Search Inside Files - How?

Hi, HMT.

Just press the Start key (also known as the Orb, the Windows logo key - and
other names) and start typing.

When you press that key (or click the Start orb), you might not notice, but
immediately above the Vista logo in the lower left corner, below the All
Programs line, is a box that says "Start Search", and the cursor is there,
blinking, so whatever you type goes into this box. To search for "today",
just type t-o-d-a-y.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc RemoveThis @grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

"HMT" <HMT RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8C1ADB60-928E-4C17-88E5-CE00B972BAE8@microsoft.com...
> Does Vista have the same capability as XP to search for a word or phrase
> inside files? I use that a lot in XP, but can't find it in Vista.

By default, Vista searches both file names and file contents in indexed
locations. There are several very useful and informative tutorials on
this site for using the Vista search, in particular, see these:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75447-search-options.html

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/75451-advanced-search.html


--
LeeTutor

In the Search Options tutorial it shows you a screenshot where you can
choose among these options:

- in indexed locations, search file names and contents. In non-indexed
locations, search file names only.
- always search file names and contents (might be slow)
- always search file names only.

In the screenshot, the last option is chosen. But instead choose one
of the other two, since they search contents. And if you are not
finding files you know have certain contents, it may be because you are
not indexing the right folders.


--
LeeTutor

Hi, HMT.

Well, I started to make a longer reply earlier, including the line, "I hope
it works better for you than it does for me!" But I deleted all but that
short response. I'm normally much more wordy than that. :-}

You know, of course, that in Indexing Options you can click Advanced and
then, on the File Types tab, set each extension to Index Properties Only or
to Index Properties and File Contents. If you check the "contents" option
for an extension, the Filter Description column changes, from the usual
"File Properties filter" to another filter. I don't know how many "other"
filters are available. I've spotted some that use "Microsoft Office filter"
or "Office Open XML Format PowerPoint Filter" or "XML Filter". The .eml
files use the "MIME Filter"; .txt and several others use "Plain Text
filter".

I was frustrated because Search couldn't find names in my Rotary newsletter
files, which I had produced in Microsoft Office Publisher. I found the .pub
extension, clicked on "contents" and it changed to the Plain Text filter.
But Search still doesn't files that I KNOW have the names or other words
that I'm looking for. I suspect that Publisher uses Unicode or something
similar and Search is too dumb to know that. And we can't teach it; once we
opt for "contents", Search chooses the alternate filter for us and we don't
get any choice in the matter - except to switch back to "properties only".

Several months ago I made a similar complaint here and found a solution for
my .pub files. But a bad DIMM caused me to have to reinstall Vista last
month and I lost a lot of tweaks, including that one. When I get time, I'll
try to find it again.

Dave Wood from MSFT checks in here from time to time. I hope he will see
this thread and offer some guidance.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc.TakeThisOut@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

"HMT" <HMT.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5A9885E8-1DFD-4600-ADD9-60A5122D0F29@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Mark, but I've already looked there. I've also looked at what R.C.
> and
> Lee provided below. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can find that allows
> searching inside of files - TEXT INSIDE INDIVIDUAL FILES, NOT LOOKING FOR
> FILES THEMSELVES.
>
> HMT
>
> "Mark L. Ferguson" wrote:
>
>> Open Folder Options in Control Panel. The search tab can make default
>> search
>> settings. The 'advanced' drop arrow in the search pane appears after the
>> first search is done.
>>
>>
>> "HMT" <HMT.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:8C1ADB60-928E-4C17-88E5-CE00B972BAE8@microsoft.com...
>> > Does Vista have the same capability as XP to search for a word or
>> > phrase
>> > inside files? I use that a lot in XP, but can't find it in Vista.

See this tutorial for how to modify the indexing options:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/69581-indexing-options.html


--
LeeTutor

On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:49:01 -0700, HMT
<HMT.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Thanks Mark, but I've already looked there. I've also looked at what R.C. and
>Lee provided below. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can find that allows
>searching inside of files - TEXT INSIDE INDIVIDUAL FILES, NOT LOOKING FOR
>FILES THEMSELVES.

I explained how several times in the last couple months in greater
detail. It is simple, but painfully slow. Open Windows Explorer. Click
on Tools, then Folder Options. Under the Search tab select to include
ALWAYS search file names and contents.

Because of unbelievable stupid design on Microsoft's part doing
involved advancing searching causes the status bar at the very top of
the search window to make many, many passes from left to right rather
than making a single pass. Because of this if you search system wide,
have multiple hard drives, you can be lulled into thinking it is
finished, when it isn't. Many posters have said here that Vista's
Search doesn't work. It works, but it can take upwards of a hour to
look inside files if you have many GB's worth of stuff. In my own case
with several TB's (not GB's) worth online it took close to an hour to
complete the search, then finally you get a list that in my case
anyway did find what I was looking for INSIDE of text documents.
Patience is the key, or better, use one of several third party
offerings that do in much faster.