Questions on non-specific Directory Searches

[cnewtonne]

Mouser...
I'm seeing an inconsistent behavior in my install of FARr (20046). Can you please explain...
- typing acc\not showes nothing. I thought this should at least show notepad as one of the results.
- I read your help notes on non-specific dir searches and my understanding is as follows...
this is how my dir structure looks like ...
c:\program files\clip_app
c:\program files\map_app
c:\program files\goole_app

To show clip_app and all its contents I can use any of these...
files\clip
les\clip
les\cli

However, all of these show 0 search results.
I have c:\program files added to my search dirs with a score of 100.

What am I missing?

[cnewtonne]

One more question please...
What is the fastest way (least count of key strokes) I can use to search contents of a nested foler e.g.

search backup folder in c:\program files\my database\backup\config
or
directory config in c:\downloads\apps\config\settings

[mouser]

acc\not

shows notepad for me, as it should.

(it's found in the start menu StartMenu\Accessories\Notepad)

have you modified your search folders in some way that might not be searching your start menu by default?

[cnewtonne]

Sorry...
just figured out the answer for both. It looks like when you assign a keyword to a search folder, you somehow disable this non-specific dir search feature and I can see why.

[mouser]

ok fastest way.. it depends.


IF you had for example 2 special folders you sometimes want to search, then add those 2 folders to the SearchFolders tab and add a keyword modifer to them.

Then if you want to search these two folders you can type for example

+mydata test

to search those directories for files named "test"


If there are not too many matching directories you could just type a couple of letters of each.
So to search in "c:\program files\my database\backup\config"
you could type:
"c:\pr\data\b\c"

Just remember that when you dont use explicit directories then FARR has to search more to make sure there arent other matches.  so in your case you could also do "C:\downloads\settings\" and it WILL find "c:\downloads\apps\config\settings" if there is no exact match for "C:\downloads\settings\", but it may take a bit longer.


Yet another option is to use the Tab key (or alt+# on directory names) to autocomplete each directory as you type it, so that you type:
C:\pro[TAB]my[TAB]b[TAB]co]TAB
and then see in your search box "c:\program files\my database\backup\config"

[mouser]

just figured out the answer for both. It looks like when you assign a keyword to a search folder, you somehow disable this non-specific dir search feature and I can see why.

yes - this was a debated thing.

however you can mark a directory to be used by default even if you specify other keywords, just add * as a keyword in a directory to say to search it even if other keywords are specified.

SO, if you want start menu to ALWAYS be searched, even when you are specifying keywords to select other directories, add the * keyword to the start menu.