Review: Agent Ransack and FileLocator Pro

Don Bradbury looks at a pair of non-indexing file and string search programs from MythicSoft to supplement or replace Windows' system search facility.

Product	Agent Ransack and FileLocator Pro
Company	MythicSoft Ltd
Web	www.mythicsoft.com
Price	Agent Ransack: Free FileLocator Pro: £16
We like	Rapid file searching; program customisation; usable string searching even without file ID.
We don't like	Agent Ransack is not undergoing further development.
Rating	Agent Ransack: 8, for it's speed and simplicity. FileLocator Pro: 9 for it's speed and more esoteric options.
Requirements	Agent Ransack: All versions of Windows 9x to Vista FileLocator Pro: Windows 2000/XP/SP2/2003/Vista/2008

After establishing an enviable reputation for their totally free Agent Ransack program as a supplement or replacement for Windows' own system search facility, Oxford-based MythicSoft Ltd have developed FileLocator Pro for doing the job with far more user options and greater program customisation for advanced users. Those who've tried the Windows XP and Vista offering - with Microsoft's endeavour to speed up file searching via disk indexing - may welcome one of these alternatives, and many may choose to switch off the integral indexing feature to reduce the extensive disk thrashing that's involved and the consequent wear and tear, not to mention resource-hogging, that inevitably accompanies it.

Both Agent Ransack and FileLocator Pro offer broadly the same type of intuitive working interface (clearly, the latter has evolved by development of the former) and both extend to the user a rapid file search algorithm without disk indexing.

If you're really badly organised, such that you have no idea of the filename you used for that important document you need to locate, but you know you mentioned a particular phrase in it, then you will be obliged to use the string search facility alone, without identifying the file itself. As a stratagem this is, of course, very much slower, especially if you have no idea where you saved the file on the system and have to let the search cover your entire system. If you can optimise the file extension search list, then either of these programs will give the usable search facilities you need.

In the top right hand corner of the program's boot display is an 'Expert User' box; you might decide to untick this to simplify things to start with, and then enter a known filename that's stored on your system to try it out. The possible search locations list is basic to start with, but your search patterns are remembered so that thereafter there will be no need to enter Paths to common locations such as C:\Users\Acer\Documents\, say; just select them from your established listing.

While you'll find that the above process may take just a few seconds to complete, the 'Containing Text' search is the process used for whole-system string searching, and the Expressions Wizard describes how this is implemented and how to use it. The graphic below shows the relevant Wizard for Agent Ransack.

FileLocator Pro's configuration options are extensive, in particular you have the option to let the program feature in your folder context menus (on by default) and file context menus (off by default). There are hotkeys that can be enabled here for launching; you can also opt to replace the default Explorer search with a hotkey combination.

When document finds are discovered and then selected, a window to the right (or alternatively below if you prefer) displays relevant lines of text from the highlighted file in either an integral viewer or an Editor. You can switch from the program's default Editor to an external Editor if you choose, and you can then edit and save any changes as usual, which is a useful feature. The graphic below shows the main configuration options list, including the file extensions search list.

Command Line Parameters

FileLocator Pro extends to advanced users a whole range of command line parameters which can facilitate it's application. The graphic below summarises these:

Agent Ransack is the basic search program of these two and it can be recommended for beginners who may want a first-try facility. It offers:

1. Rapid basic File location.
2. Searches for regular expressions, with facilities that allow complex rules to be implemented.
3. An immediate contents results view.
4. Various wizards to walk you through the searching process.

FileLocator Pro, on the other hand, is the more advanced system search utility, offering:

1. First and foremost, rapid file discovery using efficient search algorithms.
2. Your text is shown with highlighted keywords so you don't have to open each file to look for the information you need.
3. There's support for popular applications such as Microsoft Office formats, PDF, Open Office, Word Perfect, and ZIP among others.
4. There are customisable power options that will satisfy the most advanced user.
5. The program uses an easy-to-understand web style approach.
6. Your results can be shared with others by means of printing and exporting.
7. When searching through cached data, that is to say numerous searches through the same subset of data, FileLocator Pro offers faster searches on multi-core machines if multi-threading has been switched on.

Boolean Seaching

FileLocator Pro also supports Boolean searches, ie in the format "some AND data", as is typically used in web searching. These Boolean searches span the entire file, so that 'some' and 'data' in our example can be anywhere in the file. That is unlike regular expression searches which require the expression to be matched on each line independently of the other lines. This is useful if you're searching for all files that do not have a certain word, ie in the format "about AND contact NOT copyright".

Some other advances that FileLocator Pro offers in comparison with the more basic Agent Ransack might be summarised as follows. Many of these will be of interest even to those who do not normally expect to carry out complex searching:

1. Perl compatible regexp option, which allows much more complex expressions to be sought.
2. Search navigation, with Back and Forward Internet Explorer style buttons.
3. Active Scripting support for extending the search rules with custom programming.
4. Text, CSV, XML, HTML export
5. Custom file format exporting (using XSLT).
6. File attribute searching (e.g. read-only, hidden etc).
7. Repositionable contents pane.
8. Display surrounding lines of text.
9. Launch external editor at line number (inc. Visual Studio).
10. Built in file viewer.
11. Search within search.
12. Exclude folders list.
13. OM component for embedding search engine.
14. Plug-in support for third party developers.
15. The HotKey launch Win+Alt+F option.
16. Enhanced shell functionality including Rename, Cut, Shift+Delete, RMB Drag etc.
17. Dual/Quad core processor multi-threading support.
18. User configuration is stored in XML rather than the Windows Registry.
19. Additional context menu commands such as "Explore here" and "Copy path".
20. Detailed status bar totals.
21. Alerts/Notifications on file found or end of search.
22. Multiple highlighting on same line.
23. Display end of path for long path names.
24. Expression support on folder names.
25. Shell extension configuration GUI.
26. Can be installed on a USB drive.
27. Improved network drive support.

In conclusion

Easily installed, highly customisable, with an intuitive user interface in the basic mode, and not unduly invasive of your system, either of these programs can be recommended for those who want to supplement, or possibly replace (see notes below), Windows' search facility via indexing. The free Agent Ransack will probably satisfy users with basic requirements, but the modestly priced FileLocator Pro will be valued by more advanced users for it's greater customisation, additional search options, and continuing development.

Notes:

Microsoft's chosen route to fast file searching via disk indexing - also used by others such as Google and Apple - is the current de facto standard and it can work well provided:

1. The index remains intact, ie it does not become corrupted.
2. The index contains the particular file type(s) you're interested in.
3. Indexing is tolerable to you in terms of resource (especially drive) hogging.
4. The accompanying wear and tear on your drive(s) is considered tolerable.
5. You're satisfied with simple keyword searching.

 

Don Bradbury