Finding Art Panel
The menu item to show and hide the FindReplace Art panel can be found in the main menu under Window > Astute Graphics > FindReplace Art.
The FindReplace Art panel is large, and dynamically changes its appearance depending on which kind of art and which attributes are selected. A representative view is shown below, set up to search for hexagonally-shaped paths with green fills and replace them with either a green triangle or yellow circle:
FindReplace Art Panel Overview
1. Flyout menu
See FindReplace Art Panel: Flyout Menu.
2. Panel banner
The help button on the right opens the help documentation in the Astute Manager. If this does not automatically appear, please ensure your Astute Manager is running first.
3. Kind
Sets the kind of object to search for, from among the following: Any, Group, Path, Guide, Raster (embedded), Linked, Symbol, Text, Mesh, Blend, Live Paint, Envelope, Symbol Set, Compound Shape, Space Fill, and Width Stamp. Kind is the fundamental search parameter, because the attributes that are available to narrow down the search depends on the Kind. For example, both path art and raster art can be searched for based on the attribute Opacity, but only raster art has a Resolution attribute.
4. Search area
Sets the place to search within, from among the following: Document, Current Artboard, Current Layer, and Selection. This parameter is not part of a saved Search, but is retained until it is changed.
5. Navigation
The previous and next buttons let you step through the current history of completed searches. Searches are considered complete when one of the search buttons is pressed. The size of the search history is specifiable in the panel preferences. Searches can also be saved with a specific name and recalled.
6. Attributes Area
This variable-size area displays various art attributes, which refine the search. An art object must match all attributes to be successfully found. Attributes are added by using the contextual Add Attribute pop-up menu at the bottom of the Attributes area. Attributes in this menu that are above the divider line (if any) are specific to the art kind; those below the line are available for any art kind. For example, the attributes menu for Path art is:
FindReplace Art Path Attributes Menu
Some attributes have sub-attributes that can be added; in these cases a separate pop-up menu will be displayed indented and below the added attribute.
Each attribute or sub-attribute contains its own controls used to specify its parameters. These always includes an eyedropper icon, which is used to pick up the values from the currently selected art (when possible). For attributes which do not represent a range of numerical values, such as Path: Type (i.e., open or closed), the eyedropper will be disabled if the selection contains more than a single value. For values which do have a range, pressing Option/Alt while clicking the eyedropper will add a small “clearance” to the values, using the clearance value in the panel preferences. For example, if the clearance is set to 5%, then picking up the value of 100 would automatically change the minimum to 95 and the maximum to 105.
Attributes can be removed by clicking the small “circle with minus sign” icon to the left of that attribute. Removing an attribute automatically removes any sub-attributes associated with it.
See FindReplace Art: Search Attributes for more information and a complete list of attributes.
7. Search Buttons
All the buttons perform the same search specified in the upper part of the panel; they differ in that each does something different with the located art.
FindReplace Art Panel Search Buttons
A. Locate Next Matching Art: Highlights the first matching art object in the color specified in the panel preferences. If more than one art object was matched, repeated clicks will highlight each one in turn. By default, the document will be scrolled so that the matching art is centered in the document window, but this behavior can be disabled in the panel preferences.
Option/Alt-clicking on the button steps through the matching objects in reverse order. Shift-clicking will highlight all of the matching art objects at once.
B. Select Matching Art: Replaces the current selection (if any) with one containing only the matching art. Option/Alt-clicking on the button selects only a random subset of the matching art.
FindReplace Art Select Examples
To change the random fraction, Shift+Option/Alt-click to bring up the following dialog:
FindReplace Art Selection Randomizer Dialog
C. Add Matching Art to Selection: Adds matching art to the current selection, if any. Option/Alt-clicking on the button adds only a random subset of the matching art.
D. Remove Matching Art from Selection: Removes matching art from the current selection, if any. Option/Alt-clicking on the button removes only a random subset of the matching art.
E. Delete Matching Art: Deletes the matching art. Option/Alt-clicking on the button deletes only a random subset of the matching art.
F. Hide Matching Art: Hides the matching art. To hide the non-matching art instead, Shift-click the button.
8. Replace Art Parameters
Allows art which is matches the search in the top section of the panel to be replaced by different art. See FindReplace Art: Replacing Art for examples and details about each control.
9. Information Line
Displays status information, such as the number of art objects found or replaced, or confirmations such as when replacement art is picked up using the eyedropper.
Find Any Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search regardless of the art’s kind:
1. Opacity
The range of the overall opacity of the art, as specified in the native Transparency panel. To search for art which has any non-solid opacity, use 0% for the minimum and 99.9% for the maximum.
FindReplace Art Opacity Controls
2. Blend Mode
The blend mode of the art, from among the sixteen modes available in the native Transparency panel. Matching options include is and is not the specified mode.
FindReplace Art Blend Mode Controls
3. Opacity Mask
Whether the art contains an opacity mask (as applied in the native Transparency panel).
FindReplace Art Opacity Mask Controls
4. Linear Extent
The size of the art, defined as the larger of either the height or width of its bounding box. Unless the art kind is set to Group, linear extent looks at each group member individually.
FindReplace Art Linear Extent Controls
5. Grouped
Whether or not the art is a member of a group (including a clipping set, which is internally also a group). Note that if the art kind is set to Any, searching for art which is not grouped will still find the top-level groups themselves.
FindReplace Art Grouped Controls
6. Clipped
Whether or not the art is being clipped (is a member of a clipping set).
FindReplace Art Clipped Controls
7. Effects
Matches live effects that are applied to the object. Choices include Any (matched when the art has any live effect at all applied to it); None; Missing (matched when the art has an effect that is controlled by a plugin that is not loaded, and therefore cannot be edited); Multiple (matched if the art has more than one live effect applied to it); or the name of a specific live effect. Although not every live effect is searchable, the common ones are.
FindReplace Art Effects Controls
8. Name
The name of the art object, as displayed in the native Layers panel. Matching options include is default (the art still has the default name assigned by Illustrator); is not default (the art has been manually renamed); and the following string operations with a specifiable string: is, is not, contains, does not contain, starts with, does not start with, ends with, and does not end with.
FindReplace Art Name Controls
Find Group Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Group:
1. Clipping
Whether the group is a clip group (also called a clipping set).
FindReplace Art Group Clipping Controls
2. Depth
The level to which the group is nested. For example, a group inside another group would have a depth of 2. Groups in Illustrator are limited to a depth of 28.
FindReplace Art Group Depth Controls
3. Size
The size of the group; i.e., the number of immediate child members that it contains. If one of the children is another group, the size of that group is not carried up to the top-level group. In other words, a group which consists of two paths plus a group always has a size of 3, regardless of the number of children in the nested group.
FindReplace Art Group Size Controls
4. Members
The kind of art contained in the group, either as immediate child members or in nested groups. You can specify that the group members need to include the kind, do not include it, or are all composed of that kind.
FindReplace Art Group Members Controls
Find Path Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Path:
1. Type
Whether the path is open or closed. When applied to a compound path, all the subpaths must match for the compound path to match.
FindReplace Art Path Type Controls
2. Compound
Whether the path is a compound in its entirety, is the subpath of a compound path, or is neither.
FindReplace Art Path Compound Controls
3. Clipping
Whether the path is a clipping path or not.
FindReplace Art Path Clipping Controls
4. Point Count
The number of anchor points in the path. When applied to a compound path, all the subpaths must match for the compound path to match. Paths can have a maximum of 32000 points.
FindReplace Art Path Point Count Controls
5. Bezier Handles
Whether or not the path contains bezier segments with handles, which, generally, implies a path that has curves.
FindReplace Art Path Bezier Handles Controls
6. Length
The length of the path, as measured “along the curve”. When applied to a compound path, all the subpaths must match for the compound path to match.
FindReplace Art Path Length Controls
7. Shape
Allows matching one of six different primitive shapes. Unlike the Geometry attribute, Shape can match multiple aspect ratios (for rectangles and ellipses) and allows for one or more rounded corners.
FindReplace Art Path Shape Controls
A. Shape Type: From among Square, Circle, Rectangle, Ellipse, Polygon, and Star.
B. Rounded Corners: Available unless the Type is set to Circle or Ellipse. Specifies whether the matching paths must have one or more rounded corners or not.
C. Tolerance: Specifies how close the matching paths must be to the “ideal” shape. Higher values mean shapes which have anchor points and handles in positions which are further and further from “ideal” will still be matched.
D. Sides/Points: Available for Polygon and Star; specifies the number of sides (for polygons) or points (for stars) must have, from 3 to 100.
8. Geometry
The actual shape of the path.
FindReplace Art Path Geometry Controls
A. Preview Chip: Shows a preview of the geometry that must be matched. This must be picked up from an existing path using the eyedropper next to it. Note that anchor point placement is not shown. Clicking on the chip switches its background between white and the panel background color.
B. Allow Scaling: Specifies whether paths which have the same shape, but are larger or smaller than the path which was picked up, should also be considered matches.
C. Allow Rotation: Specifies whether paths which have the same shape, but are rotated with respect to the path which was picked up, should also be considered matches.
D. Allow Reversal: Specifies whether paths which have the same shape, but go in the opposite direction from the path which was picked up, should also be considered matches.
E. Tolerance: The distance which anchor point and handle on the path can differ from their “ideal” placement and still be considered the same. The default value is 0.1 pt.
9. Stroke
The stroke(s) on the path. Possible options include:
A. Any: Matches paths which have one or more strokes of any kind (flat color, gradient, or pattern).
B. None: Matches paths which have no stroke.
C. Color: Matches paths which have one or more strokes containing a flat color.
D. Gradient: Matches paths which have one or more strokes containing a gradient.
E. Pattern: Matches paths which have one or more strokes containing a pattern.
F. Multiple: Matches paths which have more than one stroke, as indicated in the appearance panel.
FindReplace Art Path Stroke Controls
Unless the stroke attribute is set to None or Multiple, additional stroke sub-attributes may be added using the popup menu which will appear below the main attribute. If the path contains multiple strokes, it will match if any of the strokes match all the stroke sub-attributes. Possible options include:
A. Color: The color assigned to the stroke, which can be matched using the following specifiers: is, is not, is close to, is not close to, Any process, and Any spot. The color itself can be picked up from existing art using the eyedropper or by clicking on the color chip to bring up the native Color Picker. When using is close to or is not close to, the degree of similarity is specified using the Close Color Tolerance value specified in the panel preferences. When specifying a spot color, the tint of the spot color may be included in the search. When the stroke attribute is set to Color, Shift-clicking its eyedropper automatically adds the Color sub-attribute and sets the color value.
Stroke Color Controls
B. Gradient: The gradient assigned to the stroke, which can be matched using the following specifiers: is, is not, Any linear, and Any radial. The gradient itself can be picked up from existing art using the eyedropper or by clicking on the gradient chip to bring up the Gradient Picker dialog (see FindReplace Art: Gradient and Pattern Pickers).
Stroke Gradient Controls
C. Gradient Mode: The mode of the stroke gradient, either Within stroke, Along stroke, or Across stroke (as specified in the native Gradient panel) assigned to the stroke, which can be matched using either is, or is not.
Stroke Gradient Mode Controls
D. Pattern: The pattern assigned to the stroke, which can be matched using either is, or is not. The pattern itself can be picked up from existing art using the eyedropper or by clicking on the pattern chip to bring up the Pattern Picker dialog.
Stroke Pattern Controls
E. Weight: The weight of the stroke.
Stroke Weight Controls
F. Cap: The end cap of the stroke, as specified in the native Stroke panel (Butt, Round, or Projecting), which can be matched using either is, or is not.
Stroke Cap Controls
G. Corner Join: The corner join of the stroke, as specified in the native Stroke panel (Miter, Round, or Bevel), which can be matched using either is, or is not.
Stroke Corner Join Controls
H. Alignment: The alignment of the stroke, as specified in the native Stroke panel (Center, Inside, or Outside), which can be matched using either is, or is not.
Stroke Alignment Controls
I. Dashed: Whether or not the stroke is dashed, as specified in the native Stroke panel.
Stroke Dashed Controls
J. Arrowheads: The arrowhead status of the stroke, as specified in the native Stroke panel, from among Any, None, One end only, or Both ends.
Stroke Arrowheads Controls
K. Variable Width: Whether the stroke has a variable width profile assigned to it.
Stroke Variable Width Controls
L. Brush: The type (if any) of brush that is applied to the stroke, from among Any, None, Calligraphic, Scatter, Art, Bristle, or Pattern. Specific brush names are not specifiable.
Stroke Brush Controls
M. Opacity: The range of the opacity applied to the stroke, as displayed in the native Appearance panel. Note that this is separate and independent from the opacity applied to the entire path.
Stroke Opacity Controls
N. Blend Mode: The blend mode of the stroke, from among the sixteen modes available. Matching options include is and is not. Note that this is separate and independent from the blend mode applied to the entire path.
Stroke Blend Mode Controls
10. Fill
The fill(s) of the path. Possible options include:
A. Any: Matches paths which have one or more fills of any kind (flat color, gradient, or pattern).
B. None: Matches paths which have no fill.
C. Color: Matches paths which have one or more strokes containing a flat color.
D. Gradient: Matches paths which have one or more fills containing a gradient.
E. Pattern: Matches paths which have one or more fills containing a pattern.
F. Multiple: Matches paths which have more than one fill, as indicated in the appearance panel.
FindReplace Art Path Fill Controls
Unless the fill attribute is set to None or Multiple, additional fill sub-attributes may be added using the popup menu which will appear below the main attribute. If the path contains multiple fills, it will match if any of the fills match all the fill sub-attributes. Possible options include:
A. Color: The color assigned to the fill, which can be matched using the following specifiers: is, is not, is close to, is not close to, Any process, and Any spot. The color itself can be picked up from existing art using the eyedropper or by clicking on the color chip to bring up the native Color Picker. When using is close to or is not close to, the degree of similarity is specified using the Close Color Tolerance value specified in the panel preferences. When specifying a spot color, the tint of the spot color may be included in the search. When the fill attribute is set to Color, Shift-clicking its eyedropper automatically adds the Color sub-attribute and sets the color value.
Fill Color Controls
B. Gradient: The gradient assigned to the fill, which can be matched using the following specifiers: is,
is not, Any linear, and Any radial. The gradient itself can be picked up from existing art using the eyedropper or by clicking on the gradient chip to bring up the Gradient Picker dialog.
Fill Gradient Controls
C. Pattern: The pattern assigned to the fill, which can be matched using either is, or is not. The pattern itself can be picked up from existing art using the eyedropper or by clicking on the pattern chip to bring up the Pattern Picker dialog.
Fill Pattern Controls
D. Opacity: The range of the opacity applied to the fill, as displayed in the native Appearance panel. Note that this is separate and independent from the opacity applied to the entire path.
Fill Opacity Controls
E. Blend Mode: The blend mode of the fill, from among the sixteen modes available. Matching options include is and is not. Note that this is separate and independent from the blend mode applied to the entire path.
Fill Blend Mode Controls
Find Guide Art
The following attribute can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Guide:
1. Type
The type of guide: a Horizontal Ruler guide, a Vertical Ruler guide, or a Non-Ruler guide (an arbitrary path which has been converted into a guide using the View > Guides > Make Guides menu item).
FindReplace Art Guide Type Controls
Find Raster Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Raster:
1. Resolution
The range of effective resolution of the raster image, in pixels per inch. The resolution in the horizontal direction may be different from the resolution in the vertical direction if the raster object has been sheared or scaled in a non-uniform manner.
FindReplace Art Raster Resolution Controls
2. Pixel Width
The range of the number of pixels horizontally in the raster.
FindReplace Art Raster Pixel Width Controls
3. Pixel Height
The range of the number of pixels vertically in the raster.
FindReplace Art Raster Pixel Height Controls
4. Format
The color format of the raster, from among Bitmap, Grayscale, Grayscale (Transparent), RGB, RGB (Transparent), CMYK, CMYK (Transparent), NChannel, NChannel (Transparent), Indexed, and Indexed (Transparent). The specified format can be matched using either is, or is not.
FindReplace Art Raster Format Controls
Find Linked Art
The following attribute can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Linked:
1. Type
The type of linked art, from among Adobe Illustrator (ai), Desktop Color Separations (dcs), Encapsulated PostScript (eps), GIF89a (gif), JPEG (jpg), Portable Document Format (pdf), PNG (png), Photoshop (psd), and TIFF (tif). The specified type can be matched using either is, or is not.
FindReplace Art Linked Type Controls
Find Symbol Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Symbol:
1. Instance
The name of the symbol. The instance can be matched using either is of, or is not of.
FindReplace Art Symbol Instance Controls
2. Scaling
The range of scaling values for the symbol. You can also specify whether the symbol is anamorphically scaled (i.e., scaled differently along the horizontal axis from the vertical axis).
FindReplace Art Symbol Scaling Controls
3. Rotation
The range of rotations for the symbol.
FindReplace Art Symbol Rotation Controls
Find Text Art
The following attribute can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Text:
1. Type
The type of text object, either Point Text, Text In a Path, or Text Along a Path. The specified type can be matched using either is, or is not. FindReplace Art does not search within the text itself.
FindReplace Art Text Type Controls
Find Mesh Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Mesh:
1. Column Size
The range of the number of columns in the mesh.
FindReplace Art Mesh Column Size Controls
2. Row Size
The range of the number of rows in the mesh.
FindReplace Art Mesh Row Size Controls
Find Blend Art
The following attributes can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Blend:
1. Spacing
The kind of spacing the blend uses: either Smooth Color, Specified Steps, or Specified Distance. When set to Specified Steps, the number of steps can be specified, with is less than, is equal to, and is more than.
FindReplace Art Blend Spacing Controls
2. Spline
Whether or not the blend has a custom-defined spline.
FindReplace Art Blend Spline Controls
Find Live Paint Art
The following attribute can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Live Paint:
1. Size
The range of the number of paths comprising the Live Paint object.
FindReplace Art Live Paint Size Controls
Find Envelope Art
The following attribute can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Envelope:
1. Type
The type of envelope, either from Warp, from Mesh, or from Top Object. The specified type can be matched using either is, or is not.
FindReplace Art Envelope Type Controls
Find Symbol Set Art
The following attribute can be specified in a search when the art kind is set to Symbol Set:
1. Size
The range of the number of symbols in the symbol set.
FindReplace Art Symbol Set Size Controls
Search Attribute Additional Information
While using attributes can create very fine-grained searches, not every possible scenario can be catered for while still keeping the controls from becoming overly-complicated. Fortunately, it is usually possible to search in two or more stages to accommodate these special scenarios.
As an example, consider the need to find all path art which has either 5 anchor points or 7 anchor points. This can’t be done in a single step, but it can be done in two: first select all path art with a minimum of 5 points and a maximum of 7, and then remove all path art from the selection that has exactly 6 anchor points. Similarly, to find art that has multiple live effects, one of which is a Drop Shadow, first select all art with multiple effects, and then search within the selection for art with the Drop Shadow effect.
Each art kind remembers the attributes that were used in the last completed search. For example, if the search kind is changed to Path, and the attribute Point Count is added and a search performed, then if the kind is changed to Raster, say, and then back to Path, the Point Count attribute will be restored.
If a search is attempted with the Search Within field set to Selection but nothing is selected, FindReplace Art will display a dialog to alert you to this and allow you to immediately change the search range to the entire document. The Don’t show again checkbox can be used to keep the dialog from reappearing.
FindReplace Art No Selection Warning Dialog