Search with multiple cursors in VScode

Question

Note: This is NOT a duplicate of "Select all occurrences of selected word in VSCode

I already have multiple cursors. Imagine | are the cursors and I have 3 like this

Some Line|Some Text, More Text
Some Other Line|Some Other Text, Other More Text
Yet Another Line|Yet Some Other Text, Yet Other More Text

Now I want to move all 3 cursors to the , in their respective lines. Ideally I'd like to be able to use a full search to do it as often the search would require more nuance (like first comma that's followed by word that starts with T). This is a problem I would generally solve with keyboard macros in other editors but VSCode doesn't have those and I'm told multiple cursors is the solution yet I have not found a way to do a search for all the cursors

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 18 '21 at 23:40

You can use extension Select By and command moveby.regex

You can set it to use a fixed regex to search for or ask you for the regex:

{
    "key": "ctrl+shift+f6",  // or any other key combo
    "when": "editorTextFocus",
    "command": "moveby.regex",
    "args": {
      "ask": true,
      "properties": ["next", "start"]
    }
  }

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 18 '22 at 22:02

You can use this extension, Find and Transform (disclaimer: I am the author) to do what you want. Sample keybinding:


{
  "key": "alt+f",
  "command": "findInCurrentFile",
  "args": {

    "find": ",(?=\\s*T)",  // the first , followed by a word with a T

    // "replace": "***",

    "isRegex": true,
    "matchCase": true

    // if you want to fine-tuen where the cursor ends up, use postCommands
    // "postCommands": ["cursorLeft", "cursorRight"]

  },
},

It works with multiple cursors.... Demo:

Although you might find it easier to use this keybinding instead to cycle through the matches with replace or selection instead (with a single cursor):

{
  "key": "alt+f",
  "command": "findInCurrentFile",
  "args": {

    "find": ",(?=\\s*T)",
    // "replace": "***",

    "isRegex": true,
    "matchCase": true,

    // "restrictFind": "line"
    "restrictFind": "nextMoveCursor",

    // "postCommands": ["cursorLeft", "cursorRight"]
  },
},

Search with multiple cursors in VScode

2 Answers2