Chapter 8
(continued)
Searching Documents With askSam
Stored Searches
Stored Searches let you save frequently used search requests and reuse them. You can use a Stored Search in places where it is necessary to select Documents for an operation:
· printing selected Documents
· exporting selected Documents
· deleting selected Documents
· selecting Documents for reports
1. Choose ACTIONS -> STORED SEARCHES.
The Stored Search Dialog Box will appear.
The Stored Search Dialog Box lets you create new stored searches, execute an existing search, edit existing searches, copy and rename searches, or delete searches.
2. Enter a name for the search.
3. Choose the CREATE button.
The Search Dialog will appear. The last search you executed is in the Search List.
If you wish to store this search, choose OK. Otherwise, choose the CLEAR ALL button, and enter a new search.
4. Choose OK once your search is created.
The search you created is listed in the Stored Search Dialog. You can choose RUN to execute the search.
BUTTON ACTION
RUN Executes the selected search.
CREATE Enter a new name and choose this button to create a new stored search.
EDIT Edits the selected search.
COPY Copies the selected search.
RENAME Renames the selected search.
DELETE Deletes the selected search.
Searching Through Multiple Files
When you search from the Search Line, or when you choose ACTIONS and one of the search commands, askSam searches in the active file. To search through a group of askSam files:
1. Choose ACTIONS -> SEARCH MULTIPLE FILES
The Search Multiple Files Dialog will appear.
2. Choose the Add Files button to select the files you wish to include in your search.
3. Use the mouse to click on the files you want to search (use the cursor keys and the space key if you're not using a mouse). You can select multiple files. If you wish to select all the files in a directory choose the Select All option.
4. Choose the Open button after you've selected the files.
The files you selected are added to the Search List. If you wish to select more files, repeat steps 2 through 4.
5. Choose the Search button to start your search.
The Search dialog will appear.
6. Enter your search request in the Search dialog and choose OK.
askSam will search through the files you selected and open the File List. This File List displays the files that contained hits from your search.
7. Double click on a file name in the file list. askSam will open the Search Results Window at the bottom of the screen. The Documents retrieved by the search will be listed in the Search Results Window. The first retrieved Document will be displayed in the top portion of the screen.
You can double click on other files in the file list to see the Documents retrieved in these files. Close the File List when you are finished with the search.
NOTES:
1. The Search List is saved so you can easily enter another search for this group of files.
2. The Remove All button clears all the files from the Search List.
3. The Remove button clears a single file from the Search List.
Searching for Selected Text
Any text contained within a Document can be selected and used to find other Documents which contain that word or phrase. There are three ways in which you can search for selected texts:
· Search only in the current Document.
· Search in all Documents in the current askSam file
· Search in another askSam file.
Searching for selected texts is extremely useful when your Documents contain legal, medical, or other long terms. You can search for these terms without retyping them.
This search allows you to select a text string and search in the current Document.
1. Select the text you wish to find.
2. Choose ACTIONS -> SEARCH FOR SELECTED TEXT -> IN CURRENT DOCUMENT (or press F3).
askSam begins searching in the current Document at the cursor position and searches for the selected text. If a matching text is found, the matching text is highlighted and displayed on the screen.
NOTE: You can also access the Search for Selected Text commands in the Mouse Menu. Right click choose Search for Selected Text.
This search allows you to select a text string and search for this string in the current file.
1. Select the text you wish to find.
2. Choose ACTIONS -> SEARCH FOR SELECTED TEXT -> IN CURRENT FILE (or press CTRL+Y).
askSam searches in current file for the selected text. The Search Results Window will open at the bottom of the screen. The Documents retrieved by the search will be listed in the Search Results Window. The first retrieved Document will be displayed in the top portion of the screen.
NOTES:
1. You can also access the Search for Selected Text commands in the Mouse Menu. Right click in your Document and choose Search for Selected Text.
2. When multiple words are selected, they act as multiple words and not as a phrase. For example, searching for the text "U.S., Europe, and Japan" will find a Document containing the sentence "Some wonder if a united Europe will push the U.S. and Japan closer together."
This search allows you to select a text string and search for this string in any open file.
1. Select the text you wish to find.
2. Choose ACTIONS -> SEARCH FOR SELECTED TEXT -> IN OTHER FILE.
The Search Other File Dialog Box will appear. This dialog displays a list of open files.
3. Select the file you want to search and choose the Search button.
askSam opens the file you chose and searches it for the selected text. The Search Results Window will open at the bottom of the screen. The Documents retrieved by the search will be listed in the Search Results Window. The first retrieved Document will be displayed in the top portion of the screen.
NOTES:
1. You can also access the Search for Selected Text commands in the Mouse Menu. Right click in your Document and choose Search for Selected Text.
2. When multiple words are selected, they act as multiple words and not as a phrase. For example, searching for the text "U.S., Europe, and Japan" will find a Document containing the sentence "Some wonder if a united Europe will push the U.S. and Japan closer together."
Local Searching (The FIND Command)
Confining a search to the current Document calls for askSam's local search (called a FIND). The FIND command works very much like the Find command in a Word Processor. It is particularly useful when you are working with long, multi-page Documents.
1. Choose EDIT -> FIND (or press CTRL+F).
The Find Dialog Box will appear.
2. Enter the word or phrase you wish to find.
3. Choose the Find Next button.
askSam searches the current Document for the word or phrase you entered and highlights it. You can now:
· Choose FIND NEXT to continue your Search.
· Choose CANCEL to halt the Find in the current position.
After canceling the FIND Menu, press F3 to re-execute the last Search.
NOTES:
1. If the Find Dialog Box covers the word that is located, cancel the Dialog Box to view the word. After canceling, you can press F3 to resume your search.
2. No Wildcards are allowed in FIND. FIND is a character-string oriented search, and therefore does not require (or allow) wildcards.
EXAMPLE: Entering the word German would find German, Germans, and Germany. Entering German* would find German* (the word German followed immediately by a star).
3. When checked, the Match Case option makes the FIND Case Sensitive.
4. When checked, the Find Whole Words Only option will only locate complete words. For example: if this option is selected, a search for “Phil” would not find “Philadelphia”, “Philippines” or “Philip”. It would only find “Phil”
5. FIND searches from the cursor position to the end of the Document.
Search and Replace
askSam's Search and Replace command lets you search for a text and replace it with another text. You can use the Replace command in the current Document, in selected Documents, or in all Documents in a file.
To Replace a Text in the Current Document:
1. Choose FILE -> SAVE (or press CTRL+S) to save your Document.
2. Choose EDIT -> REPLACE and the Replace Dialog Box will appear.
3. Enter the text you want to replace.
4. Enter the text you want inserted in the Document.
5. Choose either:
BUTTON ACTION
FIND NEXT To find the next occurrence of the text you want to replace.
REPLACE To replace a single occurrence.
REPLACE ALL To replace every occurrence in your Document.
NOTES:
1. By saving the Document before you execute a Replace command, you can leave the Document without saving if the results of the Replace are not what you desire.
2. To keep your file compact, and to speed your searches, it is a good idea to Pack your file after using the Replace command. See Packing a File in the chapter on Working with Files.
3. When checked, the Match Case option makes REPLACE Case Sensitive.
4. When checked, the Find Whole Words Only option will only replace complete words. For example: if this option is selected, a search for “Phil” would not find “Philadelphia”, “Philippines” or “Philip”. It would only find and replace “Phil”.
5. No Wildcards are allowed in the Replace Command. Replace is character-string oriented, and therefore does not require (or allow) wildcards.
6. The Replace command searches from the current cursor position to the end of the current Document.
IMPORTANT: You cannot undo a Replace in multiple Documents. We recommend always making a Backup before using the Replace command in multiple Documents.
1. Choose EDIT -> REPLACE
The Replace Dialog Box will appear.
2. Enter the text you want to replace.
3. Enter the text you want inserted
4. Set the “In” field to ALL DOCUMENTS or SELECTED DOCUMENTS.
All Documents will execute the replace function in all Documents in your file. Selected Documents will display the Search Dialog and let you select specific Documents for the replace function.
5. Choose the REPLACE ALL button.
NOTES:
1. To keep your file compact, and to speed your searches, it is important to Pack your file after you execute a Replace in multiple Documents.
2. The Replace command can be used to modify field names. Type the current field name in "Find this" and type the name you want in "Replace with".
3. When checked, the Match Case option makes REPLACE Case Sensitive.
4. When checked, the Find Whole Words Only option will only replace complete words. For example: if this option is selected, a search for “Phil” would not find “Philadelphia”, “Philippines” or “Philip”. It would only find and replace “Phil”.
5. Wildcards are not allowed in the Global Replace Command.
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