Level 6

10,900 points

Spotlight and Logic

So... Spotlight. This is a post I've been wanting to write for a while - everytime I use Spotlight to do what should be a simple task (find some files) and have it fail spectacularly every time, and it bugs me everytime.

So, maybe I'm misunderstanding what it's supposed to do, or using it wrong, or configuring it badly. I'd be interested in other people's experiences.

(I know Spotlight is a set of technologies, and not merely a file finding tool, but most users practical front end to Spotlight is file search, so...)

Ok, so Spotlight has indexed my main drive, and my other drives, all up to date. Great. Now, I understand Spotlight won't index your system files (this alone is annoying enough, because I would like it to index some of my system content - eg, plugin component files, Logic app support files and so on). Alright, that's the first thing it fails at, but I understand why, and have developed workarounds (quick aliases to that content, and so forth).

Ok. Onto something that should be less challenging for a file finding utility.

I load a song, and Logic can't find an impulse response file, and prompts for the location. Easy enough - the file finder has a spotlight search built right in, all I need to do is type the name, or part name, of the impulse file I need to locate, right? Ok, I do that - no results.

I open up a finder window, hit command-F to go into Spotlight Find mode. This can't find it either. (Filename search, filetype any, partial name match.) This file doesn't exist. And yet, oh look, there it is, on my external drive in my impulses directory.

Let's try another method. List all the files that have a file extension of "SDIR". Oh look - the file I'm looking for is there - so Spotlight knows about it. Why can't it find it on a name search?

This is also the same for sample content. These are just audio files, on an external drive, but still can't be found by the usual search methods. Display all my wav or CAF files - yes. Find me "12 String Dream" - oh look, it seems to not exist as far as Spotlight is concerned.

Honestly, everytime I need to locate a missing file that Spotlight should quickly and easily find, it fails spectacularly in a way that makes me get rather frustrated.

Spotlight - a File Finding Tool that Can't Find Files?

Now it's your opportunity to show me my own ignorance and teach me the blindingly obvious... 🙂

Rosebook Pro, Logic Studio, SD3, AMT8, MCU, LCXmu, Keymap, Mac OS X (10.5.7), SitTight Spotlight, Something's NotRight

Posted on Jun 25, 2009 12:19 PM

29 replies

Caramby

Level 4

1,523 points

Jun 26, 2009 5:18 AM in response to Bee Jay

I also use Easyfind. I believe I may have mentioned it to you previously…

-----

+Re: Where are Apple Loops located?+
+Posted: 05-Jun-2009 20:52 in response to: Bee Jay+

+By George, you're right. I checked that box years ago, & always assumed it was still there to check. Interestingly, though, one of the items you are allowed to search for is "System Preferences".+

+Anyway, I don't usually use Spotlight if I'm looking for anything remotely techie, I use EasyFind by DEVONtechnologies.+

+Does what it says on the tin.+

iSchwartz

Level 5

4,321 points

Jun 26, 2009 7:04 AM in response to Bee Jay

Bee Jay wrote:
*Note - I realise this is hopelessly off-topic...

\[sniff sniff] Like a shark to a trail of chum 10 miles out... 😉

Seriously tho, just wanted to say "great thread". Going to check out Find Any File.

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 7:08 AM in response to iSchwartz

Hehe... 🙂

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 7:09 AM in response to Eriksimon

If you do, I did, and it does. In the Finder, that is.

Ok, cool, thanks for that Erik. So at least Spotlight on your system is aware of them.

I'll do some more playing and see if I can shed any further light on why Spotlight isn't doing the same thing on my system...

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 7:11 AM in response to Eriksimon

In Logic, SD doesn't even flinch. I copied the folder 'gated reverb' to another disk (simply top level) and deleted the original from Library>Audio>Impulse Responses>Small Spaces>Gated Reverb. I started Logic, opened SD, and all presets were in its menu, and loaded flawlessly...

Note - I'm talking about the actual impulse files, not the Space Designer presets. The presets will stay in the menu, that's not the issue...

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 7:37 AM in response to Eriksimon

Let's do some examples:

*/Volumes/myAudio/Music/Samples/Logic Studio/Impulse Responses/08 Forests*

Here's where some impulses are. In here, as part of the factory content, are a few impulse files. Let's pick *"2.0s_Valley Forest.SDIR"* as a test case.

Ok, so I open a new finder window, and click on my myAudio drive to show it's root folders. I hit command-F to enter Find mode, I select Search "myAudio" and "File Name" search. Let's also remove the default Filetype ANY by clicking on it's minus line.

Ok, ready for our search.

I type "Valley" - this should throw up the *"2.0s_Valley Forest.SDIR"* file. I get a list of about 15 search results including some iTunes stuff, but not that impulse file.

Let's try a different search term - "Forest". Here, the actual *"08 Forests"* parent folder of the impulse shows up, as the filename matches, but the *"2.0s_Valley Forest.SDIR"* that is within that directory does not show up either.

It's basically acting as if Spotlight doesn't know what an SDIR file is, and is therefore not including it in the search results.

This is why I asked Erik if the SDIR files showed up for him - they do, which means his Spotlight does know to include those files. Seeing as Erik is also on Leopard, our Spotlights can't be much different.

Even more bizarrely, if I clear the search term, and add a search condition of *File Extension is SDIR*, a whole bunch of impulses come up, including the Valley Forest one. But if I then also add the "Forest" term - again, nothing. Simply adding a name match means the file cannot be found. It's fupped.

The next step is to reindex the drive, I think...

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 7:46 AM in response to Bee Jay

Ok, get this.

I still had that search open (File extension SDIR + "Forest") and started to reindex the drive. The Forest impulses showed up straight away in the list.

So, it seems there was indeed some problem with the indexes, that seems to have improved. My searches are now throwing up what I would expect. This is good news.

So it seems that the first thing to try if searches are performing oddly is to reindex the drive.

Easy way:-
- Open the Spotlight system preference pane.
- Click the Privacy tab
- Drag the volume you want to index into the list, to exclude it from being indexed
- Select it, and click "-" to remove it from the list
- Spotlight will now reindex that item

As a bonus, I do not have to go to the destination volume to search it (though you can of course still do that). Simply searching "This Mac" does search my connected external drives.

Thanks for all the troubleshooting support peeps - I think I can mark this one as resolved...

cwdutro

Level 1

39 points

Jun 26, 2009 10:17 AM in response to Bee Jay

it's fupped..... ????? ha ..... you English have a funny way with words...!

Eriksimon

Level 6

15,428 points

Jun 26, 2009 12:14 PM in response to Bee Jay

.SDIR files, right? Not only do the presets stay in the menu, they load the correct IR without asking whereabouts.

Eriksimon

Level 6

15,428 points

Jun 26, 2009 12:21 PM in response to Bee Jay

You're welcome, Colonel 4K. 😉

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 4:11 PM in response to Eriksimon

I think Simon has a mandate to be at least 300 points ahead of me no matter what happens... 😉

Eriksimon

Level 6

15,428 points

Jun 26, 2009 5:13 PM in response to Bee Jay

Bee Jay wrote:
I think Simon has a mandate to be at least 300 points ahead of me no matter what happens... 😉

He has... As you have one to be more than 1k in front of me...

my only problem with him is that he is bored to easily by fancy romplers... 😉
I like fancy romplers...
😀

Bee Jay Author

Level 6

10,900 points

Jun 26, 2009 6:11 PM in response to Eriksimon

As you have one to be more than 1k in front of me...

Nah, that just happens... 😉

my only problem with him is that he is bored to easily by fancy romplers...

There isn't a synth in the world that can't be improved by filling it with your own sounds - even one as good as OS. Ok, having Eric-in-a-box is awesome, but the only way to make an instrument yours is to personalise it - the only person that knows your taste in patches is you...

Don't forget OS has a pretty good synth engine - it's never really designed as a load and play boring rompler - more like a massive but easy to use synth with a lot of interesting source material and manipulation possibilities.

I'd like it but there are other things on my radar before that. And I have way too many synths already... many of which aren't yet full of my own sounds... 🙂

Aug 4, 2009 1:59 PM in response to Bee Jay

This is an interesting topic, but I am curious as to why Logic can no longer find the .SDIR files.

Every time I try to use the Space Designer plug in with a factory preset, Logic prompts me to find the associated .SDIR file. This is an irritating inconvenience, and I'd love to know how to tell Logic where to find these files every time.

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Spotlight and Logic