UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums Resources and Customizing Admin Zone What are others using for a search utility on a windows desktop

I reached my tolerance level using search in windows.
Especially for text strings within files such as UBB files.
I can only assume it does not search text strings within files with double extensions such as config.inc.php.
I have tried changing the indexing settings with little success.

So my question is what is everyone else using?

I gave up long ago.. I simply search every file when nessessary... Generally I find a file that I want to pull apart, then go to town...

So Giz your saying that you don't have something you use to find text strings in files?
So it ends up being hit or miss one by one?

Windows text string search has not worked since Win2K. Win2K was the last version that it actually worked in.

I really wish I had that feature again.

I know I have done everything I can think of to index the files but it just does not work anymore.

Well, i use "find" in notepad/wordpad/nano for searching strings IN files when a file is opened; but for finding a string in a file in general, I don't use anything since windows sucks ...

With the UBB it's easy; just look at the URL and it tells you what file to edit (see ubb/filename)

I understand, that's what I am doing but. I used to be able to search for a string and it would list all files with that string.
I was thinking somebody is using some type of utility that does the same now.

I guess not?

Guess so

My big friends is RegExBuddy.

Basicly a tool to help you create regular expressions. But it also has grep functionality in it.

You can search (and replace) using regular expressions.

http://www.regexbuddy.com

The author also made PowerGrep, a much more powerful grep tool, but it's a lot more expensive. RegExBuddy is real cheap, and a must have if you ever want to play with Regular Expressions.

i still use ts.exe from Norton Utilities at the DOS prompt.

TS-Text Search, Advanced Edition 4.50, (C) Copr 1987-88, Peter Norton

after 20 years, it has it's limitations, you should understand ... like long file names.

I also still use it on occasion Though mine says copyright 1994

Same long filename limitations But I am slowly but surely moving over to regexbuddy to do my searches.

these new-fangled long file names will never catch on. 8 characters should be enough for anyone.

google desktop works fine, lasts a long time

I use the default search within Windows. Tell Windows to index the folder where your UBB files are, and make sure to tell it to index PHP files. Once you do that, and the index is built, you'll be able to search for strings inside the files just fine.

I tried this already. In fact I set it to just index the ubb folder and ran re-index. PHP is in the list but I suspect it is not indexing the files with ###.inc.php Still no success most of the time.

Linux. grep. priceless.

Well I found a site for windows grep.
http://www.wingrep.com
First dry run seems to work very well and it has edit features.

Mine is able to find strings in *.inc.php files. I didn't set anything up special to have it do that, so I don't know what to tell you. I'm using Vista Home Professional SP1. (Came with the new laptop)

I am using an xp box for ubb stuff and vista ultimate and still can't seem to find some strings in either one of the machines.
I have the options set to index the contents of the files. PHP is selected in file types. I have run re-index to point of I am tired of doing so.

But it looks like this grep for windows works and it has a built in edit and replace feature. So to me that makes it a winner even if windows search was working.

With Windows Grep and RegExBuddy priced simular, be sure to check RegExBuddy too.

I am not a big fan of indexed searches, somehow what I want to find never gets indexed They index more on words and stuff, and my searches are most of the time a bit different.

Thanks yarp but for now I think I will shy away from regexbuddy since I don't understand the expression syntax at this time anyway.
It just complicates the options to use at this time. For me anyway.
But for searches it works well also.

Already had a use for grep for windows.
I had a error in the style wrapper editor.
page_wrapper_run error.
Searched using grep and found it in wrapper.inc.php.

Windows did not find it.

Found the file was 0 bytes.
Probably was since upgrading to 7.5

Happy camper.

I own copies of ALL of these programs and if you want to do Comparisons I highly suggest UltraCompare
If you want to do very complex changes then I'd go with PowerGREP (hi learning curve but very powerful).
UltraEdit also provides Regex operations and is one of the most powerful editors on the market.

UltraEdit / UEStudio / UltraCompare[/color]

[color=green]PowerGREP: Taking grep Beyond The Command Line[/color]

[color=green]RegexBuddy: Learn, Cr...ular Expressions with RegexBuddy



If you have the new MS Windows Search 4.0 installed I recommend you uninstall it. Searches are very limited with it installed now. Indexed data is found fast, but they don't index everything even if you do tell them to.

Lucky thing is, you don't need to You can just enter plain text and RegExBuddy will make the regex for you.

FWIW
I use Agent Ransack
as it recognizes unix-style pattern matching and regular expressions.
Its quick and has a low footprint in use.