After Google whined that Microsoft wasn't playing nice with its desktop search built into Windows Vista Microsoft agreed to make some changes. Today they detailed what those changes will be in KB941946. It was enough for the DOJ, but will others agree?
User interface updates
Microsoft has updated the user interface elements that are listed in the following table.
| User interface element |
Update |
| Control Panel |
The Associate a file type or protocol with a program dialog box lists the search protocol under Protocols. |
| Control Panel |
The Set your default programs dialog box lists Windows Search Explorer as a selectable program. |
| Control Panel |
The Indexing Options dialog box includes a Pause button. When you click the Pause button, the Windows Search Indexer stops indexing new content for 15 minutes. |
| Start menu |
The Search option on the right side of the Start menu is removed. |
| Start menu |
The See All Results option is changed to the Search Everywhere option. |
| Start menu |
The Search Everywhere option passes the search arguments that are typed in the text box to the default search application by using the search protocol syntax. For more information about the search protocol syntax, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
|
Entry points for the search protocol
This update also sets many of the general search entry points in Windows Vista to use the new search protocol. The new search protocol calls the default desktop search application. These search entry points include the following:
| • |
When you press the Windows logo key+F, the default application for the search protocol starts. |
| • |
When you press F3 on the Start menu, Windows Explorer opens the default application for the search protocol. |
| • |
When you press CTRL+F in Windows Explorer, the default application for the search protocol starts. |
| • |
In Windows Explorer, the Search Everywhere option appears on the toolbar as soon as a search starts. When you click this option, the default application for the search protocol starts. |
| • |
You can no longer right-click the Search option on all containers. |
While they are making changes to search I would really like these other changes. I want to see greater flexibility in indexing. Such allowing me to exclude files based on size, etc. I want an index repair tool that doesn't require rebuilding the entire index, and some enhanced debugging for tracking down those pesky email notes that never appear in my searches. This inevitably leads me to the only troubleshooting option I have currently for the index which is rebuild the entire thing. Nothing like a big hammer for a little problem.
Posted
Sep 12 2007, 04:19 PM
by
Josh Phillips
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