topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Thursday March 28, 2024, 9:48 am
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Last post Author Topic: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!  (Read 173432 times)

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #100 on: January 06, 2008, 08:46 AM »
:huh: it took two days here? Typically I'm not so slow.

f0dder: ahh ok, I though that you meant user's own folder
Nope, just meant per-user folders&shares on the server, still keeping locate indexing and the database files on the server. But I can see that my post wasn't very clear :)
- carpe noctem

vixay

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 140
  • ViXaY
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #101 on: January 11, 2008, 04:54 AM »
vixay, Howabout if you create one database for IT, another for HR and third for OP and keep database files in server?
That's what I was trying to say :)

suggestion by jmj: vixay, Howabout if you create one database for IT, another for HR and third for OP and keep database files in server?


The problem with that is like this:
*Server*
IT.dbs stored in C:\Dept\IT (shared as \\Server\IT) and indexes only C:\Dept\IT (so file links are local!)
HR.dbs stored in C:\Dept\HR (shared as \\Server\HR) and indexes only C:\Dept\HR (so file links are local!)
OP.dbs stored in C:\Dept\OP (shared as \\Server\OP) and indexes only C:\Dept\OP (so file links are local!)
Locate32.exe stored in C:\Apps (shared as \\Server\Apps)

*User*
IT User: maps \\Server\IT to X:\ or can connect via UNC \\Server\IT
HR User: maps \\Server\HR to X:\ or can connect via UNC \\Server\HR
OP User: maps \\Server\OP to X:\ or can connect via UNC \\Server\OP
Management User: maps \\Server\Dept to Y:\
    therefore Y:\IT = C:\Dept\IT ...etc. for all depts

All users map \\Server\Apps to V:\
They can import settings for all databases, but won't have access to other departments databases. The can run Locate via V:\Apps\Locate32\Locate32.exe

*Updates*
Are done on the server for each database via scheduling.

*Searching*
Is done by users on their PCs

When they search they need references to resolve either
a) to their local drives (X:\filefound.txt) or
b) to UNC paths (\\Server\HR\filefound.txt)

but now, it resolves to C:\Dept\HR\filefound.txt!
and doesn't work for them!

The paths are different for each user!
for example:
on server:    C:\Dept\HR\filefound.txt
on HR user:   X:\filefound.txt or \\server\hr\filefound.txt
on Mgmt User: Y:\HR\filefound.txt


_current pains_
importing settings into each users pc

_possible solutions_

have 1 master user from each type who updates database, while the rest only search.
This would resolve the path issue from each users perspective, but it would be inefficient as you'd be indexing the same content 2-3 times! Plus you'd need special priveleges for that particular user to be able to update the database


any other ideas? I hear there are corporate search solutions or intranet scripts but those are slow compared to locate32 find as you type results.

_features in locate32 that would make this easier_

- portability (i.e. settings don't need to be imported)
- show results based on how files are accessible to user. i.e. Locate can put a KEYFILE at the root of each path it is indexing. Then locate the KEYFILE from the users current PC, and prepend the path to all the entries in a databse while displaying results. or allow user to add custom prefix/suffix to results.

then the deployment would be easier i think, for each database.


Or maybe i am crazy to think like this. Any better ideas?
"Drunk on the Nectar of Life!" -me

vixay

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 140
  • ViXaY
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #102 on: January 11, 2008, 05:14 AM »
http://www.locate32....pic.php?f=9&t=82

link to locate32 forum where i posted this request.

"Drunk on the Nectar of Life!" -me

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #103 on: January 11, 2008, 05:41 AM »
I have been experimenting with Locate for network use (just by adding folders on some NAS I have and folders on other PCs on the network).

I find everything runs fine when they are all switched on but as soon as some of the paths are not available Locate takes ages to load - worse even if I remove the network paths from the index or even rebuild my DB from scratch using only local discs Locate still waits ages when you try and load it.

The only way I could get back to instant response was to use YourUninstaller to remove all traces of Locate and then reinstall from scratch.

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #104 on: January 11, 2008, 07:06 AM »
I find everything runs fine when they are all switched on but as soon as some of the paths are not available Locate takes ages to load - worse even if I remove the network paths from the index or even rebuild my DB from scratch using only local discs Locate still waits ages when you try and load it.
Yeah, I'm bitten by this thing as well, since I spin down the harddrives on my fileserver - when using locate, they spin up. It should be possible to run locate in a "don't check if the files still exist, only return results" mode...
- carpe noctem

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #105 on: January 11, 2008, 07:11 AM »
vixay: yeah, I started thinking about the names returned in locate vs. how the files are acessible to the user, a while after I checked this thread last, but forgot about it. I guess somebody would have to implement a "remapping" feature in locate, either in the database/updater, or the client-side locate.
- carpe noctem

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #106 on: January 11, 2008, 08:34 AM »
I find everything runs fine when they are all switched on but as soon as some of the paths are not available Locate takes ages to load - worse even if I remove the network paths from the index or even rebuild my DB from scratch using only local discs Locate still waits ages when you try and load it.
Yeah, I'm bitten by this thing as well, since I spin down the harddrives on my fileserver - when using locate, they spin up. It should be possible to run locate in a "don't check if the files still exist, only return results" mode...


The strange thing is that if you delete a file actually in the Locate results window the file is deleted correctly but locate doesn't update its DB until the next DB update. In which case why is it even interested to see if files and folders are present - surely it should just tell you where to find files and then complain if you try to go there when it is not available ?

Oddly in the settings you can tell it to ignore folders if they are not present during update - why can't you do that during 'offline' searching?

Strange behaviour!

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #107 on: January 11, 2008, 09:19 AM »
If you have slow or offline network drives, check that you have enabled "Use default icon for directories (use with slow network drives)" option in Advanced settings. In addition, you could try the following options in Advanced settings: "Do not save network drives and directories", "Do not add directories (except local drives) to the list" and "Disable updating (file information from database)" (this is probable what f0dder is looking for).

Btw. there is a remapping feature in Locate, see the thread in the Locate forum (link above in vixay's post).

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #108 on: January 11, 2008, 09:34 AM »
Sorry but that didn't answer the question really. I understand why it needs access to specified locations to update the database but why does it need to access anything just to open the search window (I am not talking about during the search - literally just opening the window to enter search criteria is incredibly slow).

Also even during a search why does it need to access anything - surely the whole point about have an index database is precisely to avoid looking at disk/network content to do a search ???

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #109 on: January 11, 2008, 09:39 AM »
Janne: I have those options set that way, except for "Do not save network drives and directories" (as I do want to be able to quickly search the files on my fileserver). But simply scrolling the result view still generates a lot of filecalls to the items in the list...
- carpe noctem

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #110 on: January 11, 2008, 09:41 AM »
Sorry but that didn't answer the question really. I understand why it needs access to specified locations to update the database but why does it need to access anything just to open the search window (I am not talking about during the search - literally just opening the window to enter search criteria is incredibly slow).
That does sound weird.

Also even during a search why does it need to access anything - surely the whole point about have an index database is precisely to avoid looking at disk/network content to do a search ???
This one is simple - if you want accurate, up-to-date information about timestamp, size etc. of files, since they could have been changed since last index. Personally, I'd prefer fast-but-possibly-outdated, though, just haven't figured out how to tweak settings properly for that :)
- carpe noctem

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #111 on: January 11, 2008, 09:58 AM »
Sorry but that didn't answer the question really. I understand why it needs access to specified locations to update the database but why does it need to access anything just to open the search window (I am not talking about during the search - literally just opening the window to enter search criteria is incredibly slow).

Also even during a search why does it need to access anything - surely the whole point about have an index database is precisely to avoid looking at disk/network content to do a search ???

The reason why Locate hangs in startup is that it tryies to load icons for network directories, it should not access to network drives otherwise. At least that was a problem in my system. During searches, it access to files only if you want that ("Enable updating", "Don't show deleted/renamed/moved files", "Show type specified "Icons" turned on in Advanced setttings, etc.).

f0dder: "Disable updating (...)" option is there for, did you try that?
« Last Edit: January 11, 2008, 10:04 AM by jmj »

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #112 on: January 11, 2008, 10:11 AM »
f0dder: "Disable updating (...)" option is there for, did you try that?
Yup, "Disable updating (file information from database)" checked, "Do not add directoris (except local drives) to the list" checked, "Use default icon for directories (use with...)" checked.
- carpe noctem

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #113 on: January 11, 2008, 10:21 AM »
f0dder: "Disable updating (...)" option is there for, did you try that?
Yup, "Disable updating (file information from database)" checked, "Do not add directoris (except local drives) to the list" checked, "Use default icon for directories (use with...)" checked.

How about "Use type specified icons" and "Show file type"? The former causes calls when enabled and also the latter, at least if shell function is used (I'm not sure about my own way, I should check that).

btw. you are using 3.0.7.12310, right? Previous versions has a bug which activates background updater when you open settings dialog altought disable updating is chosen.

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #114 on: January 11, 2008, 10:56 AM »
I tried Process Monitor with Locate32 and used the following options in Advanced options:
"Use own method to generate file titles" checked
"Show type specified icons" unchecked
"Show file type (otherwise extension)" with "Use own method to get file types"
"Do not show tooltips" enabled
"Do not show deleted/named/moved files" disabled
"Disable updating (file information from databases)" checked
"Use default icon for directories (use with slow network drives)" enabled

Then I closed Locate32, turned loggin on Process Monitor, opened Locate and finally searched files in "\\server", and I didn't see any file operations related to files in \\server. Enabled "Show type specified icons" and saw lots of accesses to files in server.

But anyway, I tried to unplug my server and opened Locate32. Locate32 did hang on couple of seconds! I'll check that what Locate32 it is doing.


Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #115 on: January 11, 2008, 11:10 AM »
Thanks - by the way you need to update your weblink (in your profile) as it still points to the defunct version of your site. Why not add a signature with a logo to the LOCATE32 website so that people know you.

You have a great utility which I use everyday - and it is brilliant that you take an active interest in what is going on over here too  :Thmbsup: :-*

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #116 on: January 11, 2008, 11:28 AM »
Now the website is updated, thank you for reminding me.

btw. f0dder, what is going on with those unicode related things in locate.exe?

f0dder

  • Charter Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 9,153
  • [Well, THAT escalated quickly!]
    • View Profile
    • f0dder's place
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #117 on: January 12, 2008, 07:12 AM »
Turning off tooltips and "Show type specified icons" did the trick - but of course now there's only two icon types, "generic file" and "folder"; I do like visual clues for RAR archives, .chm files, et cetera... but obviously it would be a bit tricky to support that, as the default "get icon" API from windows also looks at .exe files to extract default icon etc.

Wrt. unicode output in locate.exe I put it a bit on hold, after realizing that Okke's plugin might not actually need any updating at all - but a lot of FARR would have to be rewritten >_<. I can brush up the modification a bit and commit to the repository, since unicode display would be nice to have for console users nonetheless.
- carpe noctem

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #118 on: January 12, 2008, 10:04 AM »
I can brush up the modification a bit and commit to the repository, since unicode display would be nice to have for console users nonetheless.

It would be nice if you do that.

jmj

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 42
  • Author of Locate32
    • View Profile
    • Locate32
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #119 on: January 20, 2008, 10:08 AM »
But anyway, I tried to unplug my server and opened Locate32. Locate32 did hang on couple of seconds! I'll check that what Locate32 it is doing.

This does not happen here anymore when the latest version is in usehere. Carol Haynes, could you try that?

Carol Haynes

  • Waffles for England (patent pending)
  • Global Moderator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 8,066
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #120 on: January 20, 2008, 11:46 AM »
Initial test seems to work better - so long as it isn't looking for icons I can search for even unavailable network items.

One thing I did notice is that if I try to 'open the containing folder' for an item on a network share that is not available I don't get any error message at all t say the folder/file is not currently available.

brotherS

  • Master of Good Ideas
  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • **
  • Posts: 2,260
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #121 on: February 16, 2008, 02:44 PM »
Let me point you to http://fileforum.bet.../detail/1044509669/1 (or http://www.locate32.net/). The latest version (stable beta) includes a "Find as you type" option, which is great in combination with all the existing features!

 :-*

Lutz_

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 229
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #122 on: February 17, 2008, 08:12 PM »
Have you looked at  "IndexYourFiles"  already. Donationware from
http://www.indexyourfiles.com/
indexes also removable media and provides previews of the most prevalent file formats.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2008, 01:21 AM by Lutz_ »

brotherS

  • Master of Good Ideas
  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • **
  • Posts: 2,260
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #123 on: February 18, 2008, 01:20 PM »
No, I didn't. Locate indexes everything I have and is great to use with the keyboard. I don't miss anything and since time is an issue I'm not actively looking for alternatives.

nosh

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 1,441
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: Locate 3.0 - great *FAST* HD search tool!
« Reply #124 on: February 19, 2008, 03:23 AM »
You can't even compare the two coz IIRC Locate doesn't index content.

My wishlist for Locate (which IMO, would make it the best file search tool on the planet):
  • Realtime indexing - very low on resource consumption, better (perfect) results, no CPU spikes as with scheduled indexing.
  • Thumbnail mode for graphic files (would give it an outright advantage over other FS tools that do realtime indexing, none that I know of have this implemented)
  • Panes for listing recently added/changed & recently launched files (like with Ava Find)
  • Popup window showing files being added/modified (like in Filetracer)