How to add comment out multiliple lines in multiple files?

Question

I am trying to comment out an Azure DevOps pipeline stage in multiple yaml files. I tried using

Find in Files

in Notepad++, but unsuccessful.

I am trying to comment out the following stage.

- stage: "check_code"
    jobs:
      - job: "check_code"
        pool:
          vmImage: 'windows-latest'
        steps:
          - template: check_code.yml@templates
            parameters:
              projectName: '$(projectName)'

This is what I am trying to acheive.

# - stage: "check_code"
# jobs:
  # - job: "check_code"
    # pool:
      # vmImage: 'windows-latest'
    # steps:
      # - template: check_code.yml@templates
        # parameters:
          # projectName: '$(projectName)'

When I use notepad++, I can copy the lines in the Find what search box but unable to copy the commented out multiple lines in Replace with box.

Any suggestion on how can I replace it?

Answer 1

• Ctrl+H
• Find what: ^(?:(- stage: "check_code"\R)|\G(\h*)(?!-stage)(.+\R))
• Replace with: $2# $1$3
• TICK Match case
• TICK Wrap around
• SELECT Regular expression
• UNTICK . matches newline
• Replace all

Explanation:

^                       # beginning of line
    (?:                     # non capture group
        (                       # group 1
            - stage: "check_code"   # literally
            \R                      # any kind of linebreak
        )                       # end group 1
      |                       # OR
        \G                      # restart from last match position
        (\h*)                   # group 2, 0 or more horizontal spaces
        (?!-stage)              # negative lookahead, make sure we haven't -stage after
        (                       # group 3
            .+                      # 1 or more any character
            \R                      # any kind of linebreak
        )                       # end group 3
    )                       # end group

Screenshot (before):

Screenshot (after):