Spell Check and Find/Replace
New in Photoshop 7 are a spell checker and a find/replace tool. Spell checking has been one of the most requested features for Photoshop over the past several years.
The Spell Checker
The menu command Edit, Check Spelling opens Photoshop's Check Spelling dialog box (see Figure 11.32). Similar to spell checking systems found in many word processing programs, this tool offers suggestions and allows you to input your own changes in the dialog box. In addition, you have the choice of ignoring that particular word, ignoring all instances of that word in the image, changing that instance to a suggested spelling or a word you type in the Change To field, changing all instances to the selected new spelling, or adding the word to the dictionary.
Figure 11.32 The spell checker is rather basic, but it certainly is a welcome addition for many Photoshop users.
The spell checker uses the dictionary assigned to the selected text. If more than one dictionary is assigned, it automatically switches to the appropriate dictionary on the fly. The spell checker does not check grammar.
» Photoshop's spell checking dictionaries are not user-editable. For a handy tip that could save hours down the road, see "Dictionary Backup" in the NAPP Help Desk section at the end of this chapter.
CAUTION
Think twice about using the Add button in Photoshop's spell checker because the dictionaries are not editable. After you add a word, it's there for good. Instead, rely on the Ignore and Ignore All buttons unless the word will appear oftenand you're absolutely certain the spelling is correct.
Find/Replace
The Find and Replace Text command, also located under Photoshop's Edit menu, functions much like that in a basic word processor (see Figure 11.33). Unlike MS Word, it doesn't offer search by format or style, nor can it search for special characters.
Figure 11.33 To find without replacing, simply enter the word or phrase and click Find Next. You can then click Done without making any changes.
Enter the word or phrase that you want to find, and enter a replacement word or phrase. The Find Next button initiates the search. When an instance of the word or phrase is located, it is highlighted in the text. You have the option of changing that instance, changing all instances in the image, or changing and continuing the search for the next instance (Change/Find). You can also click Change All immediately after entering the target and replacement words.
You have the option of restricting the search to the active type layer or searching all type layers. You can make the search case sensitive, requiring a match in capitalization as well as spelling. When you select the Forward check box, Photoshop searches from the current Type tool insertion point to the end of the text. Selecting the Whole Word Only check box prevents Photoshop from finding matches within longer words. For example, when this option is deselected, a search for ten also returns such words as often, intent, tension, and tents.