Spotlight in Leopard vs Tiger

[benos]

One of my office machines is now running Leopard, and the way I (or BigJoni is the one suffering actually... we could call her the Leopard Guinea-pig would normally do a spotlight search in a specific folder no longer works like it used to.

In Tiger - I open a folder that has a bunch of spreadsheets in it by double clicking it, type Command+Option+F, the cursor appears in the find window for the folder, and I type "henning". Any file that has "henning" in the name or in the document itself is rapidly found in the open folder's window.

In Leopard - doing the same thing - as soon as I start typing in the find window, a new "search location" toolbar appears right above the folders open window and below the folders toolbar, and the find location selection defaults to "This Mac" - and every file in the entire computer (as opposed to just searching the folder I opened) with "henning" in the name or document is now left in the folder's window. That stinks.

And here's the super-stinky part - In the search location toolbar - the name of the folder I originally opened is right next to "This Mac". In this case it's "2007" (dealer orders placed in 2007). But if I go to all the trouble to reach for the mouse and select the search location "2007" - there are no files in the window - whether or not anything is typed in the search field.

I've looked through the prefs and did some googling but as of yet can't find anything helpful. And since I usually get ANY answer I need the fastest here...

be

[BritinUSA]

I think you want Command_F to option the Finder search and not Command_option_F which I think opens the Spotlight search for all folders.

It seems to change the way it functions based on where you started the Spotlight:

When you summon the Finder search window with Command-Option-Space, or from the Spotlight menu, Spotlight items is set to Include. When you summon the Finder search window with Command-F or by typing in a Finder window's search field, Spotlight items is not set to Include. This is actually quite brilliant. Spotlight is making a very reasonable distinction and assumption here: if you started in the Finder, you probably just want to look for files and folders, but if you summoned the search window in a more global way, you probably want to look at all kinds of entities. Of course you can always summon a Criteria Bar and change the setting if the initial default isn't what you intended.

This was from tidbits

Edited October 1, 2008 by BritinUSA

[benos]

Paul,

Say I double-click open a folder on my desktop... Command+Option+F is a keystroke that just puts the cursor in the search field (without having to click in with the mouse). In Tiger, at that point, whatever you typed in the search is only searched for in that folder.

But if you do the same thing in Leopard, as soon as you start typing into the search field, the entire computer ("This Mac") is searched. And if you click on the name of the folder that only appears after you start typing in the search field (to the right of "This Mac") - no files appear. That just seems weird. Why would the name of the folder appear in the search location part of the toolbar - but no files are in it - even if you haven't typed anything in the search field.

Or in other words, I can't figure out how to search just within a particular folder in Leopard.

be

[benos]

This if from your link, Paul:

The first question to ask yourself is whether you want to restrict the search location to one particular folder. If you do, then you must start by being in that folder in the Finder before starting the search by pressing Command-F or typing in the search field. When the window changes to a Finder search window, the Location Bar will display the name of the folder you started in; click that name to restrict the search to that folder.

That's what isn't working. When you click the name of the folder, there are no files visible.

be

[outerlimits]

i don't use spotlight for that reason anyway. but you can still do the old fashion "find" and it will get you the appropriate locations, albeit at a slower pace.

[Mapzter]

In Leopard - doing the same thing - as soon as I start typing in the find window, a new "search location" toolbar appears right above the folders open window and below the folders toolbar, and the find location selection defaults to "This Mac" - and every file in the entire computer (as opposed to just searching the folder I opened) with "henning" in the name or document is now left in the folder's window. That stinks.

Yes, it stinks. I'm surprised they haven't given us the option to change that (yet). You might be able to use Smart Folder Targeteer if you often search a specific group of folders.

[BritinUSA]

I just stopped by the Apple store on the way home. I can't run Leopard on my PowerPC Powerbook. I see now what you mean. It seems a little strange that it should behave that way, it's very un-apple like.

[benos]

I just stopped by the Apple store on the way home. I can't run Leopard on my PowerPC Powerbook. I see now what you mean. It seems a little strange that it should behave that way, it's very un-apple like.

Exactly.

Thanks Paul.

be

[-JQ-]

... it's very un-apple like.

Exactly.

Thanks Paul.

be

Sounds like BillG is starting to make his mark on the company??

...and this when I start contemplating conversion to the "dark side"

[BritinUSA]

Once I get my new Macbook I'm going to see if I can figure out a bypass... Should be an interesting exercise.

[XRe]

And here's the super-stinky part - In the search location toolbar - the name of the folder I originally opened is right next to "This Mac". In this case it's "2007" (dealer orders placed in 2007). But if I go to all the trouble to reach for the mouse and select the search location "2007" - there are no files in the window - whether or not anything is typed in the search field.

This actually works correctly for me, but otherwise, I see the same things. Unfortunately, it seems that Apple likes it this way:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7531147

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=7522726

There might be a 3rd party app out there that changes the Spotlight behavior, but I haven't really looked that hard for one I don't find myself using Spotlight a whole lot, honestly, so...

[benos]

And Dave from your first link, there's this:

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?sto...080229204517495

I'm not sure if I'm ready for that move, but it is interesting nonetheless.

And my machine is still on Tiger - so Joni's the only one actually suffering.

All day long, we search a couple specific folders, so I'll probably wait till this if fixed before upgrading to Leopard.

be