[tlug] emacs query/replace and the string that would not be strung

[Tony Laszlo <laszlo@example.com>]

I am using find-dired and global query/replace 
in emacs to replace one string with another in 
multiple files. I have done this successfully 
many times, but hit a string that does not want 
to be treated that way. 

The string in question looks like this. 

string?string=string&string=string


emacs just zips through the files 
without "finding" it. It exists 
in all the files, and in fact is 
a string that I copied/pasted from 
one of those files. I have also 
tried typing it in, and escaping 
one or more of the suspicious 
characters with \ . No dice. 
Yet, emacs can "see" each segment 
of that string, if I put it 
in piece by piece, e.g., 
string?  one time, 
=string  another time, 
etc. 

about to throw the laptop 
against the wall, but before 
I do, would anyone have a 
suggestion, please? 

Thanks!