Graphical interfaces to search for files?

Question

What graphical interfaces exist to assist the user in searching for files?

Answer 1

I installed gnome-search-tool:

sudo apt-get install gnome-search-tool

Create find.contract in /usr/share/contractor and add to the entry:

[Contractor Entry]
Name=Search Here
Description=Find files
MimeType=inode;application/x-sh;application/x-executable;
Exec=gnome-search-tool --path=%f %U

After these steps, I can use advanced search in any folder.

Answer 2

The default file manager Pantheon Files has a search option:

• Open the folder you need to search in

• Press Ctrl + F and the path bar will show a search glass icon.

  If you just open a folder and start typing your search, the search glass icon appears anyway, but then the search will NOT go within the sub-folders

• Just type there your search: a list of findings is immediately displayed

• Don't touch anything!

• Wait for it to finish without clicking anywhere on the desktop, or the search (and the list of findings) will close if the path-bar (now search bar) loses focus.

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Other solutions:

Nautilus

What I don't like about Pantheon Files' search is that the search results are not displayed in a proper window, just a list that is closed when it loses focus.

So, one may use of course other file managers that have a search function, like Nautilus. (I use Nautilus, because it is installed automatically with some applications that I need.) I see no disadvantage in having Nautilus alongside Pantheon Files.

Catfish

Or you may use other popular search tools like catfish. (gnome-search-tool was already covered in a previous answer). Catfish is present in repos, so use Synaptic, or

sudo apt-get install catfish

That can be added to the context menu in the file manager as indicated in another answer in relation to gnome-search-tool.

With gedit as text editor:

sudo gedit /usr/share/contractor/catfish_search.contract

Paste this:

[Contractor Entry]
Name=Search Here
Description=Find files
MimeType=inode;
Exec=catfish --path=%f %U

Save and close text editor.

Answer 3

I highly suggest you to try Synapse launcher.

It's basically an alternative application launcher that can search for files as well as applications. It just sits there in wingpanel and gets activated once you press the keyboard shortcut : Ctrl+Space (which you can modify to be anything you want to). You can add and remove extensions so it searches for anything you like.

It comes pre-bundled with a couple of themes. Here's a screenshot of me typing the word elementary in it using one of the pre-bundled themes:

Installation instructions

Here's how to install Synapse in Elementary:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:synapse-core/ppa 
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install synapse

Answer 4

If you, like me, prefer K-Find rather than Gnome Search Tool, then install K-Find through sudo apt-get install kfind, run sudo nano /usr/share/contractor/find.contract (see https://github.com/elementary/contractor for more info) and paste the following content:

[Contractor Entry]
Name=Search here
Description=Find files here
MimeType=inode;application/x-sh;application/x-executable;
Exec=kfind %f

Then hit Ctrl+O (letter 'O', not number '0') to save and Ctrl+X to exit.

To use K-Find, open the folder where you want to locate your file, right click any empty area of the window and click "Search here".