In essence companion, 'nomenist casting' list, lvl 16 spell is 'locate text', it gives you the direction and distance for a non-magical text, and I tought it can have more uses, like a localizer, but for this I need to know exactly what is a 'text'.
In spell description it says you need 'title, author and general topic of the text', then could this be a letter for example?, the tittle is 'letter to my friends (date)', and the others 2 you know perfectly, so you can localize your friends with that letter while they carry it.
If the 'text' needs to have some "info", then you could include with the letter a 1-page document with any topic of your knowledge for using it as 'text'.
If the 'text' definition is not much restricted, this spell can have many usefull uses, including the original purpose.
i.e. you can use as 'equipment localizer' if you have a 'text' in your equipment, and thieves assault you.
i.e. group can split and then localize others (a different 'text' for any part).
i.e. return to "home" (your current "home base" in campaign), so you can't lose becasue you always can return to home base.