Using Library Designer - Find and Replace

Using Library Designer - Find and Replace

Library Designer’s Find and Replace is a powerful and commonly used tool. It is useful for replacing formulas, locating orphaned global variable references, determining if products are referencing a particular global variable, or any time it is important to know that you've found every occurrence of a formula or prompt.
Make a backup copy of your factory database before experimenting with Library Designer’s Find and Replace tool

Library Designer Find and Replace Tool

To access the Find and Replace tool, click the Search button in the General tab of Library Designer.

Fig. 01 – Library Designer Interface – Search

The Find and Replace interface will open.

Fig. 02 – Find and Replace Interface

Search-In Checkboxes

The checkboxes in the upper left allow you to designate which areas of the database to search.

Fig. 03 – Find and Replace Interface – Search In Checkboxes

By default, all checkboxes are selected, providing a complete search of all Library database records. If you prefer to limit the search, first click the UnCheck All button to clear all checkboxes, then select the areas of the Database to focus your search. The UnCheck All button transforms to a Check All button when no selections have been made.

Fig. 04 – Search In Checkboxes

You have the option to search in each of the following categories of records:
  1. Products
  2. Subassemblies
  3. Parts
  4. Hardware
  5. Prompts
  6. Machine Tokens
  7. Drawing Tokens
  8. Subassembly Entries

Match By Any Part, Whole Word, or Entire Cell

Just like in workbook designer, you can match your search inquiry either by Any Part, Whole Word, or Entire Cell. You also have the option to make the search case sensitive using the Match Case checkbox.

Fig. 05 – Find and Replace Interface – Match By Selection

Search and Replace With Text Entry

Input the text you would like to locate in the library into the Search text field.

Fig. 06 – Find and Replace Interface – Search Text Field

Text entered in the Replace With field will replace Search text in the library data.


Fig. 07 – Find and Replace Interface – Replace With Text Field
Use a basic text editor like Notepad to store your text and easily copy and paste into the Search and Replace With text fields
Clicking Search will start the database search process.

Fig. 08 – Find and Replace Interface – Search Button

Typically, the search process is completed quickly. However, you can click the Stop button during the search to abort if needed.

Fig. 09 – Find and Replace Interface – Stop Button

Results of the search are displayed in the tree view on the left side of the Find and Replace interface.

Fig. 10 – Find and Replace Interface – Search Results Tree View

Clicking the plus icon drills down to each individual matched item from the database. Once selected, the entire formula or data value will be displayed in the data display window to the right.

Fig. 11 – Find and Replace Interface – Data Display

Parts, Products, or Subassemblies Using This Item

A list for each of the following entity types is displayed in the lower right corner of the Find and Replace interface:
  1. Parts
  2. Products
  3. Subassemblies
When an item in the tree view is highlighted, all Parts, Products, or Subassemblies using the item are displayed in these lists. Any replaced text will be replaced for all entities listed.


Fig. 12 – Find and Replace Interface – Parent Lists

Alternatively, you can right-click on a selected item then click Show Products/Subassemblies Using Item to show a separate Parent List window.


Fig. 13 – Show Products/Subassemblies Using This Item

Replace Checked Items

Clicking the Replace Checked Items button will replace the matching text of all records currently checked in the tree view with text from the Replace With text field.

Fig. 14 – Find and Replace Interface – Replace Checked Items Button

Find

Clicking the Find button highlights text in the data display window that matches your search text.

Fig. 15 – Find and Replace Interface – Find Button

Replace

Clicking the Replace button will replace the matching text in the currently selected record with text from the Replace With text field.

Fig. 16 – Find and Replace Interface – Replace Button

Replace All

Clicking the Replace All button will replace the matching text in all records located in the search with text from the Replace With text field.

Fig. 17 – Find and Replace Interface – Replace All Button

Undo Last

Clicking the Undo Last button reverts the previous Replace action.

Fig. 18 – Find and Replace Interface – Undo Last Button

Find more articles on Library Designer in the  Product Creation & Editing Tools  section of the Knowledge Base.

Below is a sample exercise that demonstrates how to fix an issue with a formula affecting machining on drawer cabinets with finished ends. This issue has been corrected in newer cabinet libraries.

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