become:
Annex A - Q&A
From the result, it's clear that the software replaced the entire line matching the keyword with the new text line, rather than a partial replacement. At the same time, other unaffected content in the file, such as Annex B, Annex C, Annex D, and the directory items under Contents, remains preserved. This processing effect is ideal for batch revising specified lines in text files.
Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Replace Entire Lines Containing Keywords in TXT Files
Step 1: Find the Corresponding Function in the Text Tools
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can see multiple tool categories on the left side, including Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, Text Tools, etc. Since this article deals with TXT text files, select "Text Tools" on the left.
In the text tool list, click "Find and replace complete lines in text files based on keywords". The screenshot shows this function selected, and its tooltip indicates it can "batch delete or replace entire lines containing a certain keyword in text files with new text". This is precisely the functionality we aim to achieve in this article.
The expected result of this step is to enter the correct batch processing wizard. Choosing the right function is critical because using the wrong one, like a normal text replace function, might only replace the keyword itself, failing to achieve the entire line replacement effect.
Step 2: Import the Multiple TXT Files to Process
After entering the function page, you first arrive at "Select records to process". The interface provides buttons like "Add Files" and "Import Files from Folder" on the upper right. For scenarios like this article, where there are multiple txt files in the same folder, using "Import Files from Folder" is usually more convenient; if you only want to process a few specific files, you can also use "Add Files".
The screenshot shows 5 files have been imported, with the table listing serial number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and actions. The filenames are 1.txt, 2.txt, 3.txt, 4.txt, 5.txt, all with the txt extension, and their paths are under D:\test\.
After importing files, three checks are recommended: First, confirm the file count is correct; the bottom of the screenshot shows a record count of 5. Second, confirm the extensions are the txt files you intend to process. Third, confirm the paths point to the target folder, avoiding adding test files or irrelevant files to the batch task. Once confirmed, click "Next" at the bottom to proceed to processing rule settings.
Step 3: Select "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search"
On the "Set Processing Options" page, first set the "Search Method". The interface has two options: "Exact Text Search" and "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search". The example in this article selects "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search".
If you are looking for a fixed word, for example, if every file explicitly contains "revised 2020", then exact search can also meet part of the requirement. However, when the target content in files may vary, such as different files containing 2020, 2021, 2024, or other four-digit years, using wildcard regular expressions is more flexible.
In this example, enter the following in the "Keyword list to find":
\d{4}
This expression is used to match four consecutive digits. The "2020" in the example line will be matched, thus marking that line as needing full processing. For batch text cleaning, this method reduces the work of manually entering years or numbers one by one.
Step 4: Enter the New Complete Line of Text in the Replacement List
Next, enter the new content in the right-side "Keyword list for replacement". In the example, the input is:
Annex A - Q&A
This step determines the final content of the matched line. Because the current function replaces the entire line, the software will replace the full line containing the \d{4} match result with the new text on the right. The final processing effect is: the old line "Annex A - Food and drink standards - revised 2020" is no longer preserved, replaced entirely by "Annex A - Q&A".
The screenshot also shows a prompt near the "Keyword list for replacement" saying "Leaving blank means deletion". This indicates the function can not only replace entire lines but also delete lines containing keywords. This article covers a replacement scenario, so the right side must be filled with the new line content; if your goal is to delete lines containing certain numbers, dates, advertising slogans, or copyright information, you can leave it empty as needed.
Step 5: Proceed to Save Location and Start Processing Process
After setting the search expression and replacement text, continue by clicking "Next". The process bar at the top of the page shows the subsequent steps include "Set Save Location" and "Start Processing".
When batch processing files, the save location is very important. It is recommended to save the processed files to a new directory for easy comparison with the original files. Especially when using regex or wildcard expressions, if the rule scope is set too broadly, it might replace lines you didn't intend to. Keeping the original files reduces the risk.
After completing the save location settings, proceed to the "Start Processing" step to execute the task. Once processing is done, open the output files for spot-checking. It is recommended to check at least one matching file and one file likely unaffected, confirming the replacement scope and content meet expectations.
Rule Setting Suggestions: Making Wildcard Regex Matching More Accurate
Using \d{4} can quickly match four digits, but it could also match content other than years. For example, if some text contains four-digit serial numbers, codes, page numbers, or parts of amounts, those lines might also be treated as target lines. Therefore, the broader the expression, the more necessary it is to test in advance.
If you only want to process lines containing "Annex A" along with four digits, you can set the search rules to be closer to the actual text characteristics; if you only want to process lines containing a fixed phrase, you can also input that phrase directly. In practice, it is advisable to follow a principle: if a more specific keyword can be used, avoid overly broad matching rules; if wildcard regex must be used, test with a small sample first.
Additionally, the screenshot shows an additional option to "Ignore letter case". For English texts, if you are unsure whether the file uses uppercase, lowercase, or mixed case, you can enable this option as needed. The example in this article mainly matches digits and doesn't involve case, so there is no particular reliance on this setting.
FAQ and Notes
1. Why did the file length decrease after processing?
As seen in the screenshot, the length of 1.txt was 794 before processing and 758 after. This is normal because the original long title line was replaced with a much shorter "Annex A - Q&A". Entire line replacement changes the file's character count; as long as the content matches the expectation, it is fine.
2. Can I set multiple search rules at once?
The screenshot shows the left area is named "Keyword list to find" and the right is "Keyword list for replacement", indicating this page organizes search items and replacement items in a list format. During actual use, follow the interface prompts to set the corresponding content line by line, and test with a few files first to ensure the matching relationship meets expectations.
3. What happens if the replacement content is left blank?
The interface prompts "Leaving blank means deletion". Therefore, if the right replacement list is empty, the entire lines matching the keywords will be processed following deletion logic. When wanting to replace with a new line, do not leave it empty.
4. Do I need to back up files before processing?
Backing up is recommended, or choosing a new output directory in the save location step. Batch processing is highly efficient, but it also means that if a rule is set incorrectly, the scope of impact can be large. Keeping original files is a safer office habit.
5. Which file formats are suitable for this method?
This article demonstrates with TXT text files. For logs, configuration files, plain text lists, and similar text-based content, the approach is similar. However, for formats like Word, docx, doc, PDF, you should use the corresponding tools in the software or convert them to text first before processing, to avoid directly applying the TXT operation method.
Summary: Using Batch Processing Tools to Reduce Repetitive Finding and Entire Line Replacement
Batch replacing entire lines containing keywords in multiple TXT files is a very practical office automation operation. Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , users can select "Find and replace complete lines in text files based on keywords" in the text tools, import multiple files, use "Use Formula for Fuzzy Text Search" to input wildcard regex expressions like \d{4}, fill in the new content for the replacement line, and finally follow the wizard to save and process.
Compared to manually opening files one by one, this method is better suited for scenarios with many files, relatively uniform rules, and frequent repetitive modifications. It not only saves time but also ensures consistent replacement results. For users who frequently handle txt, logs, configuration lists, exported text, and plain text materials converted from Word, docx, doc, PDF, mastering this method of batch entire-line text replacement can significantly improve everyday office efficiency.
If you need to uniformly replace lines containing years, serial numbers, version numbers, or other keywords in multiple text files with new content, it is recommended to first prepare sample files to test the expression, then batch import the complete folder for processing. This approach is both efficient and more secure.