Search Files and Folders

[SubhadeepJasu]

Add an ability to search files and folders from the user home directory directly from the search bar. The results would show documents and miscellaneous files in a normal way under "Files" category. Pictures would show up under "Pictures" category, same for Music and Videos. Also, while searching for apps, if the number of search results reduce to one, then show the recently opened files that are possible to open to via that particular app.

[cassidyjames]

This would be a plugin to Slingshot. I think the reason we've avoided this in the past is that Files has built-in search, and implementing it here means we'd have two different search implementations to try and keep in sync with feature parity, when Files is probably the better app for it.

[moonmehta]

Hi, I'd disagree. Granted the Files app has a search option but it requires the Files app to be opened first. Considering further that elementary promotes an app-based workflow, it cannot be assumed that the Files app is always open. Either way, it increases number of steps to get to the search itself.

The holy grail of universal search on mac OS, GNOME and Unity is to be able to search files and folders at the click of one button. Given that Slingshot already does many useful things, it felt to me somewhat natural for it to take over this role as well.

[cassidyjames]

@uncertainquark I'm not personally strictly opposed, as I do see some benefit in that. But at the same time, as you said elementary OS promotes an app-based workflow, not a file-based one. Consequently, the natural progression would be that it's more expected that you'd search for apps to handle your content than to manually search for the file (an OS-level implementation detail). In that way, Files handling file search makes sense, while the Applications Menu handles app search.

There's also still the issue of duplicated logic and UX in the Applications Menu and Files; we would want to make sure the searching implementation is shared between both, and I'm not sure how realistic/possible that is.

[moonmehta]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. However, there are troubles with the current method of quickly finding and opening things that a universal search might help solve. Explaining the issue below.

Search in Files app:

1. Open Files (itself two steps at a minimum by default)
2. Initiate file search
3. Enter search term
4. Navigate to file and hit Enter
5. It goes to the folder containing the file and highlights it
6. Then open the file

Search in Photos app:

1. Open Photos (itself two steps at a minimum by default)
2. Initiate search
3. Enter search term
4. Navigate to the photo and hit Enter

(The trouble really is that I can't open the file directly from the search results in both apps)

Search in Code app: No search for all files handled by it seems to available? I'm not sure.

And so on for other apps. Whereas a universal search function would minimize steps needed to open a particular file/photo/document.

1. Open Slingshot
2. Enter search term
3. Navigate to the file/photo/document and hit Enter

I think this is one area where using Unity, macOS or GNOME really does feel a lot quicker. Having said that, I understand it may not be an easy feature to maintain as you said. Plus it may require an effective way of reducing noise in the search results, if Slingshot is handling so many search types. I thought I'd give my rationale anyway and see if it helps!

[SubhadeepJasu]

File's searching system has a lot of issues, but that's another topic. In a way, doing the same kind of search in slingshot solves them. But my recommendation for file search in slingshot is beyond that, let's say you search for Spice Up, and slingshot also shows you the top five files that you recently opened using that app. So the user can click the file and directly resume work, rather than open Spice Up, and then open the presentation. You see, it speeds up the workflow. Also people are used to searching in File explorers and universal search for different reasons. File will search the folder you are in, but let's say you don't wanna open the folder but get to the file directly, an universal search helps with that. It won't show all the results but the most recent ones.

Also, there is a reason most widely used OSs have some sort of universal search, for docs, music, games, settings, etc. A lot of people who come from Windows and Mac are used to that workflow. The current eOS workflow isn't making it better, (without mentioning that File's inbuilt search further worsens it).

Here's an example, pls don't mind it being windows, but check out those options

[cassidyjames]

@SubhadeepJasu I do like that idea, and think it does lean into the app-based nature.

[rbreaves]

To further talk about workflows, many people on macOS, Windows or users of Alfred (linux) and similar Quicksilver type search apps use a hotkey like Cmd-Space or simply the Windows key to initiate both app based and file based search simultaneous. It is bit workflow breaking to have users open up the file browser to initiate search when that appears to just be a default built into many OS's.

Apple integrating it into spotlight though definitely killed Quicksilver, which was kinda sad as I believe it was easier to extend to other functionality as well like searching the web if memory served. I think the earlier versions of spotlight was really just a file search and not something that prioritized apps to the top of the list. Someone can correct me if memory does not serve me right.

[danirabbit]

We recently introduce bookmarks search here, which I think is a good middle ground for the applications menu. I would be inclined to add an item "Search in Files" much like we have the one for "Search in AppCenter" so that we can focus on providing the more appropriate UI in a single place

[danirabbit]

Just want to follow up here that in our recent UI study we found that the vast majority of people expect to open files and folders from inside the File manager, with less than 30% reporting that they believe this should be in a os-wide search feature. I think this backs up the inclination that we should add a "Search in Files" item that passed the query off to files but the applications menu should remain app focused

[SubhadeepJasu]

That's a great solution as well. Back then I couldn't think of such a feature in the application menu. Things changed. However, the files search feature had a couple of major issues which made it kinda difficult back then. That had to do with how the search dropdown behaved and the ability to search multiple locations at once. I'll check once if these issues persist and open an issue in files if it does.

[jeremypw]

The Files search function hasn't been rethought for a very long time - perhaps this is the time to do so.

[amgschnappi]

Guys... I don't know when and if the OS team will fix this. As of now, I am using the following as bypass. 1 time setting: Set Alt + F to launch Files.

1. Press Alt + F to launch Files # Similar to Home + Space to launch Applications search
2. Type the file name in Files # Similar to what you would have types in Applications drop down
3. Files are seen in Files # Similar to what you would have seen in Applications drop down
4. Select the file you want to open in Files # Similar to what you would have selected in Applications drop down
5. Press enter in Files # Similar to what you would have done in Applications drop down

So by assigning 1 shortcut, I achieved similar results.