edit_block
Precisely modify text in files using targeted replacements. Specify file path, old and new strings, and optional expected replacements. Supports one or multiple changes, with character-level diffs for non-exact matches. Use absolute paths for reliability.
Instructions
Apply surgical text replacements to files.
BEST PRACTICE: Make multiple small, focused edits rather than one large edit.
Each edit_block call should change only what needs to be changed - include just enough
context to uniquely identify the text being modified.
Takes:
- file_path: Path to the file to edit
- old_string: Text to replace
- new_string: Replacement text
- expected_replacements: Optional parameter for number of replacements
By default, replaces only ONE occurrence of the search text.
To replace multiple occurrences, provide the expected_replacements parameter with
the exact number of matches expected.
UNIQUENESS REQUIREMENT: When expected_replacements=1 (default), include the minimal
amount of context necessary (typically 1-3 lines) before and after the change point,
with exact whitespace and indentation.
When editing multiple sections, make separate edit_block calls for each distinct change
rather than one large replacement.
When a close but non-exact match is found, a character-level diff is shown in the format:
common_prefix{-removed-}{+added+}common_suffix to help you identify what's different.
Similar to write_file, there is a configurable line limit (fileWriteLineLimit) that warns
if the edited file exceeds this limit. If this happens, consider breaking your edits into
smaller, more focused changes.
IMPORTANT: Always use absolute paths (starting with '/' or drive letter like 'C:\') for reliability. Relative paths may fail as they depend on the current working directory. Tilde paths (~/...) might not work in all contexts. Unless the user explicitly asks for relative paths, use absolute paths.
This command can be referenced as "DC: ..." or "use Desktop Commander to ..." in your instructions.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| expected_replacements | No | ||
| file_path | Yes | ||
| new_string | Yes | ||
| old_string | Yes |
Input Schema (JSON Schema)
{
"$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
"additionalProperties": false,
"properties": {
"expected_replacements": {
"default": 1,
"type": "number"
},
"file_path": {
"type": "string"
},
"new_string": {
"type": "string"
},
"old_string": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"required": [
"file_path",
"old_string",
"new_string"
],
"type": "object"
}