Server File Search - Improvements

Hello, I've got some suggestions for this feature.
I hope it is ok to put them in one ticket.

- a keyboard shortcut to open this dialog
- grey out queued files/folders like in the normal file pane
- be able to minimize this windows, or switch it on/off without loosing the current search results/settings
- remember advanced settings (or set a default) I always need to change these before I search

Thanks for considering.

* Its difficult to assign a keyboard shortcut to this feature as many shortcuts have already been exhausted, If you can think of a shortcut that is not already in-use I will be happy to consider it.

* I can add functionality to gray out the icon when a file/folder is queued.

* Since we cannot minimize server file search dialog perhaps there is something else we can do, I am open to suggestions on how we can do this without confusion. At the moment I cannot think of an ideal solution to this, other than to just move the window so that you can keep it open while performing any additional tasks that you may need to do.

* What specific advanced settings would you want to be able to save, or perhaps you can give me some usage case examples of what you're using the Server file search for, it sounds like you're performing some sort of repetitive task and I am not sure if using the Server file search is the best solution for anything repetitive.

* Its difficult to assign a keyboard shortcut to this feature as many shortcuts have already been exhausted, If you can think of a shortcut that is not already in-use I will be happy to consider it.
-- How about ALT+F ?

* I can add functionality to gray out the icon when a file/folder is queued.
-- Yes please, I'd appreciate that.

* Since we cannot minimize server file search dialog perhaps there is something else we can do, I am open to suggestions on how we can do this without confusion. At the moment I cannot think of an ideal solution to this, other than to just move the window so that you can keep it open while performing any additional tasks that you may need to do.
-- Hm, ok , not easy, only thing I can think of is that closing that dialog does not loose the current search results/settings

* What specific advanced settings would you want to be able to save, or perhaps you can give me some usage case examples of what you're using the Server file search for, it sounds like you're performing some sort of repetitive task and I am not sure if using the Server file search is the best solution for anything repetitive.
-- The most important setting would be limiting the search depth.
Then the type (files/folders) and that's it.

Originally Posted by dany

-- How about ALT+F ?

I've given this some thought and I think the best solution for now might be to allow the user to open the window via a custom command, this way the user can define any unused shortcut to open the server file search.

The way this the user would create a new custom command via Commands > Edit Commands and then create a new command, and the new command is /dialog server_file_search now you can define any desired shortcut and save the command, now pressing the shortcut key would open the dialog.

Originally Posted by dany

* I can add functionality to gray out the icon when a file/folder is queued.
-- Yes please, I'd appreciate that.

I have added this in this new build for you to test.

* Since we cannot minimize server file search dialog perhaps there is something else we can do, I am open to suggestions on how we can do this without confusion. At the moment I cannot think of an ideal solution to this, other than to just move the window so that you can keep it open while performing any additional tasks that you may need to do.

I have a new idea, I have allowed the window to be minimized with its own taskbar button, I am not 100% sure how well this will work and there might be some things that need to be tweaked.

Originally Posted by dany

-- The most important setting would be limiting the search depth.
Then the type (files/folders) and that's it.

I've been wanting to re-design the search input options for awhile now but it keeps getting put off by other things, when I do the re-design I will take this into consideration and provide a way for the user to save and load the settings.

Here's the new build, it adds the grayed icon when you queue a file, you can use the custom command explained above to define your own shortcut, and it has experimental support minimize for minimizing the dialog.

Download FlashFXP51_3856_Setup.exe


Download FlashFXP51_3856_Portable.exe

Thanks.
The grayed icon works and looks good.

The shortcut via custom command is a nice idea, I like it.
Could the command support parameters to set some advanced settings?
for example /dialog server_file_search -sd 2
for search depth = 2


The minimizing is good, but it also adds more items to the taskbar.
I noticed the icon is less detailed. Maybe the icon could be generally a smaller one, so you see a difference.
And could the Esc key be a shortcut to minimize that window?

Would it be possible that the custom comannd can bring up the dialog if it is minimzed?

You can use ESC to minimize the search dialog and /dialog will will restore it if minimized.

I made some slight changes to the way the taskbar button is shown, its now only shown when the dialog is minimized.

I have added switches that can be passed when using

/dialog server_file_search

these switches are listed below

-name="<search pattern>"
-path="<base folder>"
-type=<0 | 1 | 2>
0 = match files and folders, 1=match files only, 2=match folders only
-nolink
to not follow symbolic links
-depth=<value>
to limit the search depth

Download FlashFXP51_3857_Setup.exe


Download FlashFXP51_3857_Portable.exe

Thank you for the improvements and even more switches.

I noticed setting
-path="<base folder>"
takes a while to take effect after the search window was opened.

One other thing: Is there any way to exclude a certain path from the search, or adding multiple base folders at the same time?

When using -path="<path>" there appears to be a drawing issue, the value is updated but it doesn't reflect the change until the control is repainted. I will correct this in the next update.

One other thing: Is there any way to exclude a certain path from the search, or adding multiple base folders at the same time?

The name field supports multiple patterns separated by a semi-colon (;) and you can use a minus (-) to exclude a path
-name="<search pattern>"

So you could do -name="*.mp3;-*/movies/*" to match files ending with the extension .mp3 in all folders except under */movies/*

Currently there is no way to add multiple base folders.

Thanks, I wasn't really aware of the functionality of the ; and -
But what I'm really looking for is to block certain paths from being indexed in the first place (to avoid unnecessary list commands that cost time)

So a "minus" command for the "Look in" field. And/Or multiple entries (base folders).
Maybe it could be possible in a future version.

But what I'm really looking for is to block certain paths from being indexed in the first place (to avoid unnecessary list commands that cost time)

You misunderstand. The minus in the name field is to exclude <path>, not just exclude name. This would exclude paths from being searched.

Oh that's great. It works just like I need it. Thanks

One question: How does the caching of the folders work, when does it refresh if you make a search?

This depends on your Folder Cache setting which are located in the Preferences dialog under the Connection section.

One issue I still have is the width of the columns of the search window. These will always go back to default sizes after closing the window.
I always have to resize the "Name" column.
When I open the window there is about 1/4 of the width unused. So I guess the window should use all space for the columns by default and give the Name column more space than others.

Or if the column sizes would just be remembered after closing the window (and exiting the program) that would resolve the issue too.

Saving/restoring the column widths has been on my TODO list for far too long, I will add it now and it will be in the next beta build.

Saving/restoring the column widths is now in the latest update.