Why doesn'tXP Search ever find anything?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Barry Neilsen
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Barry Neilsen

Dear Microsoft,

I have several hundred SQL script files that contain source code for stored
procedures. As I'm sure you know, these are just plain text files, no
format or control characters. Why then, when I look for common SQL key
words like 'alter' and 'procedure' using the XP search facility, doesn't it
find any of them? (I'd actually like to be able to find something more
useful, but if I can't find words or phrases that I know to exist, there's
no point in searching for the 'maybes'.)

Here's an example of the exact fields that I enter:

All or part of the filename: *.sql

A word or phrase in the file: procedure

Look in: Local drives (C:, D:)

I am also logged in as administrator, and indexing claims to be turned off.

Yours, in extreme frustration,

Barry Neilsen
 
Barry Neilsen said:
I have several hundred SQL script files <SNIP> when I look for common SQL key words
like 'alter' and 'procedure' using the XP search facility, doesn't it find any of
them <SNIP>
Click to expand...

The file extension SQL does not have a filter component registered. Since these
files are basically plain text files you can use the plain text filter for the file
type. To do this, add a PersistentHandler key under the file type key in
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.sql and set its (Default) string value name to the following
value: {5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}

For more information see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

KB309173 - Using the "A Word or Phrase in the File" Search Criterion May Not Work
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;309173

And for an example find and look at the file extension .txt found

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt

Before you edit the registry I recommend that you understand how to backup, edit and
restore the registry. For more information see the following Microsoft Knowledge
Base Article and/or Registry FAQ. In particular, I suggest that you read the KB
Article section titled "Export Registry Keys" and then, before you edit the registry,
export the keys that you plan to edit.

KB322756 - HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in
Windows XP and Windows Server
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;322756

Windows Registry Guide - Windows Registry FAQ
http://www.winguides.com/article.php?id=1&guide=registry
 
Before the MVP (M$ Victim Poster) Hermes responded, Barry Neilsen typed:
Dear Microsoft,

I have several hundred SQL script files that contain source code for
stored procedures. As I'm sure you know, these are just plain text
files, no format or control characters. Why then, when I look for
common SQL key words like 'alter' and 'procedure' using the XP search
facility, doesn't it find any of them? (I'd actually like to be able
to find something more useful, but if I can't find words or phrases
that I know to exist, there's no point in searching for the 'maybes'.)

Here's an example of the exact fields that I enter:

All or part of the filename: *.sql

A word or phrase in the file: procedure

Look in: Local drives (C:, D:)

I am also logged in as administrator, and indexing claims to be
turned off.

Yours, in extreme frustration,

Barry Neilsen
Click to expand...

No, it doesn't.

--
hermes
DRM sux! Treacherous Computing kills our virtual civil liberties!
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html

Windows XP crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.
 
"Carrie Garth" said in news:[email protected]:
The file extension SQL does not have a filter component registered.
Since these files are basically plain text files you can use the
plain text filter for the file type. To do this, add a
PersistentHandler key under the file type key in
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.sql and set its (Default) string value name to the
following value: {5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}

For more information see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base
article:

KB309173 - Using the "A Word or Phrase in the File" Search Criterion
May Not Work
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;309173

And for an example find and look at the file extension .txt found

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt

Before you edit the registry I recommend that you understand how to
backup, edit and restore the registry. For more information see the
following Microsoft Knowledge Base Article and/or Registry FAQ. In
particular, I suggest that you read the KB Article section titled
"Export Registry Keys" and then, before you edit the registry, export
the keys that you plan to edit.

KB322756 - HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in
Windows XP and Windows Server
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?Product=winxp&scid=kb;en-us;322756

Windows Registry Guide - Windows Registry FAQ
http://www.winguides.com/article.php?id=1&guide=registry
Click to expand...

That only solves the problem of the Windows XP Search (which changed
behavior from the Windows 2000 Search) to look *INSIDE* a file to scan
for the specified text. It does NOT address the problem of Windows XP's
Search not even finding the file, even unhidden ones. I would search
for a file and NOT specify anything to search within it; i.e., I was
searching to find WHERE the file was and NOT what was in it. Yet on
several occasions the Windows XP Search could not find files that were
clearly visible in Explorer or by a dir command in a DOS shell. I ended
up having to find an alternative search utility for Windows XP. I tried
several and settled on Agent Ransack. It has free and paid versions. I
did find an incompatibility with Agent Ransack and PC Magazine's FileMon
utility but it turned out that FileMon did not correctly define the
namespace for the context menu so it was FileMon's fault (the effect was
hovering on the Send To context menu item for a file listed in Agent
Ransack search result list caused Agent Ransack to crash, but the real
problem was in the defective namespace defined by FileMon). I hated to
give up FileMon because it allowed me to see who was using a file, but I
needed a fixed Search more.



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