Fleak

Q: Spotlight and saved searches do not find files which are there

Since several OSX updates I do not understand how spotlight finds stuff anymore. With Sherlock (yes call me grandpa) I was sure, that everything has been searched for. With Spotlight, I don't have this certainty. A lot of times I had to search manually. Before ranting officially I wanted to ask you guys about your experience.


I had the situation in which the window with the file I was searching for was open in background (after I found it manually and wanted to test SL) but SL still couldn't find anything. This is really annoying and I'm asking myself if I do anything wrong, but there is nothing to do wrong here right? What I experienced is that SL works better with content search than with folder names e.g.

 

I started using smart folders and experience quite the same now. Why does the SL engine not find these other FCP libraries for example?

This is definitely not making me feel good. I'm only happy when Spotlight finds something, if it doesn't I always start searching manually which of course takes disproportional more time.

 

Reindexing never helped.

 

Thanks

 

Screen_Shot_2016-04-28_at_11_11_21.png

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), FCPX 10.2.3

Posted on Apr 28, 2016 2:27 AM

Close

Q: Spotlight and saved searches do not find files which are there

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Fleak,

    Fleak Fleak Apr 28, 2016 12:21 PM in response to Fleak
    Level 1 (65 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 28, 2016 12:21 PM in response to Fleak

    I can't be the only one guys!

  • by Rysz,

    Rysz Rysz Apr 28, 2016 3:48 PM in response to Fleak
    Level 7 (20,519 points)
    iTunes
    Apr 28, 2016 3:48 PM in response to Fleak

    1. Please pay attention to where, exactly, are you searching. In your screenshot, the left side indicates that your search is limited to Libraries...., not the entire Mac.

    2. You can set preferences for default Spotlight search parameters in System Preferences > Spotlight > Search Results. Note that by default, the System folder is not included.

    3. You may need to re-index Spotlight database. Follow these directions: Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support

  • by Fleak,

    Fleak Fleak Apr 29, 2016 3:21 AM in response to Rysz
    Level 1 (65 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 29, 2016 3:21 AM in response to Rysz

    Thanks Rysz,

    but

     

    1. I just forgot to put it back on “this mac” for the screenshot . I tried to figure if it changes anything in the search results, it did not.

    My mistake. There can't be any libraries in one library, I mean you could manually do that but why should you.

     

    2. I don't need to search in the System folder. The Libraries on the right are in my movies Folder.

     

    3. As I mentioned, reindexing did not help.

     

    And its not about Libraries, last time it was a Font Folder that I was looking for. The Window with the folder was open in the Background, SL still could not find anything.

     

    Thanks though