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Spotlight Tweaks

Though there are large selection of Mac Application Launchers, many still don't intend to switch from the blazing Spotlight.

To satisfy the demand of many Spotlight fans, I will discuss several Spotlight tweaks that I usually play around with. I hope you can use these tweaks wisely.

Several UsingMac resources that will be helpful for you to improve your Spotlight experience:

But before we started the tweaks…

Disclaimer

We won't take any responsibilities for damages or data loss due to practicing the content of this article. Please kindly backup your files involved in the tweaking before you proceed.

Now let's begin the tweaking process!

Change Shortcut for Spotlight

Today, one of the readers email me asking how to change the default Command Space keystrokes for Spotlight. There are few steps needed to achieve it.

Changing Spotlight's Shortcut

Go to Apple ▸ System Preferences
Click on section Keyboard Shortcuts
Scroll down until you found shortcuts for Spotlight; It's near the end of the shortcut list
Double-click on the shortcut and you can see that now you can type in new shortcut
Your changes will automatically be made

What Do You Expect from Snow Leopard?

Reading article from ArsTechnica about next Apple plan: Mac OS X Code Named Snow Leopard, May be Pure Cocoa shocks me. It's only for Intel which means in the very near future, my beloved PowerPC cannot be upgraded.

Spotlight - Indexing

Prevent Spotlight Indexing

Sometimes you don't want your Spotlight to index some parts of your Mac, e.g. your backup drive. If that's the case, you can set up your Spotlight to prevent searching in several locations. This setting can be performed under System Preferences ▸ Spotlight ▸ Privacy. Adding that particular folder into the pane provided will result in Spotlight stop indexing that folder.

Leopard Spotlight - Calculator Functions

Besides doing logical expression, Leopard Spotlight can also do some mathematical calculations. Are you curious what are those functions?

I know a little bit about Java Programming Language, so I try to use the Math library, which contains some functions to do scientific calculations, on Spotlight. To my surprise, some of these functions work.

Here are some examples :

Leopard - Optimizing Spotlight Search

In Leopard, Spotlight has been configured in such a way that it can search much faster than that of Tiger. Some Spotlight searching tricks below will certainly improve your productivity.

Adding Specific Keywords

By typing search terms as described above, you ask Spotlight to search only for certain type of file. However, you still don't know exactly what kind of keywords that can be used for this. Fortunately, Leopard happily provides you with detailed information regarding to that and here we will gladly deliver it to you.

Label on Finder

In this article, I want to show you how to play around with label on Finder, only for Mac. I will discuss about how we can use Finder to label items, rename label and search labeled files.

Quickness or Accuracy - QuickSilver or Spotlight

QuickSilver as reflects by its name, is the fastest application searching for Mac. But, its quickness affect its user too. Its user must have ability to quickly key in all the keywords required to open specific files (or they have to replay it all over).

In contradiction to Spotlight, one of the searching application in Mac. Spotlight can search everything you want, but not with the same quickness as QuickSilver. It always returns everything.

Which one do you prefer?

Application Searching

When searching for application, I prefer using QuickSilver. As I have experienced before, QuickSilver always returns apps that I want. Different from Spotlight that give me lots of result, it slows me down to look at what I want first.

Changing Spotlight Sluggish Default

Recently I just read this blog about quick spotlight tip. Maybe I will share my knowledge with you.

Spotlight’s supposed to be fast and get you to the right file immediately. Why default the Return to the Show All version of Spotlight?
Show All should really be the last item in the Spotlight list, but at least Apple made a way to get to the Top Hit item easily. Simply click the Command after finishing typing.
Holding Command-Return will open the Top Hit. Very simple and extremely useful
What’s even nicer: If you press Command and then Up/Down, you can skip to the top result in each category.
So if you wanted to get to the first item in the Documents category, but you have the Music and Applications above it, just push Command and then Down key until you are in to documents
You can even let go of Command and then move by just one item

Thanks to the nice tips from Dustin Bachrach, now we can easily spot and open our desired file.

I think that with this addition Command key for accelerating spotlight viewing result reflect that Mac really appreciate its user's comfort and convenience.. How do you think?

Categories: Spotlight, Tips and Tricks, Utilities
Tags: Spotlight

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Mac Spotlight : Brighter your Day

Feeling stress on finding specific file that buried inside the ton of files. Like searching a sand in the ocean. With Mac, you do not have to worry about that. Mac, just like a car, has a very powerful, very bright, and extremely smart Spotlight. Spotlight can search everything that you want. Whenever, wherever you need it, spotlight will show you the way. I mean, you can find it at every corner.

You can make yourself your own spotlight shortcut (if you have QuickSilver, you can open with spotp). And something like this will show up. You can see there is two kind of shortcuts for spotlight.

Mac Tricks and Tips, Wallpapers and Applications for Mac Users