Skip to main content

Content Search

Content Search lets you search across the contents of every file in a project from the Studio file explorer. Use it to find code, variables, services, configuration values, and other text without opening files individually.

Open Content Search​

To open Content Search:

  1. In the Studio file explorer, click the Advanced Search icon next to the filename search box.

Advanced Search icon highlighted next to the filename search box in the File Explorer

  1. The file explorer switches to Content Search mode.

Content Search panel in its initial state, prompting to search across files in the project with a minimum of 3 characters

  1. Enter the text to search for.

Content Search can also be opened with a keyboard shortcut:

  • Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + F
  • macOS: ⌘ + Shift + F
note

Content Search starts matching only after the search term contains at least 3 characters.

Search options​

Content Search provides the following options to refine a search:

Case Sensitive, Whole Word, and Regex toggles in the Content Search input

OptionDescription
Case SensitiveMatches the exact capitalization of the search term.
Whole WordMatches only complete words, not substrings.
RegexTreats the search term as a regular expression instead of a literal string.
Files to includeLimits the search to a specific project scope.

Search scope​

Click the More options (⋯) icon in the Content Search panel to reveal Files to include.

More options icon highlighted in the Content Search panel

The Files to include dropdown limits a search to specific types of files in the project. All is selected by default.

Files to include dropdown in the Content Search panel, showing All selected

ScopeSearches
AllAll supported files in the project
Design TokensFiles related to design tokens
I18nLocalization files
PagesPage related files
ProfileProfile related files
ResourcesProject resource files
ServicesService related files
WMX ComponentsWMX component files

Selecting a specific scope narrows the results when the part of the project that contains the content is already known. For example, to find a string used only in pages, select Pages from Files to include before searching.

View search results​

For every match, Content Search displays:

  • File name — the file containing the match
  • Line number — the line where the match occurs
  • Matching line — a preview of the line containing the search term
  • Highlighted match — the matching text highlighted within the preview

Results are grouped by file, and each file shows the number of matches found in it.

Content Search results for "Page", grouped by file with per-file match counts, line numbers, and highlighted matches

Search results can be reviewed with the keyboard or the mouse:

  • Press Arrow Down to move to the next result, and Arrow Up to move to the previous one. The selected result is highlighted as you navigate.
  • Press Enter to open the selected result, or click a result directly to open the corresponding file at the matching line.

Search result selected in the Content Search panel, with the corresponding file opened at the matching line

Use regular expressions​

Enable Regex to search using a regular expression instead of an exact text string. Regular expressions are useful when searching for a pattern or multiple variations of a value rather than one literal string.

Close Content Search​

Click Close in the Content Search panel to return to the normal file explorer.

Close icon highlighted in the Content Search panel

Example: find all references to a string​

To find every reference to j_username before refactoring it:

  1. Open Content Search.
  2. Enter j_username.
  3. Review the matching files and line numbers.
  4. Use Arrow Up and Arrow Down to move between results, or select one directly.
  5. Click the result, or press Enter, to open the file at the matching line.
  6. Review or update the reference as required.

Search results for j_username, with Login.html opened at line 37 and j_username highlighted in the matching line

When to use Content Search​

Content Search is useful when you need to:

  • Find where a variable or service is used.
  • Identify references to a deprecated API or configuration.
  • Find all occurrences of a string before refactoring it.
  • Locate code when the content is known but not the filename.
  • Verify that a reference has been fully removed from the project.
  • Search across HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Java, JSON, XML, and other supported project files.

Content Search vs. Filename Search​

Search typeSearchesUse when
Filename SearchFile and folder namesThe name of the file or folder is already known
Content SearchContents of project filesYou need to find a string, code, variable, or pattern, regardless of which file it is in

Content Search allows a project to be searched without switching to an external editor or terminal.

Keyboard shortcuts​

ActionWindows/LinuxmacOS
Open Content SearchCtrl + Shift + F⌘ + Shift + F
Next search resultArrow DownArrow Down
Previous search resultArrow UpArrow Up
Open selected resultEnterEnter