Find Objects Command
The larger your view file, the easier it is to forget where you put something in it. The Find command is a new feature in MWare 3.x, that allows you to quickly identify, locate, and find objects in a view file. An example of this might be trying to find everywhere you placed a copy of a control, or, finding which controls in a view file belong to a named Control Group.
The find command works in Control, Wire, and Edit modes.
Find can be activated in three ways. The first is to select an object by left clicking on the desired device or control (which outlines the selected object in red), and then right clicking and selecting 'Find'. You can also invoke the command from the main menu bar by left clicking on 'Edit' and while holding the button down, drag the cursor to 'Find'. The keyboard short cut method for invoking the 'Find' command is <CTRL> and <F>. Any of these methods will open the find command dialog box.
Once you have activated the find command, a dialog box will open and present you with several choices. The first box (which is highlighted blue) allows you to choose the type of search you wish to perform. The contents of the list box (which are shown by left clicking on the down arrow) shows you which types of searches are available, depending on the type of device you wish to conduct a search for. Some of these choices include:
Find objects by label. If you label a device by typing a name, and have multiples of this device, this will find all of these objects.
Find algorithms by algorithm string. If the same algorithm is used more than once, this will find all algorithms of the same type.
Find the algorithm that owns the selected control. Every control that can be gestured controls an algorithms. In cases where controls are copied onto new user defined control panels, this search allows you to work back through the schematic to find the original algorithm and control, as well as all copies of that control and algorithm
Find all linked controls. This will quickly show all controls that are linked via control grouping.
Find linked controls by group name. This will find all controls that are assigned to this control group name.
Find exported control panels. This helps track down all copies of a control panel.
Find all copies of the selected control. Again, if multiple copies have been made of controls, which have been included in multiple control panels, this will help you to find them.
Depending on the kind of find you wish to perform, you may be prompted to type in additional information in the box below the first list box. An example of this would be when you want to find objects by label. You would be prompted to 'Enter the search substring'. In most cases though, this box will be grayed out, indicating no need for additional search information. Once you have completed this, left click on the OK button to begin the find operation, or, left click on Cancel to cancel the find. If you click OK, MediaMatrix will search the entire view file (including all nested child blocks), and locate any object that matches the find criteria you selected. Once the object(s) are found, they will be highlighted with an animated black and white stripped “marquee”, which makes it easy to pick out those objects from all others in the view file. This will also allow you to open child blocks and descent down till you find the object you are looking for. This is extremely handy, since the desired object you are looking to find may be buried several levels down, inside a series of nested blocks. In many instances, there may be more than one object that is found in a find search. On the status bar, in the far left side of the screen, is a box that will show 'X objects found' (X being the number of objects found).
To clear a find operation (thus turning off all animated marquees), you can accomplish this in four ways. The first is to select an object by left clicking on the desired device or control (which outlines the selected object in red), then right clicking and selecting 'Clear Find Results'. You can also invoke the command from the main menu bar by left clicking on 'Edit' and while holding the button down, drag the cursor to 'Clear Find Results'. The keyboard short cut for invoking the 'Clear Find Results' command is <CTRL> plus <Shift> plus <F>. Any of these methods will clear the find marquees.