When it comes to text search, we know what you want. While viewing a DWF file, you want the ability to type in a text string, hit enter, and have the Autodesk DWF Viewer take you to the destination sheet and zoom in on the text. We know this. The item is on the wish list. It is being considered for an upcoming release.
In addition to this, there are ways to take advantage of text search now.
Buzzsaw is one of Autodesk's service offerings in the area of Collaborative Project Management. As DWF files are uploaded to Buzzsaw sites, their contents are indexed. An index is the way a search engine can find things quickly without making you wait while it searches. It already has a list of files that contain the text - the index. When you ask it to search for a text string, the server simply shows you the files from its premade index. Buzzsaw servers use a DWF iFilter (technology that creates the index) to keep track of text strings in DWF files. The text includes any text. This means file names, sheet names, layer names, property information, text that was entered as part of the design. If there is text in there, the iFilter will find it.
IFilterShop shop offers a DWF iFilter. You can use this to index DWF files on your own servers. IFilterShop is an Autodesk DWF Partner.
Google - perhaps you have heard of them? A few of you clever readers noted in the DWF Bookmarklet article that Google is indeed indexing all of the DWF files on the worldwide web. This allows you to locate design information using part numbers, product names, or any other piece of text. News of the search capability has even made its way to
Google is also an Autodesk DWF Partner.
So while we toil away developing the next release of DWF-related products, search away.
Subscribe