How to do text search in Illustrator CS3

Question

How to do text search in Illustrator CS3

5793124 (TechnicalUser)

(OP)

12 Oct 09 10:38

Hi:

I have a bunch of Illustrator files in a folder. Suppose I want to find the file(s) that contains the word "sequenced", how would I do it?

Thanks,
Brian

apepp (TechnicalUser) · Answer 1 · 2009-10-12 11:24:15

...depends if the .ai files are saved with PDF compatibility, if they are then you can use acrobat/reader's "edit > search" function...

...if they aren't then you will have to open one by one and do it manually...

andrew

5793124 (TechnicalUser) · Answer 2 · 2009-10-12 11:46:46

Yes, they are saved with PDF compatibility. Can you give me step by step instructions on how to do the acrobat/reader's edit > search function thing? Thanks.

apepp (TechnicalUser) · Answer 3 · 2009-10-12 12:08:53

...choose edit > search in acrobat...

...choose "all pdf documents in", then the pull down menu, locate the folder of .ai files...

...type a word in the search for field...

...let acrobat do it's thing, you are then presented with a list of files it finds that word in...

andrew

5793124 (TechnicalUser) · Answer 4 · 2009-10-12 12:23:51

Andrew:

Thanks for the instructions.

I don't have Reader. I use Adobe Acrobat Standard. Step #2: The pull down menu only shows DESKTOP, C-Drive, and all the other drives on the server. It does not allow me to choose a specific folder. I am doing the search now and it's taking a long time. So far, it has found some PDF files, but no AI files yet.

apepp (TechnicalUser) · Answer 5 · 2009-10-12 12:29:06

...well, i'm on mac and at the bottom of the pull down list i have the option to "browse for location...", this is in both Acrobat and the free Reader 9...

...i can only imagine that PC is the same...

andrew

apepp (TechnicalUser) · Answer 6 · 2009-10-12 12:32:12

...if your version of acrobat really doesn't allow specific folders then i would be surprised, in which case your best to get the free reader 9 and try with that...

andrew

5793124 (TechnicalUser) · Answer 7 · 2009-10-12 13:14:28

Sorry Andrew, there is a "browse for location" at the bottom. Anyway I tried it, and it still does not find the AI file (saved with PDF compatibility).

apepp (TechnicalUser) · Answer 8 · 2009-10-12 14:32:58

...either the ai files don't have PDF enabled upon saving (no version lower than ai version 9 will support PDF compatibility), or the text isn't actually text, but rather converted to outlines...

andrew

5793124 (TechnicalUser) · Answer 9 · 2009-10-12 14:54:21

I am using Illustrator CS3.

For Options, the following are checked:

1. Create PDF Compatible File

2. Use Compression

Note: I checked again. The text is actually text.

apepp (TechnicalUser) · Answer 10 · 2009-10-12 15:00:53

...can't really help you much further, other than suggesting you use the free reader 9...

...the likes of us mac users don't have these issues searching PDF files...

andrew

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How to do text search in Illustrator CS3