Search and Replace: Fix One Error Across the Whole Transcript

A misrecognized proper name rarely stays alone. If the model writes the witness, for example, as “Mr. Mayer” instead of “Mr. Meier”, the error is likely to sit in several places or in every place where the name comes up. With the search function you can fix this quickly and without fuss, and you can also find relevant terms in a longer transcript with precision.

Open the search

You have two ways:

• Click the magnifier on the left in the toolbar of the editor.
• Or press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (macOS).

If words in the transcript are selected, memozero uses their text as the search term. The search field is then already filled.

To close it, click the X in the search field (Close search).

Tip: First select the misspelled word in the transcript, then open the search. This way you do not type long words a second time.

What the search covers

The search applies only to the transcript that is currently open. To do this it checks all words, including deleted and inserted ones. It does not search speaker names and comments.

Note: Do not confuse this search field with the search field in the sidebar on the far left. That one searches all transcripts and the comments as well.

The controls

Element	Label	Meaning
Input field	Search transcript…	The search term goes here.
Match counter	3 of 17	Which match of how many.
Message	No matches	The term does not occur in the searched transcript.
Forward arrow	Next match	Jumps to the next match.
Back arrow	Previous match	Jumps to the previous match.
Option	Match case	The spelling must fit exactly.
Option	Match whole word	Only whole words count as matches.
Toggle	Replace	Shows the replace field.
Replace field	Replace with…	The correct spelling goes here.
Button	Replace	Swaps the current match.
Button	Replace all	Swaps all matches in the transcript.

Keys in the search field and the replace field

Field	Key	Effect
Search field	Enter	Jumps to the next match.
Search field	Shift + Enter	Jumps to the previous match.
Replace field	Enter	Replaces the current match.
Replace field	Ctrl + Enter / Cmd + Enter	Replaces all matches.

Search more precisely

Two options narrow the matches:

• Match whole word: Without this option, memozero also finds parts of words. A search for “Mayer” then also hits “Mayerhofer”. With the option, the whole word must fit.
• Match case: Without this option, the spelling does not matter. “mayer” also finds “Mayer”. If this option is on, only the exact capitalization counts.

If you enter more than one word, memozero searches them as a connected sequence of words, that is, as a phrase. This works for up to ten words. Longer entries fall back to a search for single words.

Note: Both options are off at the start. They apply only to the current session and memozero does not save them permanently.

Jump to a match

With Next match and Previous match you navigate through the matches. memozero then sets the recording automatically to one second before the selected word. With Play you can then listen along if you need to.

Replace and replace all

Caution: Go through the matches before you click Replace all. A term that is too broad otherwise also changes positions that may in fact have been transcribed correctly.

If you want to replace, proceed as follows:

1. Open the search in the editor.
2. Click the Replace toggle.
3. Enter the incorrect term in Search transcript….
4. Enter the correct spelling in Replace with….
5. Turn on Match whole word and Match case if necessary.
6. Check the match counter and navigate through the transcript with Next match.
7. Click Replace if you want to swap only the current match.
8. Click Replace all if every match is correct.
9. Click Save. memozero does not save changes by itself.

Replace does not split or join words. memozero writes each matched word again in its place. memozero leaves out matches that overlap.

Replaced words count as a separate change. They show blue and underlined while the change view is on. You can turn this on and off with the eye symbol in the toolbar. You can undo each replacement with Ctrl + Z or Cmd + Z. Alternatively you can also use the arrows in the toolbar.

The limit of 500 matches

The match list shows a maximum of 500 matches. With very long recordings and a frequent word, you reach this limit quickly.

Note: Replace all works independently of this display. The button catches all matches in the transcript, also the ones beyond 500.

Dictionary instead of replacing

Search and replace cleans up an error in one transcript. It changes nothing about the next transcription. If the same proper name, place name, or technical term comes up again and again in your recordings, enter the pair in the dictionary as well. memozero then corrects the term by itself at the next transcription.

Where to go next

• Dictionary: get rid of recurring errors permanently.
• Correcting transcripts: change words, read confidence, save changes.
• Welcome to memozero: the search in the sidebar and the way through the app.