Search Component Files

Using Component Manager, you can search for literal text strings in component prompts, titles, dialog element text, notes, scripts, patterns, formats, and merge text. If necessary, you can replace any text you find with different text.

To search components for a certain text string

1. Open Component Manager. (See Open and Close Component Manager.) The Component Manager window appears.
2. Click the Find in Components button. The Find in Components dialog box appears.
3. From the Include list, select one of the following options: All components in list (searches all of the components currently displayed in the Components list), Selected components in list (searches only the components that are currently selected (highlighted) in the Components list), All components in component file (searches all of the components in the component file, regardless of what is currently displayed (and selected) in the Components list).
4. Type the word or string of text in the Find what column. (You can include up to 10 text strings.)
5. Optionally, select any other search criteria:
   • Match case searches for a text string that matches the capitalization you have used.
   • Find whole words only excludes instances where the text in the Find column occurs as part of another word.
6. Specify which properties of a component you want to search by selecting an option. (See Component Properties for an explanation of each property.)
7. Click Find. Once HotDocs is finished searching the components for the specified string, Component Manager displays the Found Components list, which shows only those components that contained a match. This list continues to show the results of your search until you either perform a new search or you close Component Manager. To view the full list of components again, click the Components drop-down button and choose All Components.

To search components for a certain text string and then replace the string with new text

1. Open Component Manager. (See Open and Close Component Manager.) The Component Manager window appears.
2. Click the Find and Replace in Components button. The Find and Replace in Components dialog box appears.
3. From the Include list, select one of the following options: All components in list (searches all of the components currently displayed in the Components list), Selected components in list (searches only the components that are currently selected (highlighted) in the Components list), All components in component file (searches all of the components in Component Manager, regardless of what is currently displayed (and selected) in the Components list).
4. Type the text string for which you want to search in the Find what column. (You can include up to 10 strings.)
5. Type the text string with which you want to replace the found text in the Replace with column.
6. Optionally, select any other search criteria:
   • Match case searches for a text string that matches the capitalization you have used.
   • Find whole words only excludes instances where the text in the Find column occurs as part of another word.
   • Confirm replacements makes HotDocs ask you before it replaces the text string.
7. Specify which properties of a component you want to search by selecting an option. (See Component Properties for an explanation of each property.)
8. Click Find. If you selected Confirm replacements, HotDocs will confirm each replacement. Once HotDocs finishes replacing the components for the specified string, Component Manager displays the Found Components list, which shows only those components that were modified. This list continues to show the results of your search and replace until you either perform a new search or you close Component Manager. To view the full list of components again, click the Components drop-down button and choose All Components.

To search for a specific component based on the component name, select the Find check box (located at the bottom of the Component Manager window) and type the text for which you are searching.