find functionality in xpdf

arthro · 2020-05-13 16:09:35

Hi,

Have been finding this unusually tricky to solve: I'm running arch with openbox, and my xpdf PDF viewer does not seem to have "find" functionality.

Ctrl+f is unresponsive. The keybinding for the command "find" is also unresponsive, even when explicitly defined in xpdfrc. Ctrl +f is responsive in at least my Google chrome.

I even created a menu entry for it, but activating "find" just did nothing.

I have taken to using evince for finding stuff, but I want xpdf because it's faster.

The document refers to "find" command as "setting focus to the find box", which sounds as if the task is being delegated. I thought it could be my openbox not presenting
a "find box" and that could be a reason why it doesn't work, but I think a definite error, and not this quiet unresponsiveness would have been better.

I was going to start looking at compile options now, and PKGBUILDs, and also thought I would ask for advice here.

On debian, the default key bindings do not require the Ctrl modifier key, but this is not explicit in the xpdfrc, so this could easily be compile-time settings.

Any help appreciated. Many thanks.

Last edited by arthro (2020-05-13 16:11:17)

Trilby · 2020-05-13 16:20:35

I just installed xpdf to try it out, ctrl-f works fine for me to focus the find box. Though the find box is always there in the toolbar (with the default settings). Have you hidden the toolbar? I hid the toolbar and Crtl-F then did nothing. I could not even use Ctrl-F then blindly type into a focused by hidden find bar. It seems when the toolbar is hidden, find may not function at all.

arthro wrote:

I have taken to using evince for finding stuff, but I want xpdf because it's faster.

If you want other options, mupdf if very fast / efficient, and has a search option.

arthro · 2020-05-13 17:14:32

Many thanks Trilby for the answer.

Did not know about mupdf, I will try it.

Good to hear ctrl+f works for other people. I've been suspicious of Openbox to be honest, it could well be something that openbox is not giving xpdf the "find box" that it wants.

Trilby · 2020-05-13 17:32:52

No, this has absolutely nothing to do with the window manager. The "find box" is just a text widget in the toolbar. Is the toolbar visible in xpdf for you? If it is, is there a text field on the right side or not?

arthro · 2020-05-18 13:38:29

Boy, yes, how did I miss that?

Perhaps I was too used to the Debian package. Heh, rather than "suspicious" of openbox, I suppose I was "convinced" and failed to look elsewhere.

Many thanks for following this up. All sorted ... mupdf is also pretty good!

Cheers, Thanks!

WorMzy · 2020-05-18 14:16:11

Please remember to mark your thread as solved.

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#1 2020-05-13 16:09:35

find functionality in xpdf

#2 2020-05-13 16:20:35

Re: find functionality in xpdf

#3 2020-05-13 17:14:32

Re: find functionality in xpdf

#4 2020-05-13 17:32:52

Re: find functionality in xpdf

#5 2020-05-18 13:38:29

Re: find functionality in xpdf

#6 2020-05-18 14:16:11

Re: find functionality in xpdf

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