Copyright: Copyright 1993 Peter Pauly


SEARCH Contents

Contents for SEARCH Help

SEARCH will allow you to search for a word or set of words in files. You can limit the search to one file or you can select several files to search. You can even search multiple directories. SEARCH will display a list of files where the search string was found and allow you to double-click the files to invoke your standard text editor, etc. SEARCH is a powerful tool for programmers, scientists, secretaries and anyone who needs to find information quickly. The initial prototype of the SEARCH application was even used extensively  during the development of the product.

This product is not free. See the section on "How to Register" for information on how you can use this product legally.

How to...

Select Directories

Select Files

Change the File Type

Specify Search String

Specify Other Search Parameters

Performing the Search

Display and Open Results

What's New in this Release

How to Register


Select Directories

In order to do a search, you need to tell SEARCH where you want to do the searching.

You can either search by directories or by files. If you select directories to search, the application will automatically "de-select" the files you previously selected, and vice-versa.

To select a directory:

- First select the desired drive to read from. Click on the down arrow on the drive box

  and select the drive you want to read from.

- The directory box will show a "tree" of directories. You can double click on any of the

  branches of the tree to expand that directory.

- Select the desired directory by single-clicking it. The files in that directory will appear in

  the file box.

To select more than one directory, follow the procedure above until the desired directories are visible. Place the mouse on the first directory to be selected and drag it down until the last  desired directory is selected. You may also add individual directories to the list by holding down the CTRL

button before clicking a directory.

The figure below shows an example of selecting multiple directories:


Select Files

After selecting a directory, the files in that directory are displayed. You can limit the display to certain types of files. See the section on Changing the File Type for more information.

If you want to search only certain files and not whole directories, then you must select some files in the file box. If you don't select any files, then the selected directory(s) will be searched.

To select a file:

- Single click a file in the file box. If the desired file is not displayed, you can use the scroll

  bars to move the list up and down.

The figure below shows an example of selecting a single file:

If you want to select multiple files to search,  single click the first file in the group, then drag the mouse down until the last file is selected. You can also select additional files by holding down the CTRL button while clicking a file name.

The figure below shows an example of selecting multiple files:

If you double-click a file name with the mouse, the search is started immediately (make sure you entered the search parameters).


Change the File Type

You can limit the files displayed in the file box as well as the files that will be searched with the box marked "List Files of Type".

To change the type of files displayed and searched, click on the arrow to display the list of file types. You can also use the scroll bar to see more of the list. Choose the type of file that matches the one you want to search. For example, if you only want to search C++ files, click the option marked "C++ Source (*.cpp)". Then only those files will be displayed (if any) and only those files will be searched.

Example of selecting C++ files:

If the type of file you wish to search does not fall into any of the provided categories, choose the option marked "All Files (*.*)" to include all files.


Specify Search String

The search string is the word or combination of words or characters that you wish to look for. The search string may be specified in two different ways. You can specify a new string, or use one of the previous strings.

Typing in a new string:

Place the cursor in the box marked "Search String" by  moving the mouse to the box and clicking it.

Type the text that you want to search for. You can either type single or multiple words, parts of words or any combination of characters. SEARCH will look for an exact match of whatever you typed in. Examples:

WM_PAINT       - look for WM_PAINT

Tanja                   - look for the name Tanja

1997 Budget      - look for the word 1997 followed by one space followed by  the word

 Budget.

Example of typing in a search string:

Choosing one of the previously entered strings:

If you want to use a string that you previously entered again, you can click on the arrow to display the list of previous search strings.  Use the scroll bar to see more of the list. To choose a previous string, just click on the string in the list. It will be placed in the Search String box, ready to use.

This figure shows an example of choosing a previous string:


Specify Other Search Parameters

By specifying additional search parameters, you can change the way that SEARCH performs its search.

Ignore Case

If you want to look for a word, and you don't know whether the word is capitalized or not, you can specify "Ignore Case".  Choosing this option will cause a word to match regardless of which characters are upper or lower case. For example:  fish, would match Fish FISH and FiSH.

To select "Ignore Case", click the mouse button on the small box next to the words "Ignore Case".

A small cross will appear when the option is selected. Warning: choosing this option significantly lengthens the amount of time needed to perform a search.

Stop on First Occurrence

Choosing this option will cause the search to stop when the first file is found that contains the search string. This is useful if you only want to find one example of whatever you are looking for and don't want to spend the time search more files.  To select "Stop on First Occurrence", click the mouse button on the small box next to the words "Stop on First Occurrence". A small cross will appear when the option is selected.

Recurse Subdirectories

This option tells SEARCH to search not only the directories you selected, but also all of the directories underneath those. To select "Recurse Subdirectories", place the mouse on the small box next to the words "Recurse Subdirectories" and click it. A small cross will appear when the option is selected.


Performing the Search

To perform the search, press the button labeled "Search", or press enter. You can also initiate the search by double clicking a file name in the file box.

While the application is searching, it reports on its progress by displaying a special message.

The display looks like this:

You can stop the search part way through by pressing the "Cancel" key on the display box.

Any matches already found will still be displayed.


Display and Open Results

If SEARCH finds your string in any of the files it searched, it will display the path and name of the file in the "Result" box. If several files matched, you can scroll the list up and down using the scroll bar.

You can open the file in the same way that you do in File Manager by double clicking on the file in the result box. The program run will depend on the associations you have set up using the Associate option of the File menu in File Manager.

For example, if you found files that end with the extension ".TXT", double clicking on one of those files will cause the Notepad program to execute with the file displayed. You should associate any files you regularly use with an editor program, or browsing program  (like notepad).

The figure below shows the Result box:


What's New in this Release

Version 1.00

- Easy to use graphical interface.

- New 3D look in accordance with the new operating system standard.

- Select multiple files or multiple directories.

- Recall the last sixteen search strings.

- Open found files by double-clicking.

- Interuptable search.

- Low price.

You can send your comments, bug reports, suggestions, etc. to the address below.

Peter Pauly

1568 Vista Club Circle Suite 206

Santa Clara, CA 95054

USA

About the Author:

Peter Pauly is currently working as an MVS Systems Programmer on

IBM mainframe computers. His last assignment was in Germany where he

worked as Data Center Manager for over five years.


How to Register

This program is not free. To use the program, you must pay the $20 registration fee.

Please send your payment to:

Peter Pauly

1568 Vista Club Circle Suite 206

Santa Clara, CA 95054

USA

This program and associated files are not public domain software, nor are they free. Private,  commercial or governmental entities may not use this program or associated files in any way without entering into licensing agreements  with the author. This program or its associated files may not be resold, nor may a fee be charged for downloading them. This program and the associated files remain the property of the author and must be surrendered or destroyed upon request.  This program has not been submitted to any formal test. Use this program at your own risk. The author is not responsible for any damaged caused through the use or misuse of this program. This program is copyright 1993 by Peter Pauly. The program may not be decompiled or reverse engineered.  All names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. All rights reserved.