How do I separate a Filepath containing backslashes by replacing only the rootlevel backslash with a-CodePudding

I have a list of Filepaths, each row includes the filesize and creationdate.

The Filepaths are separated by backslashes, some files in the root folder, others in sub-folders or even in sub-sub-folders.

I am trying to use RegEx in Notepad to achieve the desired results.

I merely wish to replace the backslash immediately after the root folder with a tab character.

Example:

Current:

   289399    13/12/2021    ALLEN Alan - 12.05.2014 - A\File in Root Folder.JPG
    67795    21/12/2021    JONES Jess - 14.09.2010 - B\SUB\File in Level 1 Sub Folder.TXT
   110842    27/05/2020    SMITH Alex - 08.01.2006 - C\SUB\SUB\File in Level 2 Sub-Sub Folder.PDF

Desired:

   289399    13/12/2021    ALLEN Alan - 12.05.2014 - A <Tab> File in Root Folder.JPG
    67795    21/12/2021    JONES Jess - 14.09.2010 - B <Tab> SUB\File in Level 1 Sub Folder.TXT
   110842    27/05/2020    SMITH Alex - 08.01.2006 - C <Tab> SUB\SUB\File in Level 2 Sub-Sub Folder.PDF

Tab separation required at Root Level ONLY

Various methods I have tried using RegEx in Notepad fail to achieve the desired result. The tab character almost always replaces the very last backslash character, not the one immediately after the root foldername.

Find:

^(.*\t.*\t.*)\\((.*)$|(.*\\.*)$|(.*\\.*\\.*)$)$

RegEx:

\1\t\2

Result:

   289399    13/12/2021    ALLEN Alan - 12.05.2014 - A <Tab> File in Root Folder.JPG
    67795    21/12/2021    JONES Jess - 14.09.2010 - B\SUB <Tab> File in Level 1 Sub Folder.TXT
   110842    27/05/2020    SMITH Alex - 08.01.2006 - C\SUB\SUB <Tab> File in Level 2 Sub-Sub Folder.PDF

The above RegEx (and variations of this) result in only the final backslash being replaced with a Tab.

I need to replace the first backslash after the Root Foldername only to be replaced, leaving the rest intact.

Note: Some rows will not have a letter immediately before the first backslash, e.g.

   289399    13/12/2021    ALLEN Alan - 12.05.2014\File in Root Folder.JPG

Please can somebody advise of a simple solution for this?

CodePudding user response：

Ctrl H
Find what: ^[^\\] \K\\
Replace with: \t
TICK Wrap around
SELECT Regular expression
Replace all

Explanation:

^           # beginning of line
[^\\]       # 1 or more any character that is not a backslash
\K          # forget all we have seen until this position
\\          # a backslash

Replacement:

\t          # a tabulation

Screenshot (before):

Screenshot (after):

CodePudding user response：

Use the find/replace feature as follows:

Find what: (- [\w.] )\\
Replace with: \1\t
⦿ Regular Expression

Replace all