# gnome-find FAQ

- What's the difference between gnome-find and "GNOME Search Tool"?
- How do I specify all files?
- How do I specify wildcard matching for files (aka globbing)?
- How do I search for files containing a specific string of text?
- When executing a file from the results window, what does "Unknown error 126" mean?
- When executing a file from the results window, what does "Unknown error 127" mean?

# What?

### What's the difference between gnome-find and "GNOME Search Tool"?

("GNOME Search Tool" is the utility found in the GNOME panel menu under Programs, then Utilities.) A brief, and probably incomplete, synopsis is as follows:

"GNOME Search Tool":

- It forks another process to execute "find". This will fail on systems where "find" is not GNU "find", when a GNU "find" specific option is used. Also, forking a new process is wasteful and unnecessary.
- It only allows you to "and" the search expressions. For example, you can't search for files owned by one user *or* another user.
- It also does not allow you to "not" any of the search expressions.
- Consequently, you have no control over the search expressions.
- You can't search for multiple files.
- You can't search in multiple directories.
- It provides access to some of the options available with GNU "find", but nowhere near all of them. For example, some of the commonly used options are totally omitted, such as searching for files according to file sizes (e.g., find all files larger than 1MB).
- All searches are always case sensitive.

gnome-find:

- Does what "GNOME Search Tool" doesn't do, plus...
- Has file operations and archiving commands available on files found from a search (e.g., copy, remove, print, etc.). These commands are all configurable through the preferences dialog.
- Allows multiple windows, so you have multiple search results without starting up another invocation of the program.
- Allows "manual" searching. That is, you can enter in your own, customized, search command, for those arcane search options that just can't be expressed using the GUI dialog.
- Can print file details in the results window, not just the full pathname.
- A lot of other smaller refinements and improvements which just aren't present in "GNOME Search Tool".

# How?

### How do I specify all files?

- On the main window:
  - Enter "`.*`" (no quotes) in the "find" text entry box
  - Do not select "`Partial filenames`"
  - Do select "`Regular expr filenames`"

### How do I specify wildcard matching for files (aka globbing)?

- On the main window:
  - Do not select "`Partial filenames`"
  - Do not select "`Regular expr filenames`"
  - In the "find" text entry, simply enter your filename, which can contain any wildcards.

### How do I search for files containing a specific string of text?

- Under the "`Advanced Search Options`", select "`Actions`", and then "`Special`". Click on the checkbox that says "`Contains text string`" and in the text entry field, enter the text you want the file to contain.

# Why?

### When executing a file from the results window, what does "Unknown error 126" mean?

- The file was not able to execute. Possible reasons why this may happen include: the file is not an executable; or you do not have permission to execute the file; or the file (or command) does not exist.

### When executing a file from the results window, what does "Unknown error 127" mean?

- The command to be executed was not found.

Last updated on June 21st, 2000 by Andy Kahn.
© 2000 Andy Kahn. All rights reserved.