# DSCLocateString

## Description

Open the **DSC strings** panel. Type a substring, hit Enter, and a tree of matches is populated by scanning the cache's bytes. The **Options** group controls case-insensitive matching, the search scope (per-image vs entire files) and what is scanned (code sections, `.symbols` sidecar, other adjacent files).

Available from the DSC Index context menu, under **Locate**.

<figure><img src="/files/ogghwnfohZaR0zCy9Zo9" alt="Locate > String"><figcaption><p>The "Locate > String" entry in the DSC Index context menu</p></figcaption></figure>

### Result tree

Hits are grouped by their containing image (or file, when scoped to entire files); unlike the [DSC Index](/9.4/ida-actions/opendscindex.md), this tree exposes one extra level of grouping — the **section** the literal lives in (`__cstring`, `__oslogstring`, etc.) — useful when filtering log strings out of regular ones.

Each leaf shows the matched literal **in context**: not just the matched substring, but a few neighbouring bytes on either side, so the hit can be read as part of a broader literal at a glance (e.g. searching `nil completion` shows up as `%{public}@nil completion handler`). The leaf also carries its address; double-clicking jumps to the address — and triggers an on-demand load of the owning image if it isn't loaded yet.

<figure><img src="/files/Z8mpYIwnjwhx9FxskbcL" alt="DSC strings panel"><figcaption><p>The DSC strings search panel</p></figcaption></figure>

See [DSC Workflow](/9.4/core/disassembler/concepts/dsc-workflow.md).


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.hex-rays.com/9.4/ida-actions/dsclocatestring.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.