SearchSpy Spotlight clone.

[SpyGamer]

SearchSpy is an Spotlight clone I've been doing since june.

Features:

- Works with or without Google Desktop (GDS), using it's database or not. If you don't want to use GDS, SearchSpy will index files itself, using an app called locate. Locate was made by Janne Huttunen and can be found here. Also, the installer will detect and chose the right option. You don't need to worry about this . Removed on 1.1 to avoid bugs

The SearchSpy indexing process is done only when your system is idle. It won't blame you. Plus even you don't like SearchSpy and want to use another spotlight clone without GDS, the indexing system should work too.

How is it possible? My app features a smartly done Indexer, that can parse results as a XML File. This is the same Google Desktop does, meaning that any well done GDS based app can recognize the results.

- A nice Color Picker (thanks to Chris Kite for the idea). SearchSpy is skinned in different way. You don't need to spend hours creating pictures and skin files. Change the whole app color by simply dragging a slider!

- Smart and moveable Search Menu that adapts itself to the screen position. If you want it on top, simply drag the menu, The next time you search, results will apear in the right place. Works for both on top and on bottom positions.

- No needing for icons! SearchSpy will get them from windows to you.

-As much results groups as you want (even a mac can't do this ). With SearchSpy, you can create and destroy the search file type groups.

- All working filters in the main window. (Yes, they finally work in an Spotlight clone )

- Shadows (without need of any external app).

- Drag and drop results from the menu to any app!

- Google Talk Style hints with information about files.

- ObjectBar suport (just open the app with the Parameter -noicon).

Thanks To

- Chris Kite (flyakite), for testing and help.

- AndreasV for a lot of help with the code.

Hope you like. Sorry for the big thread.

And last, but not least....

DOWNLOAD 1.0

@ AndreasV

DOWNLOAD 1.1*

@ Chris Kite

Change log 1.1

*Google Desktop Only

NOTE: This version is the latest one. if you got SearchSpy throught FlyakiteOSX v3.0, please re-download it in the link above. It's a newer version.

I'll be traveling from January 13th to January 20th. Please, wait for answers and let me rest

[zerroeffect]

This sounds very promissing - especially with Kite and Ave's name attached . Thanks. Will try it out right now.

[nappystudios]

sounds like it could be the app i've been waiting for.. too bad I switched to a vista-style desktop!

i'll keep this bookmarked though for sure

[SpyGamer]

sounds like it could be the app i've been waiting for.. too bad I switched to a vista-style desktop!

i'll keep this bookmarked though for sure

You can use the color picker and put it dark like vista

[Shady_Guy]

This sounds very promising. I'm going to give it a try.

[zerroeffect]

So far the best spotlight clone. Very, very nice.

Some points:

- When I click on the systray icon, I have to click on the text area to start typing a search.

- The popup menu won't stick in searchspy mode. I select it under preferences, but it won't stay.

- Any way to get the icon to the right of the clock?

Best things about this app:

- No GDS needed

- fading

- coloring

- re-ordering of categories

- complete search window

- professional, clean graphics

- Quick

Very professional release, SpyGamer

[Carvetia]

Nice work...

Just one thing i was thinking about, and that is about tapping into the native index built into windows.

Currently all these spotlight clones use some external database created by an application of some sorts. None of them have been able to tap into the windows index. Now i don't know much about the depths of windows and coding and i shall not claim to, but if you query the database in XP by going into Administrative Tools, Computer Management, and in the tree on the left, Services and Applications, Indexing Service, System, Query the Catalog, then it is clear that there is a web based interface. Surely this could be exploited, therefore eliminating the need for google desktop. Hitting F1 to bring out the help, it is clear there are plenty of parameters to be set that people who know far more than me could use effectively. For example, one can query specific attributes such as artisit information in mp3s, or words in Word documents, with results generally more reliable than GDS, without the need for extra plugins. Also, if the service is stopped, there is an option to tune it to be more highly responsive to changes, so that the index is updated very regularly.

Sorry to bring this up if i isn't possible at all, or if it is an alternative that has been explored and dismissed already, but i thought it was worth mentioning just in case.

[SpyGamer]

Nice work...

Just one thing i was thinking about, and that is about tapping into the native index built into windows.

Currently all these spotlight clones use some external database created by an application of some sorts. None of them have been able to tap into the windows index. .

I think foxie does it. But I have no idea how to use it on an app

@zerroeffect: I'll try to work on what you said after January 20 (I'll be traveling for a week)

[zerroeffect]

Thanks and happy travelling.

[firecracker6]

Hi SpyGamer, I'm a tester for Flyakite 3beta4 and is this a newer build than what is included? Any advice in upgrading with Flyakite3beta4 Installed? Thanks in advance!

[SpyGamer]

This is a newer build with some fixes and new features (No more need Google Desktop). It was already sent to Chris and will be included into the next FlyakiteOSX BETA (or, may be, the final version )

[zerroeffect]

Another thing...

Does indexing need to be totally completed before searching in non-GDS mode? If I type a short word (4 letters) in the tray app, the search goes through. If I try to type a longer word (such as microsoft), the tray app locks for a bit, then releases for me to start typing over (with the same results).

Another potential problem is when I bring up results via the tray app, then open all results in the window, the window shows loading for quite a while, then crashes. I found this was because the speed box has 200 for results. If I lowered this to say, 25 results, then search from the window itself, everything works fine. But it won't hold this setting when using the tray app, then opening the window.

Sorry, just thought you would like to know. I'm not sure if this is unique to me or not. By the way, the window results and completeness is awesome.

[sharknut]

Hey-this looks great-but for some reason I can not search at all-nothing happens when i type-also when i change the pop-up from windows to search spy it does not save-any ideas-

EDIT-i can search from the main window but not from the drop down menu-is this normal?

[peanut2k3]

sick..thnx!!!

[aleph]

I am getting 2 error boxes when I lock my computer (while indexing is in progress I assume)

1) "A call to an OS function failed" and then

2) System Error. Code 5. Access is denied.

There are 30+ of these error boxes. I am not using GDS.

[aCh]

I am getting 2 error boxes when I lock my computer (while indexing is in progress I assume)

1) "A call to an OS function failed" and then

2) System Error. Code 5. Access is denied.

There are 30+ of these error boxes. I am not using GDS.

so do i? infact, i'm login with admnistrator mode. i'm not only get 2 errors, but many.

what happen to SearchSpy?

[aleph]

I'm hoping that it is still working in the background- is there a way to check the indexing status.

Also are new files indexed on the fly or do you have to manually launch the indexing service?

While GDS is not needed is it recommended? I had it installed but it confilcted with utorrent and I couldn't find a fix.

[theEVILcube]

First off, Wonderful job done! Second, I can see an Indexing Service running in the taskmanager however I cant tell if any indexing is taking place.

Is there a way to set when indexing takes place?

[wiktoro]

For me this is the best spotlight clone, but:

- is it possible to search for e-mails like in GDS?

[SpyGamer]

@zerroeffect: I don't have those problems here, but I'll look thought.

@sharknut. Let your computer idle for about 10 minutes. SearchSpy should have indexed everything after that.

@aleph and @aCh. Could you please show me the error dialog and check if the SearchSpyIndex process is still on your task manager after that?

@aleph (2) You don't need to worry about the indexing process. It's done when the computer is idle. Although, the index is not incremental. It MUST be done to all the hard drive (But it's fast ). There's not an way to provide the indexing progress. That's a limitation of the locate app. Not a limitation of SearchSpy. And yes, I recomend Google Desktop for a better search experience.

@theEVILcube Like Google Desktop, the index takes place when the computer is idle. You don't need to worry about it. And, as I said to aleph, locate does not provide feedback about it's progress.

@wiktoro: Search emails is not alowed due to the multiple groups feature.

@all The Indexing options in the start menu are used to start/stop the task that index the computer. They can't be used to force an indexing process. Let's supose your computer is going to be idle and/or you don't want a task running. You can shutdown it, like you shutdown Google desktop.

Thanks for the feedback.

[aleph]

Thanks for the quick reply. I would just like to say that I really like this app and i think that it is really slick and professional looking and has a great feel to it. Thanks for the great work.

I have reinstalled GDS and searchspy- so I no longer get these messages. The exact dialouge is as I wrote in my first post. And the box has a black cross in a red circle with just an OK button I think. This error only appeared when I locked the computer and there were about 5 of the 1stmessage and 40 of the 2ndmessage.

I currently use Miranda and the GDS plugin to index chats- When I search for something in an indexed chat those chats register as results in the results count that appears next to the search input box but they do not show up as 'actual results'. Would you know what file extension i would need to show them.

[SpyGamer]

Sorry, but SearchSpy was created to look for files, not mails or chats. It's a problem I can't avoid, because the filters I created to organize files are projected to deal with files.

If you want to index chat, you should use a Miranda Plug-in that saves the history as a file outside of GDS Index.

[Paralex]

Nice thanks

[sharknut]

hi-i left it overnight but i still can not type into the searchspy box-i can search from the main window but not from the drop down box

any help is appreciated

also-if i have a plug-in for google desktop to index my mails or contacts will they show up?

[firecracker6]

@SpyGamer, does this new version of SearchSpy also return folders as results? *crosses fingers* Also, can anyone confirm if the flickering has been reduced or eliminated in this version?

Thanks all,

fc