Feature idea - quick search through descriptions

[donald42]

I think it would be a good feature to be able to quick-search typing keys within the descript.ion descriptions of files. I have a bunch of receipts in PDF with descriptions, and I always wish I could search through the descriptions with quick-search.
I have no idea how hard would this to be implemented, but I think this would be a great feature to have!
What do you think guys? More importantly I would be curious what the devs think!

[hi5]

Perhaps it could be added to a plugin QuickSearch eXtended so you may wish to post your suggestion there as the developer should know if it would be possible to add it.

I had a somewhat similar suggestion (searching via Alt+F7): Search Gui: comments checkbox General tab but that didn't gain much traction

[petermad]

Moderator message from: petermad » 2024-12-31, 15:56 UTC

Moved to "TC suggestions (English)" from "Total Commander (English)"

[tuska]

In "QuickSearch eXtended" it is possible to define fields from "wdx_Content plugins".

wdx_FileDiz_File Descriptions 2.6.2-x32 / 1.2.3-x64
The "FileDiz" plugin used to be able to display the contents of descript.ion files in the "[=filediz.Long description]" field.
For a newly entered TC comment on a .TXT file, e.g. "hello", I see the following in this field as the content: ÿþ  (in a "Custom columns view").
Therefore currently unusable... (for me).

⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺
Only if it were possible to provide access to the internal Total Commander plugin "tc" - in "QuickSearch eXtended"! -,
specifically to the field: [=tc.comment], then I would currently consider it to be the optimal solution,
because in this case German umlauts (äöüÄÖÜ) and special character (ß) would also be taken into account.
⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺⸺

Windows 11 Pro (x64) Version 24H2 (OS Build 26100.2605) - 2024-12-10 | TC 11.50RC4 x64/x86

[ghisler(Author)]

This means that the descript.ion was saved as Unicode UTF-16 with byte order mark. You can choose how to store it via menu Configuration - Options - Operation. By default it is set to "Plain text+UTF16". This means that when both the file name and comment can be stored with the current code page, the descript.ion file will be stored as plain text (ANSI), otherwise as UTF16. Since your comment is just "hello", the file name must be containing a character outside of your current code page (or there already was an UTF16 comment file from a previous operation).

[Horst.Epp]

2ghisler(Author)
As Tuska said, we would need a WDX version to access the TC internal fields.
This should not be a big problem for you

[tuska]

This means that the descript.ion was saved as Unicode UTF-16 with byte order mark.
You can choose how to store it via menu Configuration - Options - Operation.
By default it is set to "Plain text+UTF16".
This means that when both the file name and comment can be stored with the current code page,
the descript.ion file will be stored as plain text (ANSI), otherwise as UTF16.
Since your comment is just "hello", the file name must be containing a character outside of your current code page
(or there already was an UTF16 comment file from a previous operation).

Thank you for your explanations.

I probably set myself the following at the time, and for good reason:

Code: Select all

Preferred type: Unicode UTF16 (= UTF-16 LE)

Changing it to “Plain text+UTF16” didn't help with regard to hidden descript.ion files.

I can only repeat that, as far as I can see, the only way to ensure a flawless "e.g. Search... Alt+F7" and
"display" in a Custom Columns view is to use “[=tc.comment]”.

---

Regarding the “FileDiz” plug-in - “[=filediz.Long description]”, I seem to recall that TC file comments
could also be queried in the past.
However, only the field contents of the “File description” field are currently displayed in File - Properties - Details...
or... Details... the field contents of the “URL” field. For example, “ÿþS” is also displayed in a TXT file.

Just a note:
In QuickSearch eXtended 2.3.1, "[=filediz.Long description]" works, i.e. the content of the "File description" field
can filter out the file that has the search term in the "File description" field by simply typing a search term into a TC window.

Deutsch (German) - “FileDiz” plug-in

Bezüglich Plugin "FileDiz" - "[=filediz.Long description]" meine ich mich erinnern zu können,
dass früher auch TC-Dateikommentare abgefragt werden konnten.
Derzeit wird jedoch nur in Datei - Eigenschaften - Details ... der Feldinhalt von Feld "Dateibeschreibung"
bzw. ... Details ... der Feldinhalt von Feld "URL" angezeigt. Bei einer TXT-Datei wird zB auch "ÿþS" angezeigt.

Nur Anmerkung:
In QuickSearch eXtended 2.3.1 funktioniert "[=filediz.Long description]", d.h. der Inhalt von Feld "Dateibeschreibung"
kann durch einfaches Eintippen eines Suchbegriffes in ein TC-Fenster die Datei herausfiltern, welche den
Suchbegriff im Feld "Dateibeschreibung" stehen hat.

[ghisler(Author)]

Changing it to “Plain text+UTF16” didn't help with regard to hidden descript.ion files.

It only helps with newly created descript.ion files. Those which are already using UTF16 due to your previous setting will not be changed back to plain text (ANSI) when you add, remove, or change a comment. There is a wdx version of the internal fields, the sample plugin (filesys), but it doesn't contain the comment fields because they are quite complex to handle.

[tuska]

Changing it to “Plain text+UTF16” didn't help with regard to hidden descript.ion files.

It only helps with newly created descript.ion files. Those which are already using UTF16 due to your previous setting
will not be changed back to plain text (ANSI) when you add, remove, or change a comment.
There is a wdx version of the internal fields, the sample plugin (filesys), but it doesn't contain the comment fields
because they are quite complex to handle.

Thanks for this further detailed information.

Unfortunately, we are moving further and further away from the actual goal:
Using QuickSearch eXtended 2.3.1 with a wdx plugin that can display TC file comments
including umlauts and special characters.

Maybe someone can contact the author of the “FileDiz” plugin and let him know
that “descriptions from Descript.ion” is no longer working. I don't know of any contact address. *)
(Then there would probably be the possibility to use QuickSearch eXtended for TC file comments
[without German umlauts and special characters]).

I would be surprised or pleasantly surprised if TC came up with a solution.
For me, this topic is therefore closed until further notice.

*) EDIT: Email sent on 3.1.2025 to the author of the “FileDiz” plugin.

---

Related topic:
A Better quick search for TAGS in next Total Commander 9

[rt2ryu]

The problem with the File Descriptions extension is not only with diacritics, for some searches will cause Quick search to lock TC in the background activity, making the entire interface fake dead. It seems that there is also a problem with the handling of some specific encodings. The best solution for this solution is to open up the internal tc annotation function as an API for Quick Search

[ghisler(Author)]

2rt2ryu
Please give an example of what doesn't work.