Find and Replace via FTP

[Kayla Fay]

What's the best way to find and replace a piece of code (it's an affiliate link) in multiple webpages? I found a few pieces of software that say they'll do the trick, but I'd like to hear from someone who has actually done it!

[Lynn Terry]

I use Dreamweaver, which has a find & replace function - you can set it for a specific folder or directory within the site files, or the entire site folder. It will show you at the bottom of the screens which files were updated, and then you can do a bulk upload via FTP.

I look forward to hearing other options as well.

[Kayla Fay]

That works on my program (CoffeeCup), too, but I want to find files already online - and modify them there. In several of my folders I have webpages and files that I don't want online - for example notes and variations of salesletters. So I can't do a mass upload.

Just looking for a shortcut!

[wade_watson]

If you use WordPress, there's a super useful plugin that does a very good job of this, Search and Replace. I've used it to update internal links after moving a blog to a new domain. It will even choose certain types of areas to replace data within.

Wade Watson

[lindastacy]

...So I can't do a mass upload.

I've I'm surprised there isn't a way to upload individual files or groups of files. I've never used coffeecup, but in dreamweaver you can upload one file, or select a number of files to upload. You don't have to upload the entire site each time.

Or could you use the search and replace feature to change the files and then just upload ones you changed with FTP?

Sorry, I don't know of a way to do it all on the server.

[Kayla Fay]

Thanks for the hints on Wordpress; some of the sites I'm modifying are on WP.

And CoffeeCup has the capability to upload single files and groups of files, but I still would have to list the files that are actually online, edit them, then choose the ones I have edited and upload them again.

I'm just looking for a shortcut.

Does this mean I'm a lazy affiliate marketer?

I did find this...http://www.silveragesoftware.com/ Should I give it a shot?

[Lynn Terry]

I'm a "lazy affiliate" too so reading this thread with interest on the different options & resources available.

[lindastacy]

No, no, no! Not lazy... efficient!

We'll all be interested to know what ends up working for you; it's not an uncommon problem.

[CoryZ]

I usually use find/replace from sed, Perl, or vi for this. If you have Unix/linux hosting with shell access, it's a quick and easy way to do things.

[robert adams]

you can't do anything like that "on the server". you are always editing on your computer.

for instance, when using your ftp program, it is actually opening the file in your editing program that you have on your computer. ( downloading it to a temp folder and then uploading back after you save your edits)

Now, a search and replace program would have to do the same thing. It would have to download all the files with the relevant code in them to your computer, edit them and then upload them back.

I don't know of any programs that will do that for you.
I would suggest you simply use your ftp program to download/transfer the relevant files/folders to your computer.
Then , using whatever S/R program you have, do your edits and then simply upload the files/folders back to the server.

Depending on how many files are involved and your internet connection, the whole process should not take but a few clicks and a few minutes at the most.


luck,
robert