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Using Find and Replace in the Source Code

Dreamweaver's Find and Replace is powerful tool you can use to search for text in the source code and to make changes to that text within the document you are working on, within selected documents, or throughout your website. The search takes you in to the code and stops at each occurrence of the text specified, this will include meta tags if appropriate.

This document discusses how to find and replace text within source code and uses the example of changing the Alt tag of an image to make it more descriptive.

The Replace feature is useful when you want to change the same piece of information (text or tags) throughout a document(s). Use it to replace each occurrence of the information individually. Clicking FIND NEXT will advance to and review subsequent occurrences.

WARNING: Use the Replace All option with caution! This option will replace your specified information throughout an entire document(s).

1. From the Edit menu, select Find and Replace...
   OR
   Press [Ctrl + [F]
   The Find and Replace dialog box appears.

2. From the Find In pull-down list, select an area to search
   For a description of these options, see Where You Can Search: Find In Options.
   EXAMPLE: Select Current Document

3. From the Search For pull-down list, select Source Code

4. In the Search For text box, type the text you are searching for
   NOTE: It is not necessary to include the tag or attribute, but doing so will help refine your search.
   EXAMPLE: Type alt="UWEC Bldg"

5. In the Replace With text box, type the replacement text
   EXAMPLE: Type alt="Photo: Schofield Hall"

6. OPTIONAL: From the list of options, select options appropriate to your search
   EXAMPLE: Select Ignore Whitespace Differences
   

7. Click FIND NEXT
   If you are not working in either the Show Code or Show Code and Design view, a separate window opens and displays the code for your page. The first occurrence of the information searched for is identified within the code.
   EXAMPLE: Continue clicking FIND NEXT until you see UWEC Bldg within the Alt tag of the image.

8. Click REPLACE or REPLACE ALL
   Use the Replace option to replace each occurrence of the information individually. Clicking FIND NEXT will advance to and review subsequent occurrences.
   WARNING: Use the Replace All option with caution! This option will replace your specified information throughout the entire document(s).
   EXAMPLE: Click REPLACE

9. To close the Find and Replace dialog box, click CLOSE
   The old text is replaced with the new.

Using Find Next

Within a given document, Dreamweaver will remember your last search. So, if you close the Find and Replace dialog box to do additional editing, you can resume your search using Find Next. This does not invoke the Find and Replace dialog box, it simply locates the next occurrence of the information previously searched.

1. From the Edit menu, select Find Next
   OR
   Press [F3]