HoudahSpot hides quite a few handy features behind its
seemingly stark interface. The below list should help you
make the most of the tools at hand.
(click headings for details)
(click headings for details)
Use Compound Criteria
OK, this may be obvious to many. Nonetheless it cannot
hurt to mention it.
You may set up complex queries by grouping criteria using boolean operators. In order to create a new groups you need to hold the option key while clicking a "+" button in the criteria editor.
Refer to the default templates for sample uses of compound criteria.
You may set up complex queries by grouping criteria using boolean operators. In order to create a new groups you need to hold the option key while clicking a "+" button in the criteria editor.
Refer to the default templates for sample uses of compound criteria.
Find by Example
With HoudahSpot it is easy to find files based on a
prototype file: a file that has something in common
with the files you are looking for.
Say you want to find Microsoft Word files. Just drag a Word file to a "Content type" or "Content kind" criterion. It will update to match the file type. Files may be dragged in from any place where there are files: the Finder, HouahSpot, …
Say you want to find Microsoft Word files. Just drag a Word file to a "Content type" or "Content kind" criterion. It will update to match the file type. Files may be dragged in from any place where there are files: the Finder, HouahSpot, …
Narrow Down a Search
You may use the "Find by Example" technique to narrow
down a running query.
Say you searched for files with a name containing the word "iPhone". You will certainly find a whole lot of files. But all you care about are yesterday's files. Just grab one of yesterday's files from the result list and drag it to the left on a "Last opened" criteria. It will match the date of last use of the selected file.
You may also narrow down a search by exclusion. All you need to do is drag a file from the result list onto a criteria located within a "NONE of the following are true" group.
Likewise you may limit the search to a certain scope. Just drag a folder or a file within the desired folder to the "Where..." or "Exclude..." sections.
Say you searched for files with a name containing the word "iPhone". You will certainly find a whole lot of files. But all you care about are yesterday's files. Just grab one of yesterday's files from the result list and drag it to the left on a "Last opened" criteria. It will match the date of last use of the selected file.
You may also narrow down a search by exclusion. All you need to do is drag a file from the result list onto a criteria located within a "NONE of the following are true" group.
Likewise you may limit the search to a certain scope. Just drag a folder or a file within the desired folder to the "Where..." or "Exclude..." sections.
Drag Files to the Finder
You may drag files from the result list to any
application or dock icon. This includes the Finder.
This can be a very powerful technique for housekeeping.
Use the "Music Gone Astray" template to find any music files that are not yet in your Music folder. Drag the files from the results list to iTunes or to your Music folder.
Should you want to organize your files by date: e.g. one folder for each month. Create a search to match the files from a given month. In the Finder locate or create the folder. Then drag all files from the results to that folder.
This can be a very powerful technique for housekeeping.
Use the "Music Gone Astray" template to find any music files that are not yet in your Music folder. Drag the files from the results list to iTunes or to your Music folder.
Should you want to organize your files by date: e.g. one folder for each month. Create a search to match the files from a given month. In the Finder locate or create the folder. Then drag all files from the results to that folder.
Copy-Paste Files
Just like the Finder, HoudahSpot may be used to
copy-paste files.
Select the files to copy in the HoudahSpot results list. Select "Copy Files" from the "Edit" menu or hit cmd-shift-C. You may now paste the files to any place in the Finder.
Select the files to copy in the HoudahSpot results list. Select "Copy Files" from the "Edit" menu or hit cmd-shift-C. You may now paste the files to any place in the Finder.
Create File Lists
Sometimes it can be useful to have a list of files to
process in a spreadsheet application. HoudahSpot copies
rows from the result list with the values from all the
visible columns.
You may want to create a list of all your music titles. Create a search to match audio files from the "Music" folder. Enable the columns as desired: Title, Artist, Length, Size, …. Now select rows from the results list and hit cmd-C to copy. Paste to a text editor or spreadsheet.
You may want to create a list of all your music titles. Create a search to match audio files from the "Music" folder. Enable the columns as desired: Title, Artist, Length, Size, …. Now select rows from the results list and hit cmd-C to copy. Paste to a text editor or spreadsheet.
Use Templates Wisely
Files and thus templates open in the state they were in
when saved. I.e. if they were running when saved, they
will start immediately when opened.
Thus we can distinguish two types of templates:
* Stationary files can be used as starting points for creating refined searches
* Saved searches allow for quick access to specified files (Applications, Recent Files, ...)
Thus we can distinguish two types of templates:
* Stationary files can be used as starting points for creating refined searches
* Saved searches allow for quick access to specified files (Applications, Recent Files, ...)
Set up a Preferred Template
HoudahSpot saves all properties of a search to files or
templates: criteria, scope, columns, sort order, ...
You wouldn't want to set this all up to your liking each time you create a new search. Luckily you don't have to. Once you have set up a search you should save it as template. In the HoudahSpot Preferences window, you can set up that template as your preferred template. It will from then on serve as starting point for all new documents.
You wouldn't want to set this all up to your liking each time you create a new search. Luckily you don't have to. Once you have set up a search you should save it as template. In the HoudahSpot Preferences window, you can set up that template as your preferred template. It will from then on serve as starting point for all new documents.
Sibling Files
Sometimes you just know the file you are looking for
lives just next to a close match you just found.
In HoudahSpot you may click on the elements of the path displayed along the lower border of the window. This will take you to the desired folder in the Finder.
In HoudahSpot you may click on the elements of the path displayed along the lower border of the window. This will take you to the desired folder in the Finder.
Copy File Attributes
The Inspector window is copy-paste enabled.
Select a single attribute and hit cmd-C to copy its value to the pasteboard.
Select and copy a couple of attributes in order to create a tab-separated list on the pasteboard.
Select a single attribute and hit cmd-C to copy its value to the pasteboard.
Select and copy a couple of attributes in order to create a tab-separated list on the pasteboard.