FAQ Question
How can i mass rename igss objects?
Answer
You can rename an individual IGSS object in appropriate tab (Analog or Digital) on the Object properties form but if you have to rename many objects in the process diagram, opening each individual object is too time-consuming.
You can mass-rename IGSS objects on a process diagram by using the Property Table Browser and an external editing program such as a spreadsheet (MS-Excel, LibreOffice Calc, OpenOffice Calc, etc)) or one of the many text-editor programs (Notepad, Textpad, Notepad++, etc).
Important
Since you are importing and editing objects directly into IGSS, you are strongly advised to make a backup copy of your configuration before importing and mass-renaming your objects. A little mistake may have a large effect when importing.
In IGSS Definition Module
1. Go to the diagram containing the objects you want to rename.
2. Right-click in the diagram and select Property Table View (or Press CTRL+H) to open the Property Table Viewer form.
3. In the left pane of Property Table Viewer form, click the Objects folder to display all objects in the right pane.
4. In the right pane of the Property Table Viewer form, click the Object Name column to select all the objects in the column.
5. Press CTRL+C to copy all the selected objects to the clipboard.
6. Do not close the Property Table Viewer form. You will use the form later.
Outside IGSS
7. Open a spreadsheet (e.g. MS-Excel) or text editor program (e.g. Notepad) and press CTRL + V to insert the selected object names.
8. Add a new empty line at the top of the object name list. The new empty line is a placeholder for the Object Name column filter row when you insert the renamed list of object names into the Property Table Viewer form again.
9. Modify and/or rename your object names in the spreadsheet or text editor program using search-and-replace functions.
10. When you are finished renaming the object names, press CTRL+A to select all the renamed object names. Remember to include the empty line at the top of the list.
11. Press CTRL+C to copy the selected list of renamed object names to the clipboard.
In IGSS Definition Module
12. In the Property Table Viewer form, click the Object Name column to select all the objects in the column.
13. Press CTRL+V to insert all the selected renamed object names from the clipboard.
14. The selected objects in the Property Table Viewer form have been renamed.
No Nonsense Newsletter from IGSS Development August, 2012 Page – 5 –
Note
If you get the first object name in the filter row of the Object Name column, you have forgotten to include the extra empty line at the top of the renamed object names.
You can also use the Property Table Viewer for the Area to mass-rename all objects in an area. To open the Property Table Viewer for the Area, click >Area > Property Table View in the IGSS Definition module
Mass rename filtered Property Table Viewer form
The procedure described above transfers all object names to the clipboard for renaming in a spreadsheet or text editor.
If you only want to rename a few objects in the Property Table Viewer form, but still too many to rename individually, you can do the following.
In IGSS Definition Module
1. Go to the diagram containing the objects you want to rename.
2. Right-click in the diagram and select Property Table View (or Press CTRL+H) to open the Property Table Viewer form.
3. In the left pane of Property Table Viewer form, click the Objects folder to display all objects in the right pane.
4. In the right pane of the Property Table Viewer form, in the grey row under the Object Name column (the Filter row), insert the filter criteria you want to apply to the Object Name column.
5. Click the Object Name column to select all the objects in the column.
6. Press CTRL+C to copy all the selected objects to the clipboard.
7. Do not close the Property Table Viewer form. You will use the form later.
Outside IGSS
8. Open a spreadsheet (e.g. MS-Excel) or text editor program (e.g. Notepad) and press CTRL + V to insert the selected object names.
9. Add a new empty line at the top of the object name list. The new empty line is a placeholder for the Object Name column filter which is to be defined later.
10. Modify and/or rename your object names in the spreadsheet or text editor program using search-and-replace functions.
11. When you are finished renaming the object names, enter the filter criteria from step 4 above. Do this to ensure the filter criteria are inserted into the filter row of the Object name column when you update the renamed object names.
12. At the very bottom of the renamed object list, insert an empty line. Do this to ensure the last entry of the renamed object name list is included when you insert the renamed object name list into the Property Table Viewer form.
13. Press CTRL+A to select all the renamed object names. Remember to include the empty line at the bottom of the list and the filter row line at the top of the list.
14. Press CTRL+C to copy the selected list of renamed object names to the clipboard.
In IGSS Definition Module
15. In the Property Table Viewer form, click the Object Name column to select all the objects in the column.
16. Make sure the filter row contains the same filter criteria as you define in step 4 above.
No Nonsense Newsletter from IGSS Development August, 2012 Page – 6 –
17. Press CTRL+V to insert all the selected renamed object names from the clipboard.
18. The selected objects in the Property Table Viewer form have been renamed.
Note
Be careful to include the filter criteria in all of your transfers to and from the Property Table Viewer form and to include the empty bottom line.
If your renamed object names lack the last renamed object name, you have forgotten to include the empty bottom line.