System and method for anticipated file editing

A method for editing a file, comprising the steps of:

• designating an edit region within the file;
• effecting an initial edit on an original character string within the designated edit region;
• identifying subsequent instances of the original character string only within the edit region;
• saving a record of the initial edit and the edit region in which the initial edit is made hierarchically in a computer memory table;
• retrieving the initial edit performed on the original characters from the computer memory table;
• deriving suggested edits to the subsequent instances of the original character string from the initial edit retrieved from the computer memory table;
• and
• maintaining a hierarchical log of edit regions.

A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code for commanding a computer to edit a file, comprising the steps of:

• designating an edit region within the file;
• effecting an initial edit on an original character string within the designated edit region;
• and
• identifying subsequent instances of the original character string only within the edit region.

A system for editing a file, comprising:

• means for designating an edit region within the file;
• means for effecting an initial edit on an original character string within the designated edit region;
• and
• means for identifying subsequent instances of the original character string only within the edit region.