Find & Replace (was Aliasing for URLs?)
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#830 Find & Replace (was Aliasing for URLs?)
Feature request:
Password Safe supports password aliasing for those that use the same password on multiple machines. Could we have "URL aliasing" for those of us who have multiple accounts on a single web site, please?
For instance, I have a ridiculous number of Gmail accounts (over 40) that I've created over the years for varied reasons. Every entry in PWS has the same URL entry. This would only be a minor annoyance except that Google (and some other sites) change the URL to their login page at random intervals. This means that I have to go back and edit each entry to update the URL. It would be great if I could designate one 'master' URL entry and slave all others to it.
It could probable use the same syntax and dialogs as password aliasing.
The negatives might outweigh the positives, but a workaround might be to use a script and a Run Command in the Entry to launch the URL via the script. Then you'd only have to change the URL in the script when the URL changes.
I would prefer a "Global Edit" function instead i.e. change text string 'A' to 'B' in field X. This would be a major new function and would need some thought.
Rather than do it for all entries, I would limit it to the currently selected items via a filter. Of course, you could set up a filter to include all entries or even set the filter to be that field X contains the text 'A'.
I use the Notepad++ text editor and it has a similar function to find or replace strings in files rather than just the currently open file.
Options would be:
1. Case sensitive/insensitive.
2. Complete field (i,e. the field is 'A' to change to 'B').
3. Other appropriate options as in filters e.g. "contains", "begins with" and "ends with",
Of course, this would then be applicable to any text field: URL, email, Notes etc.
Again, no gurantees if/when this might be implemented. Also, this should be a Feature Request rather than a Support Request.
Last edit: DrK 2017-03-26
I like the global edit idea as it is more general and more general is (almost) always better.
As for Support vs Feature, I agree, but for some reason the Feature Request option wasn't available when I filed this. I just checked and it is available now so I don't know what happened. Undoubtedly I messed up, but I don't know how.
I lIke it...a Global Edit feature is a great idea and a nice way to solve the original problem statement.
Ticket moved from /p/passwordsafe/support-requests/485/
Hm,
A few thoughts:
Implementing undo/redo for such "mass editing" would be interesting (perhaps we'll need nested multicommands?)
For sanity, I'd restrict this to textual fields. At least for first implementation.
Do we want to apply this to the password field?
Changing the group will also require special care.
A "heavy" feature that will benefit "advanced" users.
My view is that the first (and possibly only) implementation would be:
1. For text fields only excluding group, title, username & password i.e. very limited - Notes, URL, Autotype, Run Command, Email & Named Password Policy.
2. It would be one "job" in that all changes would be in the one change multi-command and so would be undone/redone en-block and not individually. Obviously, the user should have enabled intermediate backups!!!
3. Options during the change definition would be that the field (similar to filters): begins with, ends with or contains the text wishing to be changed.
4. The change can be specified as case senitive or insensitve.
Last edit: DrK 2017-03-30
I just had another idea on how to implement this. I have no idea if this is better/easier/safer than implementing a global edit, but here it is:
It is already possible to export specific fields to a text file rather than the entire DB. Change the 'Import from file' function to allow:
1. merge specific fields from a previously exported file (that has been edited) back into the DB; or
2. its current functions
In order to make extensive changes, you could then you could export the minimum fields necessary to ensure uniqueness (e.g. 'Group/Name' and maybe 'Username') and the field(s) you want to edit. Make the edits to the exported file using a text editor, and then merge it back into the DB.
This doesn't currently work because PWS just makes new entries for the modified entries in the imported file (I tried it).
This is more work for the user, but may be less for the developers. If it isn't, then just punt the idea.
Tim, I have already implemented this function as a "global edit" of text fields other than Group, Title, User & Password (i.e. Autotype, Email, Notes, Password Policy Name, Run Command and URL). It was an interesting request and so took my fancy. It is currently being tested but I haven't yet passed it by Rony and, so whilst I expect it to be in the next release, I can't quite promise that yet.
I had an opportunity to test the development version with the Global edit (aka Find and Replace) feature. It is working great and should find some good uses for things like making changes in many entries at once, such as entries that have user templates used in Notes or in the URL as in the original request. Hopefully this will be released soon.
Although I had implemented Find & Replace ready for 3.43, I was unable to get it into the main repository as Rony and I were unable to agree on how the Password Safe's user interface should look for this particular function.
Because of this, it is with regret that, after 11 years of significant involvement with this project since V3.01, I will no longer be contributing to Password Safe. During that time I have provided quite a bit of new functionality (e.g. Windows Virtual Keyboard, XML import/export, Filters, Dragbar, Aliases, Shortcuts, Command undo/redo, Persistent Empty Groups, Password Policies, Protected Entries, Entry Keyboard Shortcuts, Export subsets to PWS databases, Tablet support and probably a lot more I can’t remember from this long period) as well as bug fixes to these [nothing is perfect on its first release] and to other developer’s code. Of course, other developers have also fixed issues with my code along the way for which I thank them.
I will still use Password Safe as I consider it to be the best out there (I currently use V3.33 as I don't need anything that has been added since then and any bugs that may be in that release do not affect me).
I am afraid that you will have to wait for Rony (or another Windows developer), to decide to implement this his way.
This is unfortunate. You will be missed.
Thank you for all the great efforts you have put in to make Password Safe the best it can be.
Indeed. I'd like to thank DrK for his significant involvement and contributions to the project over the years. His enthusiasm and efforts will be missed.
Some action good occurred on this but got derailed by the departure of DrK. This is still an issue that I feel affects more people than just me so a yay/nay determination would be nice.