How to make the "search text" feature work with non "txt" file [Archive]

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Willy Roche

December 5th 03, 12:35 AM

I have never noticed this before, but it seams that
Windows XP "search text in file" feature is working only
with txt file.

Try this:
Write "<html><body>hello world</body></html>" in an .html
file (with any html editor). Now use Windows XP "search"
functionnalty and try to find files containing the
word "world" ==> nothing.

Now rename the .html to .txt, do the search again ==>
Whoo! Now WinXP finds the file!

This use to work properly with all previous Windows (9x,
NT, 2k). Is there any way to make WinXP find all files
containing a word/sentence without any extension
limitation?

Björn Englund

December 5th 03, 12:35 AM

"Willy Roche" > skrev i meddelandet
...
| I have never noticed this before, but it seams that
| Windows XP "search text in file" feature is working only
| with txt file.
|
| Try this:
| Write "<html><body>hello world</body></html>" in an .html
| file (with any html editor). Now use Windows XP "search"
| functionnalty and try to find files containing the
| word "world" ==> nothing.
|
| Now rename the .html to .txt, do the search again ==>
| Whoo! Now WinXP finds the file!
|
| This use to work properly with all previous Windows (9x,
| NT, 2k). Is there any way to make WinXP find all files
| containing a word/sentence without any extension
| limitation?
|
You must do something wrong, I found 1015 html files that had the word
"world" in it. (From CIA Worldbook)
/Björn

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Sharon F

December 5th 03, 12:36 AM

Willy Roche wrote:
> I have never noticed this before, but it seams that
> Windows XP "search text in file" feature is working only
> with txt file.
>
> Try this:
> Write "<html><body>hello world</body></html>" in an .html
> file (with any html editor). Now use Windows XP "search"
> functionnalty and try to find files containing the
> word "world" ==> nothing.
>
> Now rename the .html to .txt, do the search again ==>
> Whoo! Now WinXP finds the file!
>
> This use to work properly with all previous Windows (9x,
> NT, 2k). Is there any way to make WinXP find all files
> containing a word/sentence without any extension
> limitation?

XP's search is less than stellar. I search for text frequently so have
skipped using XP's find tool. Instead I use a program called Agent Ransack.
It's free, it's fast it does the job and then some:
http://www.agentransack.com

--
Sharon F
Microsoft MVP, Windows - Shell/User

Juergen

December 5th 03, 01:37 AM

>-----Original Message-----
>"Willy Roche" > skrev i meddelandet
...
>| I have never noticed this before, but it seams that
>| Windows XP "search text in file" feature is working only
>| with txt file.
>|
>| Try this:
>| Write "<html><body>hello world</body></html>" in=20
an .html
>| file (with any html editor). Now use Windows XP "search"
>| functionnalty and try to find files containing the
>| word "world" =3D=3D> nothing.
>|
>| Now rename the .html to .txt, do the search again =3D=3D>
>| Whoo! Now WinXP finds the file!
>|
>| This use to work properly with all previous Windows (9x,
>| NT, 2k). Is there any way to make WinXP find all files
>| containing a word/sentence without any extension
>| limitation?
>|
>You must do something wrong, I found 1015 html files that=20
had the word
>"world" in it. (From CIA Worldbook)
>/Bj=F6rn
>

Same problem to me. On all XP machines in my company.
Anyone got a solution?

Sharon F

December 5th 03, 01:40 AM

On Fri, 27 Jun 2003 07:19:23 -0700, "Juergen" > wrote:

>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>"Willy Roche" > skrev i meddelandet
...
>>| I have never noticed this before, but it seams that
>>| Windows XP "search text in file" feature is working only
>>| with txt file.
>>|
>>| Try this:
>>| Write "<html><body>hello world</body></html>" in
>an .html
>>| file (with any html editor). Now use Windows XP "search"
>>| functionnalty and try to find files containing the
>>| word "world" ==> nothing.
>>|
>>| Now rename the .html to .txt, do the search again ==>
>>| Whoo! Now WinXP finds the file!
>>|
>>| This use to work properly with all previous Windows (9x,
>>| NT, 2k). Is there any way to make WinXP find all files
>>| containing a word/sentence without any extension
>>| limitation?
>>|
>>You must do something wrong, I found 1015 html files that
>had the word
>>"world" in it. (From CIA Worldbook)
>>/Björn
>>
>
>
>Same problem to me. On all XP machines in my company.
>Anyone got a solution?
>
>

See MVP Doug Knox' comments and fix here:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/xp_fix_search.htm

Or use a third party search tool such as Agent Ransack:
www.agentransack.com

Sharon F
MS MVP [Shell/User]