Indexing Service Not Findind Files?

[Ron Jeffries]

I was searching for a file today, looking for content. The Indexing Service note
in the search pane said that indexing was complete. The serach came back very
fast, reported nothing found. I was sure there should be something, so had it
search for a word that I use commonly. Again, it found nothing.

I removed indexing service from my install, and went back to the search window
and now it finds the things I would expect. It was as if indexing service had
just become totally confused.

I've googled around and looked in here, and found nothing indicating that there
were problems. I can, of course, just leave it turned off, but is anything known
about this problem? If there's someplace else I should be looking, feel free to
direct me there.

Thanks,

 

[Guest]

Indexing service is a cool thing, if it worked how you would expect. Tools
like google desktop search and MSN Desktop search provide the same thing you
would expect from indexing service, but they're more user-friendly.

Without those extra programs, you CAN take advantage of the near-instant
search with XP right out of the box with indexing service... IF you know how
to do it.

Obviously you already have Indexing Service on, and you know that you take
advantage of it using the standard search interface in Explorer.

Here's what you also need to know about syntax.

1) Only use the "Word or phrase in the file" box in the search bar.
2) Unless you only want a specific type of file, then use the file name box
for *.doc or similar, but as a general rule, don't even use the top box.

3) In the "Word or phrase in the file" box, use the following syntax to
find your files:

A) To find a filename with the word "myfile" in it, type: @filename"myfile"
B) Find a word inside any of the files in the index: !WordInFile
C) Find a phrase inside any of the files in the index: !"Phrase in a file"
D) Find a file with all of the words: !word1 & word2 & word3

Remember, use that syntax in the 2nd box, and that will make Windows get a
clue and actually USE the index it's already built.



Shawn

 

[Ron Jeffries]

Indexing service is a cool thing, if it worked how you would expect. Tools
like google desktop search and MSN Desktop search provide the same thing you
would expect from indexing service, but they're more user-friendly.

Without those extra programs, you CAN take advantage of the near-instant
search with XP right out of the box with indexing service... IF you know how
to do it.

Obviously you already have Indexing Service on, and you know that you take
advantage of it using the standard search interface in Explorer.

Here's what you also need to know about syntax.

1) Only use the "Word or phrase in the file" box in the search bar.
2) Unless you only want a specific type of file, then use the file name box
for *.doc or similar, but as a general rule, don't even use the top box.

3) In the "Word or phrase in the file" box, use the following syntax to
find your files:

A) To find a filename with the word "myfile" in it, type: @filename"myfile"
B) Find a word inside any of the files in the index: !WordInFile
C) Find a phrase inside any of the files in the index: !"Phrase in a file"
D) Find a file with all of the words: !word1 & word2 & word3

Remember, use that syntax in the 2nd box, and that will make Windows get a
clue and actually USE the index it's already built.

You have to use ! and such? Where does it say that in the literature? Thanks ...
I'll try it again sometime.

 

[Guest]

Yeah it's burried very deep. You won't easily find it in the XP Help and
Support center either, but I believe it is burried somewhere very deep in the
managment console's help file (maybe... at least I think it was on Windows
2000). In any case, it's easier to find using Google (but then, how do you
even know you need to find the documentation on syntax?... it should just
work!)

Shawn

 

[Ron Jeffries]

Yeah it's burried very deep. You won't easily find it in the XP Help and
Support center either, but I believe it is burried somewhere very deep in the
managment console's help file (maybe... at least I think it was on Windows
2000). In any case, it's easier to find using Google (but then, how do you
even know you need to find the documentation on syntax?... it should just
work!)

I was just told I had to use ! and such if I had indexing turned on. Using the
word I was looking for, standing alone, does not work if I have indexing on: no
documents are found. If I turn off indexing, the same word is found many times.

I understood what I was told above to be that I have to change syntax if
indexing is on. Did I misunderstand?

 

[Guest]

That does seem odd and opposite of what I told you above. I believe that
indexing does need to be on for that to work. If indexing is off, you should
be able to search using just the words (no ! or @ and such), and although
it'll be slower file-by-file search, it will perform correctly.

 

[Ron Jeffries]

That does seem odd and opposite of what I told you above. I believe that
indexing does need to be on for that to work. If indexing is off, you should
be able to search using just the words (no ! or @ and such), and although
it'll be slower file-by-file search, it will perform correctly.

plain words work with indexing off. they appear not to, with indexing on.

just the word "programming" with no quotes, finds a zillion articles in my
folders, with indexing off. with indexing on, the exact same thing finds
nothing.

you seem to be saying that is as designed. is that the case?

is this written up anywhere?

thanks,

 

[Guest]

If you had indexing service on (and assumeing the index was complete and the
file you are looking for had been indexed), and that file contained the word
programming, you should be able to find it using XP's search pane by type
!programming in the "word or phrase contained in file" box.

If you type !programming in that box and try to start a search with Indexing
Service off, you should receive this message: "The Indexing Service query
cannot be completed successfully because the volumes you have specified are
not indexed. [OK]."

If you open up your computer managment console, you can navigate to Services
and Applications > Indexing Service > System > Query the Catalog.

Here you can issue short form queries (!programming for example) if the
service is running.

Long-form queries look more like this: {phrase}words in the file{/phrase}.

If you click on the Tips for Searching button, and the Query Syntax button,
it should open up and tell you about the forms in the help. Although I had
trouble, that button didn't open for me. Just right-click on the Indexing
Service in the left pane, and choose help.


Shawn

 

[Ron Jeffries]

If you had indexing service on (and assumeing the index was complete and the
file you are looking for had been indexed), and that file contained the word
programming, you should be able to find it using XP's search pane by type
!programming in the "word or phrase contained in file" box.

Indexing was complete. If it didn't index My Documents, I can't imagine what it
DID index. I typed the word programming in the box -- it found nothing. I
removed indexing, typed the word programming, and it found a raft of documents.

I think indexing is somehow broken on my machine. I guess I'll just leave it
off, unless someone has a better idea.

Thanks,