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badtz · Jul 21, 2005, 03:13 AM

I recently saved a couple websites [with a lot of text on them] into PDFs (print -> save as PDF) ....

.... when I search the folder I saved it in using Spotlight and a couple keywords, it doesn't list the PDF.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why this doesn't happen?

Maybe it's my own computer? Maybe I need a plugin?

any clues?

techtrucker · Jul 21, 2005, 03:58 AM

Hmm, PDF searches work fine here. Check Spotlight preferences, make sure "PDF Documents" is selected under Search Results. Also make sure you didn't set any Privacy options.

Randman · Jul 21, 2005, 04:01 AM

Ditto on above post.

wulf · Jul 21, 2005, 09:19 AM

Spotlight does search PDFs. What I have found is that it doesn't always index your new files in a timely manner. I have searched for text in emails and PDFs that I know is there and the file doesn't get found. If I go and find it manually, then the next time it is searched, it shows up. Maybe the process of 'touching' the file (by finding or opening it oneself) kicks off the metadata indexing process. But it doesn't always seem to happen automatically when a new file is created.

It would be good to have some admin tools for spotlight to force indexing, by kind, etc. I feel some Apple feedback coming on…

OreoCookie · Jul 21, 2005, 09:51 AM

Works fine for me.

CatOne · Jul 21, 2005, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by wulf

Spotlight does search PDFs. What I have found is that it doesn't always index your new files in a timely manner. I have searched for text in emails and PDFs that I know is there and the file doesn't get found. If I go and find it manually, then the next time it is searched, it shows up. Maybe the process of 'touching' the file (by finding or opening it oneself) kicks off the metadata indexing process. But it doesn't always seem to happen automatically when a new file is created.

It would be good to have some admin tools for spotlight to force indexing, by kind, etc. I feel some Apple feedback coming on…

I've had the same experience.

Note it *is* possible to force spotlight to re-index particular types of finds. I don't recall exactly how it's done -- I think you have to run 'mdimport' with the appropriate importer. I did it once for Circus Ponies Notebook files, and I know you can do it for any file type with the right importer (there's one for each file type that Spotlight can index).

techtrucker · Jul 21, 2005, 06:20 PM

I did a test...I saved to PDF a web page that had a keyword I knew would not exist anywhere else on this machine, immediately did a Spotlight search for that keyword, and it found it right away. And this is on a lowly G3 400.
Very strange, will be curious to see how this unfolds...

Apfhex · Jul 21, 2005, 08:03 PM

I just tried printing to PDF this very page and searching for the word "unfolds," which returned no results prior, and returned the PDF file immediately after. It must be your particular machine, certainly it's supposed to happen immediately. Does Spotlight /ever/ return results from those files, days after?

Wet Jimmy · Jul 21, 2005, 08:57 PM

How do you FORCE Spotlight to re-index, or to index a particular folder / location? Is such a thing possible?

Hmm... what are the chances you could setup a script or something that makes Spotlight index whenever the screensaver is enabled, or something similar?

Randman · Jul 21, 2005, 09:09 PM

You can re-index via Terminal.

badtz · Jul 22, 2005, 05:49 AM

http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1...40M94UYK6JQZSF

for instance .... this is an example PDF file ...

I search for the word "suffrage" [without quotes] .... inside of the Preview, and it finds it.

But when I search via Spotlight, it doesn't.

Can anyone else test this?

[this file was created awhile ago]

slightly OT: should spotlight be indexing MS Office files also? [particularly powerpoint?]

wulf · Jul 22, 2005, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by badtz

http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1...40M94UYK6JQZSF

for instance .... this is an example PDF file ...

I search for the word "suffrage" [without quotes] .... inside of the Preview, and it finds it.

But when I search via Spotlight, it doesn't.

Can anyone else test this?

[this file was created awhile ago]

slightly OT: should spotlight be indexing MS Office files also? [particularly powerpoint?]

Spotlight should index Word, Excel and PowerPoint files (and does on my machines) but doesn't yet work with Entourage, as its database is incompatible.

wulf · Jul 22, 2005, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by badtz

http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1...40M94UYK6JQZSF

for instance .... this is an example PDF file ...

I search for the word "suffrage" [without quotes] .... inside of the Preview, and it finds it.

But when I search via Spotlight, it doesn't.

Can anyone else test this?

[this file was created awhile ago]

slightly OT: should spotlight be indexing MS Office files also? [particularly powerpoint?]

I just dl'd your file and put "suffrage" into Spotlight, it came up almost immediately with that PDF (among others).

If it's still not working for you I'd try forcing a re-index of your files, see if that helps.

Thinine · Jul 22, 2005, 06:20 AM

You can import single files or directories by using the mdimport command in Terminal.

Randman · Jul 22, 2005, 06:37 AM

It showed "suffrage" in the pdf as soon as I downloaded it. I didn't even have to open the file.

OreoCookie · Jul 22, 2005, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by badtz

http://s27.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1...40M94UYK6JQZSF

for instance .... this is an example PDF file ...

I search for the word "suffrage" [without quotes] .... inside of the Preview, and it finds it.

But when I search via Spotlight, it doesn't.

Can anyone else test this?

[this file was created awhile ago]

slightly OT: should spotlight be indexing MS Office files also? [particularly powerpoint?]

If there is an importer for that format, the answer is yes. It takes some time, though until the files are completely indexed; this is particularly true of mobile macs, because they have less cpu horsepower and less idle time.

badtz · Jul 22, 2005, 07:26 AM

odd!!!!

I've read a tip somewhere [i think macosxhints] that an easy method to reindex [which it did] was to drag your HD to the spotlight preferences of places to not index, then to remove it.

It'll force spotlight to re-index.

I've tried that and it still doesn't work.

OogaBooga · Jul 22, 2005, 08:32 AM

Try doing a 'man mdimport' in the Terminal and see if that'll help you.

awaspaas · Jul 22, 2005, 08:57 AM

repair permissions?

CatOne · Jul 22, 2005, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by awaspaas

repair permissions?

NO!

badtz · Jul 22, 2005, 07:13 PM

Thanks for all of the help everyone! I think I found the solution!

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...potlight+index

I used that hint to identify folders where Spotlight was having trouble indexing.

Then I did the following:

exclude those directories in the spotlight list.

then I added my HD onto that list, then I removed it (this forces spotlight to reindex the entire disk).

after it reindexed the drive, it didn't try and index those directories that it had trouble with.

In my case... it was ~/library/preferences and ~/library/safari

now when I do a spotlight search for "suffrage" the Ch6Summary.pdf shows up!!!

When I get home I'll test this more thoroughly, but I'm hoping this solved it