The Search function can locate objects according to a variety of queries.

The Search dialog has four fields, switch between those using Tab (the result field will not be accessible while it's empty).

  1. The Search Objects field selects which kind of objects you want to search. Use arrows to select, Space to toggle.
    • Starships
    • Planets
    • Starbases (starbases are normally searched when Planets is checked, so use this option alone when you want to search starbases only)
    • Ufos (includes wormholes)
    • Others (ion storms and minefields)
  2. The Search Type field selects the type of the search:
    • Name/Id/Comment: searches for a substring of the object's name, or its Id. Id numbers can be specified with an optional leading hash sign, as in #357. Search is case-insensitive.
    • Expression true: you enter a script expression (see PCC2 Interpreter Documentation). The result contains all objects where the expression yields true (nonzero, nonempty).
    • Expression false: like Expression true, but returns all objects where the expression yields false (zero, empty).
    • Location: enter a coordinate pair (e.g. 1526,2039). The search returns all object located at or covering that point.
  3. The Only my units field allows you to quickly reduce search results to your own units.
  4. Enter your query into the input line and confirm with Enter.
  5. The result will be displayed in the list box. You can select an object and press Enter to show its control screen or, if that is not available, show it in the starchart.
  • Enter: On input line, search. On result list, show result unit's control screen, or show unit on starchart. If the dialog has been called from Global Actions, just confirm the result and return.
  • Alt‐M: ("Mark...") Operate on the selection.
    • Mark found objects
    • Mark only found objects (this unmarks all other objects)
    • Unmark found objects
  • Alt‐G: ("Global...") Open Global Actions operating on the result list
  • Alt‐O: Toggle "Only my units"
  • Alt‐.: Open selection manager
  • Alt‐Left, Alt‐Right: Next/previous selection layer
  • F1, F6: When a ship is focused in the result list, go to its control screen/history screen
  • F2, F3: When a planet is focused in the result list, go to its control screen/starbase screen
  • F4, Shift‐Enter: On result list, show object in starchart.
  • F7: Put focus onto search query input field

Reference

Keys:
F7 from almost everywhere
Related command:
UI.Search