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Start with the Search function

{{dctsearch1.png|DCTsearch1}}

If the DCT Explorer width isn't wide enough to show all the toolbar buttons press the dropdown button as shown below:

{{dctexplorerexpander.jpg|DCTexplorerExpander}}

The Dictionary Editor search functionality allows you to search for any of the Dictionary items (Tables/Columns/Keys/Relations/Pool Fields and Global Fields).

The Search allows you to match any property for the entity you are interested in, for example when searching against Tables, you can search against Name, Description, Prefix, Driver, Driver Options, Owner, Full Path, Create, Encrypt, Bindable, Creation date and Modified date.

You can also build very complex searches that combine multiple conditions. The screenshot below is an example of a multi-condition search

{{dctsearch2.png|DCTsearch2}}

Start the Replace function

The **Replace **toolbar button is only found on the **Dictionary Search Result **pad, this is intentional, as its **best practice to refine the search ****//before//**** doing any replace operation.**

{{dct-s&rtoolbar.jpg|DCT-S&Rtoolbar}}

Pressing the **Replace **toolbar button opens the Replace dialog.

{{notebox.jpg|NoteBox}}

**Close all open Tables before initiating a Replace operation. **Any** **open Tables won't "refresh" to display the changes until re-opened.

All changes made by the Replace operation are done in memory, and are not committed to disk until you save the Dictionary.  After a

Replace operation the Dictionary Search Results pad will contain a list of all items that were changed.  You should review each change

before saving the Dictionary.

In the Replace operation shown below we are using the following criteria:

1.find all **Columns** with a **Name** of "Id"

2.for each column found change the **Data Type** to "Long"

{{dct-replace.jpg|DCT-Replace}}