Searching and Sorting Libraries

If you have many items in a library, you may find it difficult to find specific library entries. InDesign has a powerful search feature that makes it easy to locate specific items in a library.

To search within a library:

1.	Click the Show Library Subset icon. or Choose Show Subset from the Library palette menu. This opens the Subset dialog box . The Subset dialog box lets you find specific library items.
2.	Choose Search Entire Library to search all entries in the library . The search criteria in the Subset dialog box let you specify where to search in the library. or Choose Search Currently Shown Items to search through only those items currently displayed in the library.
3.	Use the Parameters menu and fields to set the search criteria . The Parameters menu lets you choose which part of the Item Information is searched.
4.	Click More Choices to add up to five choices to the parameters list.
5.	Choose Match All to choose only those items that match all the search parameters . The match criteria in the Subset dialog box control how the search items are matched. or Choose Match Any One to find items that meet at least one of the search parameters.
6.	Click OK to display the items that meet the search criteria. Tip Use the Back or Forward button to move through the search settings in the Subset dialog box.

Libraries or Snippets?

As you read about libraries and snippets (discussed on the following pages) you may wonder which one you should use. I agree that the two features are very similar. But I have noticed a few significant differences.

Unlike library items, snippets can be dragged from the Bridge onto an InDesign document and always appear on the page in exactly the same spot where they originated. Library items cannot be dragged onto the page in the same position. They must be added using the Place command.

Also, snippets have smaller file sizes than Libraries. Snippets should be used when you need to save just a few items from a page.

Finally, snippets have a more fun name. I like reading the word snippets. I like writting the word snippets. I like saying the word snippets! Snippets make me happy.

Once you have sorted a library, you may need to show all the items at some other time.

To display all the library entries:

• Choose Show All from the Library palette submenu.
  
  

You can also control the order in which the library items are displayed. This makes it easier to find items in large libraries.

To sort library entries:

• Choose one of the Sort Items options from the Library palette menu:
  
  

  • By Name arranges the items in alphabetical order.

  • By Oldest arranges the items in the order they were added with the oldest items first.

  • By Newest arranges the items in the order they were added, with the newest items first.

  • By Type arranges the items in groups according to their categories (see page 301).