Paulman!

Q: make spotlight work like it did in snow leopard

I have complained about this to apple many times. Suggestions, chats, etc. I get nowhere. I downloaded "easy find" but it isn;t that great either. My question is to make search (spotlight) work like it did in Snow leopard. Is it possible and how to do it. Search (spotlight) is 99% useless now. I search for a specific file  by name and thousands of irrelavent thing show up. I want nothing but .psd files, but anything that has .psd linked to it apparently shows up. xml files, php files, .html etc, etc. It's rediculous!

 

It was fool proof in snow leopard, but now my work flow has been completely destroyed. I can't tell you how many times i searched for a file by specific name which is a .psd file and pdfs, show up, xml, .html, .js, scss, etc.  is stupid and I HAVE NEVER created an xml file, or scss? the php files I never created are showing up, it's so frustrating.

 

Easy find does better, but not much. There are still hundreds of files that make no sense. I use to be able to add (negative) and not show certain types of file, like -xml and no xml files would show up, but that only work 10% of the time.  What happened to the search???

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on May 2, 2016 12:35 PM

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Q: make spotlight work like it did in snow leopard

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  • by VikingOSX,

    VikingOSX VikingOSX May 3, 2016 7:33 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 7 (20,935 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 7:33 AM in response to Paulman!

    In the Finder, or Spotlight search, type kind:image +psd . This will return Photoshop files, and little to nothing else.

  • by Paulman!,

    Paulman! Paulman! May 3, 2016 8:31 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 1 (44 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 8:31 AM in response to dialabrain

    Explain this...

    Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 11.25.13 AM.jpgScreen Shot 2016-05-03 at 11.25.58 AM.jpg

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain May 3, 2016 8:36 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 5 (6,258 points)
    Mac App Store
    May 3, 2016 8:36 AM in response to Paulman!

    As I already mentioned the problem is local to your machine and not with Spotlight or Finder search themselves. If I knew why you are having the problem  I would have posted the solution before now. I made some suggestions earlier.

     

    I do hope you get it resolved.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 May 3, 2016 9:17 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 6 (12,267 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 9:17 AM in response to Paulman!

    There are many options for searching.

    For example, you can specify that you are searching for kind, for contents, for name, etc.

     

    For example, typing "kind:pho" gives photoshop files; typing name:myimage.psd finds files by name.

  • by VikingOSX,

    VikingOSX VikingOSX May 3, 2016 9:32 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 7 (20,935 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 9:32 AM in response to Paulman!

    When you specify .png as you did in that search window, you are going to get results of files that contain the .png string within them. That is the case with those CSS pre-processor files (e.g. less, scss, etc.) that have internal links to PNG image files. If you want to find just PNG image files:

     

    kind:image +png

     

    Same format as I suggested earlier for Photoshop files. If you want to omit PNG and PSD files from your image search: kind:image -png -psd


    I would not be clicking on Search This Mac when looking for any image files, as they permeate every application and framework. You should have your short user name on that same Finder Search: sub-menu.

  • by Paulman!,

    Paulman! Paulman! May 3, 2016 9:20 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 1 (44 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 9:20 AM in response to dialabrain

    I have the same problem on my other mac. The search is messed up. 

     

    Switching to "Bolean" searches seems to be what the issue is. Except there needs to be options to adjust the results, instead of trying to figure out the correct combo of words to get the results you want. Something you tell it to do ahead of time instead of trying to narrow down the files it shows by adding "Kind:" or "Name:" which doesn't always work.

     

    It somehow excludes file you really want even when you search like that.

     

    Like stated I've talked to apple several times about this, while I appreciate the replies, I am still having problems that are not going away.

     

    The search is ruined compared to how awesome it was. It was perfect in Snow leopard, but now I need a doctorate to figure out how to find my files I just worked on. 

     

    How am I supposed to find files, when the tools they tell me to use, don't work? Check out after I select the "kind" then "jpg" it is showing my mail messages.

     

    I have two separate machines that show similar worthless results. I need an answers to replace, or to fix it. I have already done everything that apple says to do. I rebuilt the index again, right beforeid this last search. It is broken,

     

    Screen Shot 2016-05-03 at 12.11.43 PM.jpg

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain May 3, 2016 9:25 AM in response to VikingOSX
    Level 5 (6,258 points)
    Mac App Store
    May 3, 2016 9:25 AM in response to VikingOSX

    VikingOSX wrote:

     

    When you specify .png as you did in that search window, you are going to get results of files that contain the .png string within them.

    That is not true in my case. I just typed .png in Spotlight and get the results in my screen shots.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 May 3, 2016 9:27 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 6 (12,267 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 9:27 AM in response to Paulman!

    That is not normal.

    You should reset the Spotlight index. The easiest way to do this is to go to System Preferences->Spotlight, click the Privacy tab, click + and add your system drive to the list; then select it and click the "-" button. Spotlight will need to reindex your drive. This can take a while and your mac may temporarily be a bit slower, but in the end searching shoyld work as intended.

  • by Paulman!,

    Paulman! Paulman! May 3, 2016 10:03 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (44 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 10:03 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    I did this twice today already. Same results. It is happening on two completely separate machine as well.

     

    I do appreciate the responses, I guess I just have to keep trying to figure it out, or a alternative. If someone would make it work like it did previously I would gladly pay a lot for it. Suck that they ruined oit with this bolean crap, or whatever is happening on my machines.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 May 3, 2016 10:21 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 6 (12,267 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 10:21 AM in response to Paulman!

    Sorry it is not working for you. But as it is working for other people, one needs to consider what may be different in your machines.

    It is likely that you may have something installed in your macs that is affecting the way Spotlight works.

    It is not as if Spotlight is failing for most people, which would suggest a general bug in the OS; it is failing (and in a very spectacular way) for you.

     

    Here are a few typical things to try on such cases:

     

    1) Restart in Safe Mode (holding down the Shift key at start). Your mac will work more slowly whilst in Safe Mode. If Spotlight works correctly in Safe Mode, then it is clear that some other software, which is not being loaded in Safe Mode, causes a conflict.

     

    2) Log in to a new user account, add some files, test Spotlight. If it works correctly, this would suggest that the problem is specifica to your account.

    At this point you will probably interject that you are seeing it in two machines. Well, if you used Migration Assistan from one mac to teh other that would mean you may have imported the problematic settings or software.

     

    3) Run Etrecheck and post its report. You'd be surprised how often this sheds light on people's problems. With EC it is mostly old software, antivirus, adware or "cleaners" behinf the problems.

  • by Pmintz25,

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 May 3, 2016 10:32 AM in response to Paulman!
    Level 4 (1,664 points)
    May 3, 2016 10:32 AM in response to Paulman!

    As Luis suggests, this is not normal. There has to be something else happening on your computer we don't know about, such as third party software.

     

    You should not be seeing developer files, system files, or hidden files without specifically "going" to them using Finder > Go > Go to Folder. Spotlight does not search for these types of files by default.

     

    Based on the image you posted, your Finder toolbar has been modified to have things such as Chrome appear as well. And there are multiple question marks indicating that Finder isn't finding something. We aren't trying to say you damaged something on purpose, but there is a very high chance that there is third party software conflicting with Finder/Spotlight. Anything that encrypts your files/hard drive could easily be messing with how Finder/Spotlight views your files.

     

    A Safe Boot and new user will definitely be a great first step to finding the issue. Also keep in mind that antivirus software and third party encryption/back up software can cause unwanted actions. If it is happening on multiple machines, take a look at what those machines have in common (software, files, even the same user if it was migrated/copied).

  • by Paulman!,

    Paulman! Paulman! May 3, 2016 12:32 PM in response to Pmintz25
    Level 1 (44 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 12:32 PM in response to Pmintz25

    I would tend to agree if I migrated the stuff from one machine to the next, but The machines are completely separate. I may have some third party stuff on both, but they were never restored from the same back-up or "connected" in any way. One is work, one is personal at home.

     

    I did the safe boot thing with the apple guy at one point, but I can try it again when I have time. That's the main issue though is not having time to continue to trouble shoot this thing. Ive been doing that for well over a year. Every time I get beyond frustrated I search for answers and they are always the same. (re-index, safe mode, it's only on my machine, one machine type stuff) since it is the same on completely different machines, that makes me point the finger at apple, but who knows. I've wasted so much time trying to fix, but then the time it takes me to find files, is ridiculous. I am trying to change my work flow, but that has been the same for as long as I can remember. It's tough to change things, when it once worked perfect, now it is so inconsistent, I am going crazy.

     

    I will try those things again when I have time.  Thanks for the responses.

  • by Paulman!,

    Paulman! Paulman! May 3, 2016 1:02 PM in response to Paulman!
    Level 1 (44 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 1:02 PM in response to Paulman!

    Spotlight doesn't work in safe mode FYI.

     

    The search is broken. how about a question on how i can tell spotlight to never show me another f-ing  .js, .css, java, scss, xml, mail message unless i'm in mail and any other random file that I would never want to see in results.

     

    "Oh you want to see a psd files from today? here's a .css file from 2013..."

     

    I hate it when things change and don;t work like they used to. Even if there is something wrong with both machines, there should be a way to fix it, without wasting DAYS trying to do it.

  • by Paulman!,

    Paulman! Paulman! May 3, 2016 1:07 PM in response to Pmintz25
    Level 1 (44 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 3, 2016 1:07 PM in response to Pmintz25

    Pmintz25 wrote:

     

     

    Based on the image you posted, your Finder toolbar has been modified to have things such as Chrome appear as well. And there are multiple question marks indicating that Finder isn't finding something.

    Those are remote server files. I have a whole other problem with the servers disappearing from the side bars everyday.

     

    It is also a very common problem apple is ignoring. There are a ton of other people with the same problem. The finder window with the question marks are the only way to connect easily. I then have to reinsert them in the sidebar so I don't have to click 10 times to get there.

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