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C
cmoke73
Inspiring
January 9, 2020
Answered

search/replace shortcuts

  • January 9, 2020
  • 5 replies
  • 3369 views

Hi!

 

Does anybody know, if one can use shortcuts for the options of searching/replaceing (find next, change, change all, change/find)?

I´m going to change a pretty lot of objects in a large document (delete the shadow-effect) and the only way to decide wich one have to be changed is a visual controll, one by one. It would be helpful to use both hands :).

 

Thanks in advance

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer hammer0909

Well there's no shortcut for those options per se, however when in the Find/Change dialog box, hit your tab key a few times and eventually it will highlight the Find Next button. At that point you can just hit the enter key to choose that option and it will remain highlighted so you can just keep hitting enter to use that option. If you hit the tab key again, it will then highlight Change, Change All, Change/Find, and Fewer Options respectively and hitting enter will invoke the highlighted option. Shift + Tab will highlight those options in reverse which should make it pretty easy to achieve what you describe above.

5 replies

G
gstorck
Participant
October 10, 2021

On a Mac you can use the space bar as you get into this screen, having used the "change/find" button once with the mouse:

 

Then keep hitting the space bar to do the job. If you want to skip a replacement, just press the Cmd+Opt+F to "Find Next" and get back to the space bar. It worked fine for me.

 

(Naturally, actual shortcuts are missing. TextWrangler/BBEdit has shortcuts for all of these actions. Cmd+= replaces once and Cmd+opt+= replaces all, for instance) 

    S
    Sesamme
    Inspiring
    December 17, 2021

    Thanks - I had the same question and also figured that on a Mac only the Spacebar option does the job. However, if I hit Cmd + Opt + F, or actually click the pointer in the text (as a result loosing focus on the Find/Change panel) the "change" option doesn't light up anymore and I need to start the process all over. But I found that while in the panel, hitting Enter will always Find Next. And Space will click whatever you selected previously with the TAB button. So - keep focus on the Find/Change panel, then just use Enter and Space to change what you need. Hit Enter again as many times as you want to skip without changing, hit Space each time you need to Change. The only drawback is when moving focus out of the panel...

      B
      BorisBlocksberg
      Participating Frequently
      July 14, 2020

      I was looking for a solution for exactly the same problem when I found the key combination cmd+shift+f for "find next". You could press that and just click on "change" if you want, BUT once you do that, the "change" button fades to grey. Anyone have an idea why?

      I can't find a "replace/search" shortcut for Mac anywhere. Does anyone know it?

      Barb Binder
      Community Expert
      Barb BinderCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      January 9, 2020

      Hi Csmoke:

       

      Are you on a Mac or Windows workstation? Windows offers keyboard shortcuts for just about everything, including the buttons you mentioned in Find/Change.

       

      Tap Alt to expose the keys needed to activate buttons (note the underlines in the screen shot below). Alt+n is Find Next, Alt+h is Change, Alt+a is Change All, etc. Unfortunately, I don't know of a Mac equivalent. 

       

      ~Barb

       

      +A

      ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
        C
        cmoke73Author
        Inspiring
        January 13, 2020

        Hi Barb.

         

        Unfortunately I have an iMac.

        But thanks

          hammer0909
          Community Expert
          hammer0909Community ExpertCorrect answer
          Community Expert
          January 9, 2020

          Well there's no shortcut for those options per se, however when in the Find/Change dialog box, hit your tab key a few times and eventually it will highlight the Find Next button. At that point you can just hit the enter key to choose that option and it will remain highlighted so you can just keep hitting enter to use that option. If you hit the tab key again, it will then highlight Change, Change All, Change/Find, and Fewer Options respectively and hitting enter will invoke the highlighted option. Shift + Tab will highlight those options in reverse which should make it pretty easy to achieve what you describe above.

          C
          cmoke73Author
          Inspiring
          January 9, 2020

          Yes, I fear it will remain with the traditional solution

          😞

          J
          Community Expert
          Jeffrey_SmithCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 9, 2020

          You can save a Query (at top of Find/Change panel) of the search and replace criteria. And use the dropdown to access any of the saved queries.

          C
          cmoke73Author
          Inspiring
          January 9, 2020
           
          Hello Jeffrey.
          A saved query is not a solution for me. There are e.g. three forms of one type with different contents. I would like to have two of them with and one without effect. There is no automatic search and replace function for this.
          J
          Community Expert
          Jeffrey_SmithCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 9, 2020

          Sorry, I misread what you were looking for. As Chad suggests, you can tab through these items. The one function that can have a keyboard shortcut assigned is "Find Next".

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