CSearcher - customizable, non-indexing local search

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hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#31 Post by hugonabais »

New Version 1.3.0.1
Changes:
Auto scroll information about current directory being searched.
Performance improvement when searching for thousands of objects in fast disks
Performance improvement handling thousands of objects (mainly deleting and others operations)
New filters to hide folders and files
Fixed selecting and right clicking over hundreds of thousands of objects (faster now)
Clarified warning about empty containing/non containing strings.
Fixed Ascii/Unicode layout positioning

New website: http://www.hnsoft.pt
Downloads:
http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .3.0.1.zip Compressed archive.
http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .3.0.1.exe Self-Extracting file.

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#32 Post by hugonabais »

New version:

Version 1.3.0.2
[fix] Fixed bug when starting a new search if there were objects selected. They are cleared now
[alt] "Delete object(s)" message box information text was clarified.
[new] Edit->Copy Name/full path/MD5 now is able to copy 1 or more selection objects
[new] Edit->Copy Name/full path/MD5 can now be accessed through shortcut keys
Downloads:
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .3.0.2.zip Compressed archive.
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .3.0.2.exe Self-Extracting file.

Preview:
Image

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#33 Post by hugonabais »

Once again I have good news.
I have completely redesigned the search method/algorithm. CSearcher is now using 100% Windows low level fast optimized native methods.
This has improved performance on fast disks by a factor of 2X compared to 1.3 versions!
I also improved memory usage. Around 30% less memory usage!
I have tested it and now it can easily search and obtain over 4 million objects (files and folders)!



Comparison between the last versions: (check search time!)
Version 1.2:
Image
Version 1.3:
Image
Version 1.4:
Image

Version 1.4.0.0
[new] Completely redesigned search method/algorithm. Improved performance on fast disks. 100% Windows low level fast native method
[new] Improved memory usage. Around 30% less memory usage.
[fix] Several small optimizations and big fixes
[fix] Fixed bug when restricting by "Newer than accessed date".
[fix] Fixed bug when containing search or exclude pattern was one character long
[new] Now it can perform searches inside long path name folders over 260 characters long
[new] When a result has a path longer than the system maximum length is selected, an alert is displayed!
[fix] Fixed rare bug where restriction icons could display icon in wrong tab
[new] Check online for newer versions, on start or manually

Downloads:
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .4.0.0.zip Compressed archive.
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .4.0.0.exe Self-Extracting file.


I will wait for your feedback!

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joby_toss
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Re: CSearcher

#34 Post by joby_toss »


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smaragdus
Posts: 2120
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2013 3:24 am
Location: Aeaea

Re: CSearcher

#35 Post by smaragdus »

@joby_toss
Thanks.

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webfork
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Re: CSearcher

#36 Post by webfork »

hugonabais wrote:I will wait for your feedback!
A few notes (nothing critical):
  • I'd recommend renaming CopyRight.txt to License.txt just because there's some usage statements in there rather than just a note about authorship/ownership.
  • I'd distribute the RTF file as a PDF or DOC file. RTF embeds images in a way that is very inefficient versus other formats, taking up a lot more space than is necessary. I was able to convert that file to DOC (61k) and PDF (253k). Either way, make sure you use FileOptimizer whatever you end up sending out.
  • I'd modify the red circles on the restrictions tabs as that kind of overwhelms the eye. If you'd like some suggestions, let me know and I'll try to mock something up.
  • There are two "Containing Text" items that I think were meant to be advanced options. I think it might make sense to label those "Filters" and "Folders".
  • Right-clicking on a search item and selecting calculate MD5 doesn't seem to do anything. It was only when I realized that it was added to a column that I had to scroll to the right to see. I'm not sure what to suggest here, but is there a way to make that more obvious?

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#37 Post by hugonabais »

webfork wrote:
hugonabais wrote:I will wait for your feedback!
A few notes (nothing critical):
  • I'd recommend renaming CopyRight.txt to License.txt just because there's some usage statements in there rather than just a note about authorship/ownership.
  • I'd distribute the RTF file as a PDF or DOC file. RTF embeds images in a way that is very inefficient versus other formats, taking up a lot more space than is necessary. I was able to convert that file to DOC (61k) and PDF (253k). Either way, make sure you use FileOptimizer whatever you end up sending out.
  • I'd modify the red circles on the restrictions tabs as that kind of overwhelms the eye. If you'd like some suggestions, let me know and I'll try to mock something up.
  • There are two "Containing Text" items that I think were meant to be advanced options. I think it might make sense to label those "Filters" and "Folders".
  • Right-clicking on a search item and selecting calculate MD5 doesn't seem to do anything. It was only when I realized that it was added to a column that I had to scroll to the right to see. I'm not sure what to suggest here, but is there a way to make that more obvious?
I appreciate your feedback. It's hard to improve this project without feedback.

About your number 1 and 2 suggestions they make sense I'll add them to my to do list (it grows much faster than what I can do)

About the red circles, I felt awkward about them, they are not bad, but it's what you say they are "a bit overwhelming". I did built the red icon myself but I really don't like design and I do not have the knack for it. If you make yourself available to improve the icons, I'd be grateful. I can send you the icons I have.

About the "Containing Text" I think you miss understood its meaning.
When you search for a pattern "day" for example, if you do not check Containing Text of search pattern, CSearcher will search only for files that match exactly "day", ie. with no more characters and without extension.
If you check Containing Text it will search for anything that contains "day", for example it could return results like "today.txt", "myday3.mp3", etc.
The other Containing Text is for Exclude pattern: "day" with Containing Text checked is for excluding every file that contains "day" in its string.
Basically searching pattern "day" with Containing Text checked is equal to searching *day* without that checkbox.
Hope I could explain myself, if you have a better suggestion please tell me.

MD5 not displaying for first time users is also something I need to think how I can improve...

Right now I'm finishing some nice changes in CSearcher.
I have improved live result filter text speed in 5 times! It's very fast now.
I have improved the export abilities to have more formats like XML and a couple of more options. And the ability to import those saved results. This could be useful for processing (live filtering, deleting copying, etc) on a later time.
I plan also to export/import saved criteria and restrictions.

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#38 Post by hugonabais »

webfork wrote:
hugonabais wrote:I will wait for your feedback!
A few notes (nothing critical):
[*] Right-clicking on a search item and selecting calculate MD5 doesn't seem to do anything. It was only when I realized that it was added to a column that I had to scroll to the right to see. I'm not sure what to suggest here, but is there a way to make that more obvious?[/list]
You got me thinking and I was able to correct this. Next release will have this implemented:
[new] After MD5 calculation if CSearcher shows MD5 column (it was hidden), CSearcher now scrolls right (if needed) to show MD5 column.

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#39 Post by hugonabais »

This got me thinking I needed to release a new version:

Version 1.4.1.0
[new] Improved results filtering speed by a noticeable factor. Around 4-5X faster!
[new] Export feature moved to "File menu". Added XML and TSV format. New export form that adds more exporting options.
[new] Ability to import XML saved results
[new] Feature that allows loading and saving of Search Criteria and Restrictions in "File menu"
[new] New option to clear all results in Edit-> Clear all results
[new] After MD5 calculation if CSearcher shows MD5 column (it was hidden), CSearcher now scrolls right (if needed) to show MD5 column
[fix] On startup when trying to load last searched folders, if a folder is not accessible it is not added anymore
[fix] Layout fixes and improvements
[fix] Don't allow empty directory to be added

Downloads:
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .4.1.0.zip Compressed archive.
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .4.1.0.exe Self-Extracting file.


Screens:
Image

Image

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Midas
Posts: 6710
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:09 am
Location: Sol3

Re: CSearcher

#40 Post by Midas »

Been meaning to tell you what a great job you've been doing with CSearcher but somehow it always slips my mind. Bom trabalho! :cool:

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#41 Post by hugonabais »

Midas wrote:Been meaning to tell you what a great job you've been doing with CSearcher but somehow it always slips my mind. Bom trabalho! :cool:
Thanks for your kind words.

By the way I published a new version that fixes somes bugs:
Version 1.4.1.1 (January 29, 2017)
[fix] After importing XML file, CSearcher was stuck and did not show any results from new searchers.
[fix] Export to XML was not working, XML option was outputting in TSV format
[fix] Fixed auto hide options on start not working

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher

#42 Post by hugonabais »

I released a new version of CSearcher that improves a lot performance when deleting files:

Version 1.4.2.0
[fix] Results view last state when loaded was not reflected properly
[new] Completely redesigned delete code. Permanently deleting objects is now much faster. Up to 5x faster than Windows Explorer
[new] Before deleting objects a new options dialog is displayed with possibility to skip errors. Shift+delete is now allowed.
[new] While deleting objects there is now a new form with progress details

Downloads:
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .4.2.0.zip Compressed archive.
·http://www.hnsoft.pt/Repository/CSearch ... .4.2.0.exe Self-Extracting file.


Screens:
Image
Image


I did some speed testing deleting thousands of files:

Permanently delete 14.240 objects on local HDD:
CSearcher version 1.4.1.1: 17 seconds
Windows 10 Explorer: 18 seconds
CSearcher version 1.4.2.0: 4 seconds

Permanently delete 14.240 objects over a network share:
CSearcher version 1.4.1.1: 230 seconds
Windows 10 Explorer: 73 seconds
CSearcher version 1.4.2.0: 59 seconds

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smaragdus
Posts: 2120
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Location: Aeaea

Re: CSearcher 1.4.2.0

#43 Post by smaragdus »

@hugonabais
About 7z:

This is a small tool, compacting in 7z or zip makes no real difference and I received an email complaining about this non-standard compression.
I decided to use zip for a more standard approach.
I agree that the difference is not big (CSearcher version 1.4.2.0 - ZIP - 967 KB, 7Z - 676 KB, but I would not succumb to idiotic complaints about "non-standard" compression. What does non-standard? Every modern archiving program supports 7Z format for extraction.

I tested the latest version (1.4.2.0)- the program has improved a lot- "Calculate MD5" command works but I can't find a way to copy the MD5 checksum. Perhaps you may add "Copy MD5" command? Or perhaps "Calculate MD5 and Copy" command below "Calculate MD5"?

One more thing, on first run search took quite long time (1m:43s):

Image

but when I restarted the program the search was very fast (05s):

Image

Why the initial search at program's first rum is so slow? It doesn't really matter after one starts using the program but I am just curious.
Last edited by smaragdus on Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

hugonabais
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2016 6:00 am

Re: CSearcher 1.4.2.0

#44 Post by hugonabais »

@JonathanCamp
smaragdus wrote:@hugonabais
About 7z:

This is a small tool, compacting in 7z or zip makes no real difference and I received an email complaining about this non-standard compression.
I decided to use zip for a more standard approach.
I agree that the difference is not big (CSearcher version 1.4.2.0 - ZIP - 967 KB, 7Z - 676 KB, but I would not succumb to idiotic complaints about "non-standard" compression. What does non-standard? Every modern archiving program supports 7Z format for extraction.

I tested the latest version (1.4.2.0)- the program has improved a lot- "Calculate MD5" command works but I can't find a way to copy the MD5 checksum. Perhaps you may add "Copy MD5" command? Or perhaps "Calculate MD5 and Copy" command below "Calculate MD5"?
I have an option to copy MD5 (and other information from selected results.
You can select one or more results and you can even use shortcut keys:

Image


One more thing, on first run search took quite long time (1m:43s):
...

but when I restarted the program the search was very fast (05s):

...

Why the initial search at program's first rum is so slow? It doesn't really matter after one starts using the program but I am just curious.
CSearcher and all other searching tools that do not parse directly the file table are limited to the speed of the Hard Drive while searching for files. Because the searching method reads the file and directory information directly from the disk if this is information is not cached in Windows (first time) and the disk is slow (mechanical drive) it will be limited to the speed of the Hard Drive.
After first time this information about files and directories will be stored in memory (Windows Cache) and when CSearcher runs again it will receive this information from computer memory (RAM) and it will run very fast.
With SSD drives CSearcher runs very fast always.

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smaragdus
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Location: Aeaea

Re: CSearcher

#45 Post by smaragdus »

@hugonabais
I somehow missed "Copy MD5 from result" menu. Thank you for the screen-shot and for the detailed information about first time search.

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