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Author Topic: FARR as Windows 7 startmenu search replacement  (Read 3573 times)

SYCB5r4yicwctYNy17S

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FARR as Windows 7 startmenu search replacement
« on: July 30, 2013, 07:30 AM »
Hello everyone,

and thank you for this great programme. I stumbled on it while looking for a replacement for the unified search in the Windows 7 start menu — I’m using Windows 8 and unfortunately Microsoft removed the unified search (many other people have complained about this, for instance here: http://www.howtogeek...g-to-like-windows-8/ ).

For now, I’ve found a nice workaround: I’m using the FARR windows search plugin, which works nicely even in Windows 8, and in the FARR hotkey assignment, I’ve added "ws " as default search string.

However, there is a little drawback…

When using the Windows search plugin, FARR does not show the "standard" results anymore, so I cannot simply start writing a programme’s name and find it quickly. Is there a way of "mixing" standard results and plugin results such as those of the Windows Search plugin?

Thanks for your answers and thanks again for this nice programme,

SYCB5r4yicwctYNy17S.

Vurbal

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Re: FARR as Windows 7 startmenu search replacement
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2013, 07:51 AM »
I was going to start a new thread but I think it may be better to jump into this one instead.

For those of you who haven't seen my previous posts on the subject, primarily on the LBC forum, I'm working on a project for AfterDawn to sort of redesign parts of the Windows desktop environment. The first part of that is getting away from the traditional Start Menu and replacing it using LaunchBar Commander. Because the search feature is so tightly integrated with the Start Menu, and also because Windows 8's search is just as tightly integrated with the Start Screen, that functionality (at least the interface) will have to come from outside Windows.

FARR has definitely become my go to tool for the job and I'd really like to use it here. That means working out a sort of baseline configuration that's intuitive for someone used to searching on the Start Menu. Obviously the Windows Search plugin is a major step, but I'm not sure what other options might be useful or necessary. I'm not looking to duplicate those searches. I just want to make sure the result they would have picked off the Start Menu is somewhere on the list.

That probably seems backwards to most people here. It's certainly backwards for me but IME the reason the greatest barrier to learning a program like FARR (for most people) is simply finding a comfortable starting point. From there it's simply a matter of showing them how to learn the rest. Once you understand some core concepts most things are very intuitive. If you don't find them intuitive you probably don't need them anyway.

If you have any suggestions for setting FARR up that way I would be extremely grateful. As much of a power user tool as it is, FARR also does simple well if that's all you need. Some people will want to learn more and I think I can get them ready for that. The rest will learn a little and either use it or not. Anyway I'm open to any ideas you might have.
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