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dv8kiwi
Inspiring
March 3, 2017
Answered

Find and replace across multiple documents no longer usable. Total productivity killer.

  • March 3, 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 2037 views

I can no longer find and Replace across multiple docs. Adobe's "improvements" just completely broke a good thing. I have tried using "Exceptions" and unchecking unwanted replacements in the Search panel, but when I click "Replace" it will go through each document and make a warning "ding" (with no dialog or anything in the output) and nothing is changed. Despite the search panel saying the correct number of replacements have been made.

The old way was perfectly fine, even better because you could see the changes in context (assuming the new way would work as it's supposed to, but it doesn't). All I want to do is go through each item and ignore or approve the change. Why did Adobe get it into their heads I would want anything else?

Regardless, now I have NOTHING. So DW is no longer productive, and I nee to go back to the last version, despite all the great improvements that have been made - the new find/replace just kills them all.

Unless somebody here can point out something I might have missed.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer dv8kiwi

    https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform for feature requests or bug reports

    -or Feedback forum https://forums.adobe.com/community/creative_cloud/desktop-app/content


    OK so are we agreed this is a bug? To replace a string in selected documents by "Find all" with "Exceptions" checked. Then uncheck the ones in the Search panel that must not be replaced, and then click "Replace" in the search panel. The result of this is nothing happens. This is broken functionality.

    4 replies

    mahakk20912952
    Adobe Employee
    Adobe Employee
    April 12, 2017

    Hi,

    Thanks for reporting the issue. However, i could not reproduce it.

    Could you please let us know the version where you are facing the issue.

    I tried and found Replace All with exceptions working perfectly fine in 17.0.1 with no warning.

    Could you please give a try once more. And as you mentioned “with no dialog or anything in the output) and nothing is changed. Despite the search panel saying the correct number of replacements have been made. . This is as expected. We won’t show anything in the search output panel when selective replace is done. Only the success message will be shown. Search panel will show the results otherwise when no selective replace is done..

    Known Participant
    March 25, 2017

    This is unbelievable.  We design the pages with filler text, then need to go through and replace the fillers with real text... and  I CANT DO THAT ANYMORE?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?   You are killing me Adobe.  Gottdam I hate this monopoly and their horrible horrible unending updates that KILL MY WORKFLOW EVERY TIME.  arrggghhghghghghghg

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 25, 2017

    Maybe if you explain more about your workflow.  It's not clear why you "can't do that anymore."

    Nancy

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 3, 2017

    I don't quite understand the problem you're having with F&R in multiple documents. 

    A typical use case for me: I need to change the sitewide assets path from the previous month's to the new month's folder.

         Find: MAR2017/

         Replace:  APR2017/

              No filters, no exceptions.

              Hit Replace ALL (done).

              Or hit Find ALL.

    In the search results panel (shown above), double-click result to open the document.  Double-click a 2nd time to orient your cursor over the target code.

    Nancy

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    dv8kiwi
    dv8kiwiAuthor
    Inspiring
    March 3, 2017

    Thanks Nancy. That's helpful because I didn't know about double-clicking a second time. It's not obvious or good design imho. So at least I can use it even though I find it more cumbersome than the previous way of doing it.

    In the above case I wanted to replace a string in all selected documents. Previously I would have just clicked "next" each time and chosen to either "Replace" or "Ignore" (fast and easy. And intuitive). So I expect the equivalent now is to "Find all" with "Exceptions" checked. Then uncheck the ones I don't want replaced and click "Replace" in the search panel. This doesn't work at all as I described above.

    Nancy OShea
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 3, 2017

    This new F&R feature is a complete departure from the old one.  I find the search is much faster than the old  F&R but lacking some refinements & features I would like to see implemented.  

    Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
    BenPleysier
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    March 3, 2017
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    dv8kiwi
    dv8kiwiAuthor
    Inspiring
    March 3, 2017

    Thanks Ben, will do if it turns out to be a bug. So far it seems to be only me with this problem. The rest of my issue seems to be just poor design rather than a bug.

    Preran
    Legend
    March 6, 2017

    The team is improving the experience for the Find and Replace dialog for a future update. However, I don't have an idea about the exact nature of changes. You could post your suggestions on Adobe Dreamweaver CC: Feature Ideas

    Thanks,

    Preran