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Thread: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

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    Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    I typed something inside a file a long time ago but I can't remember where I put the file. Is there a good desktop search program that can search within files?

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Directory Opus has very good search facilities, including searches within files

    http://www.gpsoft.com.au/

    I use it - an excellent application.
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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Astrogrep is a pretty useful tool too.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    I tried Directory Opus. I selected the folder that my word file was in. Then within the "containing text" box I entered some words that were in a file in that folder. I then clicked on Find and it found nothing. So it doesn't seem to search within files at all unless I'm missing something?

    Astrogrep is command line only which I don't like.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Quote Originally Posted by holygamer View Post
    Astrogrep is command line only which I don't like.
    Not the Astrogrep I use (also the first Google hit for "Astrogrep")




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    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Quote Originally Posted by holygamer View Post
    I tried Directory Opus. I selected the folder that my word file was in. Then within the "containing text" box I entered some words that were in a file in that folder. I then clicked on Find and it found nothing. So it doesn't seem to search within files at all unless I'm missing something?

    Astrogrep is command line only which I don't like.
    You are missing something!

    The Opus Find tool has two main modes of operation; simple and advanced. The simple-mode Find tool lets you quickly search the current folder (or any location) for files or folders by name, date, size, type or by text they contain. The advanced-mode Find tool uses a Filter control to let you specify much more complex search queries. Using the advanced mode you can search based on attributes like image dimensions, audio bitrate, document author, etc.

    Opus also supports an alternate search system - the integrated support for Windows Search lets you use the Windows search index to perform quick searches using a text field on the toolbar. You may find the indexed search is enough for your purposes - it will usually be quicker, although it doesn't provide as much control over the parameters of the search as the Opus Find tool.
    Taken from the Directory Opus help facility - obviously there is a lot more, which you can read for yourself on your copy.

    Perhaps you were using the Windows search facility (from within Opus Directory) rather than the built in facilities of OD? Go to tools and select find files from the drop-down. Then set the parameters for find at the section in the bottom of the OD window.
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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Thanks both of you for your suggestions. I got Directory Opus working but even when the program is closed it seems to cause freezing for several seconds at random, maybe every couple of minutes or so. I haven't chosen any of the integration options, I just load the program when I need to search for something.

    I'll try Astrogrep instead.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    I've no idea if Astrogep works on not because when I do a search within my data partition (not Windows partition) a pop-up appears and says "This file is in use by another application or user: C:\Users\Dave\Appdata\:..\Normal.dot). Then it opens up the Microsoft Word Normal template loads of times until I cancel all the popups.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Can you post a screenshot of your search parameters? I've just done a search of My Documents and it's run with absolutely no issues using the latest version.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    I downloaded the program from here: http://astrogrep.sourceforge.net/download/

    I didn't change any settings in the program. I have Windows 7 64-bit. Here's a screen: http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/o...ps56239c6f.png

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    I'm just about to leave for work, but... I've just tried similar parameters on my machine (Win8 x64) and it's working fine. Have you definitely got .Net 3.5 SP1 installed/activated on your machine?

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    I have version 4 installed.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    That's likely your problem: activate .Net 3.5 SP1 as a Windows feature and try again.

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Just out of interest, why can't you use the standard Windows search engine?

    You can expand the basic search filters as described here:

    http://www.howtogeek.com/99406/how-t...indows-search/
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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    Quote Originally Posted by peterb View Post
    Just out of interest, why can't you use the standard Windows search engine?

    You can expand the basic search filters as described here:

    http://www.howtogeek.com/99406/how-t...indows-search/
    Because it doesn't work. In Windows search I chose the option to "Always search file names and contents" but when searching for some words in my Word file, it returned no results. My hard drive with the file in was indexed as well.

    I have .NET framework 4 which is supposed to include previous versions as well. I already have 3.5 SP1 enabled also so I can't understand why I can't get Astrogrep to work. I had to uninstall Directory Opus as it was freezing my PC even when not open. All I want is a way to search for text within files!

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    Re: Looking for good desktop search program that can search within files

    While .Net frameworks are supposed to be backwards compatible this isn't necessarily the case, however if you're saying that it's already activated and patched then this may be a red herring. I'd guess that you must have something else installed that's causing a handle to be open on the normal.dot file you describe. I'd suggest that it might be worth running Process Explorer and checking what process has this handle on the file at the point you run AstroGrep.

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