Search for "A word or phrase in the file"

[Colin Barker]

I am using Windows XP SP2. If I have an .htm file containing, say, <A
HREF=...> then searching for HREF is unsuccessful. But if I have HREF not
preceded by <A then it is successful. I suppose this is so that searching
an HTML file will ignore all markup information, and the function is
"working as designed". So, no doubt, this behaviour is documented
somewhere. Where? Are there similar quirks for other file extensions?

 

[Jostein Berrefjord]

Are there similar quirks for other file extensions?

I never made Windwos search find anything in .c or .java files either.
I have also noticed problems with .htm files.

Now I've got access to Visual Studio, and the search in files facility
is both more functional (e.g. optional case matching, full word
matching), it seems to be faster (I never made timing tests, though),
and flipping through the hits is much easier. So I never bothered to
investigate the problems with the Windows search facility. My
suggestion is to use Visual Studio if you've got access to it!

If you're a programmer, chances are good that you at least know of
Visual Studio. If you're not a programmer, forget it. I'm not
suggesting that you install a complex software development environment
only to get the search function!

 

[Steve N.]

I am using Windows XP SP2. If I have an .htm file containing, say, <A
HREF=...> then searching for HREF is unsuccessful. But if I have HREF not
preceded by <A then it is successful. I suppose this is so that searching
an HTML file will ignore all markup information, and the function is
"working as designed". So, no doubt, this behaviour is documented
somewhere. Where? Are there similar quirks for other file extensions?

Try Agent Ransack.

http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/

Steve

 

[Kelly]

Interesting, Colin....will submit this.

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com