Start > Search Sucks: Microsoft's Sh!t For Brains Employees

[Michael Stevens]

If just finding filenames and extensions works for you then whoopee
ding for you. I honestly don't know how you could not know that
Windows Search is supposed to be able to find text in files when
there is a textbox labeled "Containing text" that includes "Type
words contained in the file" default right there smack dab as soon as
the Explorer Bar is opened. It won't work on image files. Its only
supposed to work on files that can have text in them.

<%= Clinton Gallagher

Take us through exactly how to reproduce this problem. I am not seeing a
problem searching for text in a folder, but maybe I am not seeing the
problem.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
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[jeffrey]

Hello,

You do not need to be rude in your response. I only ever used the search
feature to just find a file or file by extension. I never looked into the
search function since all I ever needed it was to find certian file types.
In my reply I was not rude, so please don`t respond in the same way.

Jeff

If just finding filenames and extensions works for you then whoopee ding
for
you. I honestly don't know how you could not know that Windows Search is
supposed to be able to find text in files when there is a textbox labeled
"Containing text" that includes "Type words contained in the file" default
right there smack dab as soon as the Explorer Bar is opened. It won't work
on image files. Its only supposed to work on files that can have text in
them.

<%= Clinton Gallagher

Hi,

No offense, but I thought the search function in Windows is basically
just
setup to find file types by the extensions or words in the file name. As
for containing text, I have see files with long names like "my trip to the
beach". So when I do a search based on text, like looking for pictures from
"my trip" it would look for files with that text, not search inside files to
see if it contained such text. I have always used the search function in
Windows to find files and folders based on their name or extension, not for
what was inside them.

Jeff

message

The Start > Search Files and Folders "Containing Text" feature in XP Pro
SP1 and XP Pro SP2 fails and has done so when tested by three different
developers on three different machines. We have determined XP Pro SP1
functions in this regard.

Two of us even took the time to document and acknowledge this at the
Microsoft Product Feedback Center [1] which turned out to be an excercise
in
futility because one of the little sh!t for brains that is getting paid by
Microsoft to waste our time debugging Microsoft's software claimed he/she
could not reproduce -- so therefore the problem did not exist -- so
sh!t
for
brains closed the issue to all further comment.

Then to make matters worse the OP is told he would have to pay
Microsoft
$35
an hour to report the failure of their software if not satisfied with the
feedback center!

Has anybody else experienced the failure of Search Files and Folders
"Containing Text" when using XP Pro?

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee "Regional Information Services"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/

[1] http://lab.msdn.microsoft.com/ProductFeedback/Default.aspx

 

[Vagabond Software]

Take us through exactly how to reproduce this problem. I am not seeing a
problem searching for text in a folder, but maybe I am not seeing the
problem.

--

Download the following zip file:
http://home.san.rr.com/vagabondia/images/tmp/TextToXml.zip

Extract the c-sharp source to the default folder named TextToXml. Right-click the folder and select Search from the menu. Type the word 'private' in the "word or phrase" text box and click Search.

Under no circumstances will the windows search tool find the word 'private' (or any other word) in that .cs file even though you can plainly view the file in notepad.

carl

 

[Michael Stevens]

Download the following zip file:
http://home.san.rr.com/vagabondia/images/tmp/TextToXml.zip

Extract the c-sharp source to the default folder named TextToXml.
Right-click the folder and select Search from the menu. Type the
word 'private' in the "word or phrase" text box and click Search.

Under no circumstances will the windows search tool find the word
'private' (or any other word) in that .cs file even though you can
plainly view the file in notepad.

carl

Is this type of file supposed to be found in a search for text?
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
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[Vagabond Software]

Is this type of file supposed to be found in a search for text?
--

I would think so! If html files are included, I would be inclined to think source files should be included as well, especially when they are associated with a known Microsoft application.

So, let's test the "scope" theory to eliminate the possibility that we are misusing the search tool. The following image shows that I have specified the file type as "C# Source file" from the listed file types under more advanced options, and the search tool still finds no files containing the word 'private'.

carl

 

[Vagabond Software]

Is this type of file supposed to be found in a search for text?
--

Here is that image... I guess it is past my bed-time:
http://home.san.rr.com/vagabondia/images/tmp/search.gif

carl

 

[Michael Stevens]

Here is that image... I guess it is past my bed-time:
http://home.san.rr.com/vagabondia/images/tmp/search.gif

carl

Thanks, I now see what you are saying.
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
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[Alias]

: With your lousy attitude, I would charge $500 minimum
: to fix YOUR self-induced problem.
:
: --
: Carey Frisch


For $500, he could get a mini MAC.

Heh.
--
Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature
of your news reader program to email me.

Utiliza Responder al Remitente
para mandarme un mail.

 

[Michael Stevens]

Okay, you made me laugh Linda but note, we did not contact 'support'
we contacted the Product Feedback Center which is set up for partners
and developers to post discoveries and document issues displayed to
other partners and developers who acknowledge their own experience
with the issue by selecting a link to acknowledge they too had
experienced the same problem. When a certain number of responses are
collected that raises a flag for testing by one or more of
Microsoft's staff.

What is going on though is the presence of weasels with sh!t for
brains -- at least one in this episode -- that has no sense of
responsibility and in this case is whacking feedback not even
allowing the methodology to work and then I repeat, we are insulted
and disrespected to the point of being told we have to pay when
volunteering our help? Pofockingleeze. It will be a cold day in hell.

<%= Clinton Gallagher

Your big problem is not continuing to submit your bug reports through the
Partners and Developers product feedback center. If you continue to post
your documented findings through the channels you have available, you should
get some explaination or closure. Posting your rants in the public groups
was not your best option considering the resources you have available.

--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
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[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

The Start > Search Files and Folders "Containing Text" feature in XP Pro
SP1 and XP Pro SP2 fails and has done so when tested by three different
developers on three different machines. We have determined XP Pro SP1
functions in this regard.

Hi

WinXP's search function filters out files to search in based on file
extensions (see further below).

Install the free Agent Ransack, it searches for text strings in *all*
types of files, and not just in a selection of "approved" file extensions
as the built-in search does. It's a *much* better search tool as well...

Download it from here:
http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx

Agent Ransack can save the search result to a file (or clipboard), as text,
comma separated text or tab separated text. E.g. Excel reads comma separated
text (csv) very well.

When searching for text inside files, Agent Ransack is also able to do a
preview of the lines the text was found in (just do a single click on the
found file).
Also, you can use regular expression on both the file name part and the find
text in files part.


If you still want to use the not so good search tool that comes
with WinXP to search for text in files, take a look at this:

Using the "A Word or Phrase in the File" Search Criterion May Not Work
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;309173

Or this:

Add Files to Containing text Searches
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_fix_search.htm

 

[clintonG]

Thank you for the referral Torgeir. We'll take a look at Agent Ransack.
Windows Search has been preferred because it is bound to Windows Explorer
making search immediately accessible from any point in the file system.

Carey Frisch [MVP] brought the same KB resources to the attention of this
thread immediately noting the KB 309173 article [1] states the failed
implementation of Windows Search was repaired by the service packs but that
is a lie.

One of the developers I am working with discovered KB 309173 and we had
knowledge of it -- THE LIE PART -- but had not at the time of my posting
'here' applied any of the registry hacks as our time was consumed by work
and our volunteer efforts to report our findings to the Microsoft Product
Feedback Center where we encountered sh!t for brains whom I have made
reference to.

As it turns out one of the registry hacks appears to restore the Windows
Search functionality or may be related to achieving that goal as confirmed
by Stuart MCSD, MCT who had the following to say in his reply via
news://microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.aspnet

"Checking my registry the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.aspx\PersistentHandler setting
is {eec97550-47a9-11cf-b952-00aa0051fe20}. The article you link to below
(sic [1]) discusses how to change the registry to attempt to have this added
to windows search."

My team and I will obviously attempt to apply this hack.

--
<%= Clinton Gallagher
METROmilwaukee "Regional Information Services"
NET csgallagher AT metromilwaukee.com
URL http://clintongallagher.metromilwaukee.com/

[1] http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309173/EN-US/

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Thank you for the referral Torgeir. We'll take a look at Agent Ransack.
Windows Search has been preferred because it is bound to Windows Explorer
making search immediately accessible from any point in the file system.

Hi

Agent Ransack adds itself to the context menu for folder and drive
objects, so in Explorer you can right click on a folder and select
Agent Ransack to start the search from that folder.