search in PDF files?

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mgroen
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2020 6:03 pm

search in PDF files?

Post by mgroen »

Hi,

Is Everything able to search for contents in a collection of PDF files?

Thanks,
M
NotNull
Posts: 5167
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 9:22 pm

Re: search in PDF files?

Post by NotNull »

Yes. See viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8671 (for example. Use the forum search function for more)
void
Developer
Posts: 15096
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: search in PDF files?

Post by void »

To search PDF files you will need Windows 10 or Windows 7 with Adobe Reader 9.

To search file content, please try the content: search function.

For example, to search for the content "To be or not to be" in pdf files, modified this year, search for:
ext:pdf dm:thisyear content:"To be or not to be"

Note: File content is not indexed. Searching file content will be very slow.
For the best performance, combine the content: search with other search filters.

Please try the Advanced Search under the search menu and set the "A word or phrase in the file" field.
For the best performance, set as many fields in the Advanced Search as possible.
horst.epp
Posts: 1332
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: search in PDF files?

Post by horst.epp »

void wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2020 6:50 am To search PDF files you will need Windows 10 or Windows 7 with Adobe Reader 9.

To search file content, please try the content: search function.

For example, to search for the content "To be or not to be" in pdf files, modified this year, search for:
ext:pdf dm:thisyear content:"To be or not to be"

Note: File content is not indexed. Searching file content will be very slow.
For the best performance, combine the content: search with other search filters.

Please try the Advanced Search under the search menu and set the "A word or phrase in the file" field.
For the best performance, set as many fields in the Advanced Search as possible.
I don't see the absolute need for Acrobat Reader 9 here.
There are many other programs which also install IFilter for PDF.
coniliGR
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:39 pm

Re: search in PDF files?

Post by coniliGR »

Hello, I have been using a different pdf reader and I haven't been happy with the search functionality of windows explorer which led me look into alternatives such as everything.

Could someone confirm/suggest whether if I switch to Adobe Reader will provide me with better results?
horst.epp
Posts: 1332
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: search in PDF files?

Post by horst.epp »

coniliGR wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 2:42 pm Hello, I have been using a different pdf reader and I haven't been happy with the search functionality of windows explorer which led me look into alternatives such as everything.

Could someone confirm/suggest whether if I switch to Adobe Reader will provide me with better results?
I use SumatraPDF as PDF reader which also provides the modules
to support Windows indexing and Explorer / Everything Preview.
For content search I always use Windows indexing
while Everything is used for any normal search about names, pathes or any fragments of it.
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