Index

# Quick Start Guide

The descriptions and instructions in this chapter assume that you have not yet made any adjustments to the default setup.
In particular, you should not yet be using the "Preferred Template" feature.

## The HoudahSpot search document

HoudahSpot opens to a single new search document. On the left hand side is the query pane. This is where you will configure your query. Results will show to the right.

## The query pane

### The criteria pane: What...

The upper section displays the criteria pane. It is pre-configured with the following criteria:
- Display name: Matches the file name including extension
- Text content: Matches the file's indexed text content
- Modified: Matches files by date of last modification
- Kind: Matches files and folders by type (for example, document or application)
Criteria rows are typically made of 3 items. To the left is the criteria type pop-up menu. It is usually followed by an operator pop-up menu. Last is the criteria value. This may show as a text field, a pop-up menu, a set of radio buttons or a date picker.
To the far right of both criteria and operator rows you find the "-" and "+" buttons which allow for deleting or adding criteria rows.
You may create compound criteria (boolean operators: ANY, ALL, NONE) by option-clicking the "+" button. You may also select a criterion row to wrap in a group and then click the appropriate toolbar button.
Criteria are active only when they have been given a value. Thus you may safely do a search on file name by only filling in the matching text field. Other criteria are ignored. There is no harm in leaving them around.
You may drag files onto criteria in order to set them to match the file's properties. This comes in handy when looking for files that in one way or another resemble a file you have at hand.

### The scope pane: Where...

In this section you may configure the locations HoudahSpot is to search. By default this will be your home directory.
The search scope may also be configured by dragging files or folders onto rows in the scope pane.

### The scope pane: Exclude...

You may exclude certain locations from the search. E.g. you may want to search all of your home folder, except for the Library folder.

### The scope pane: Limit...

You may chose to have HoudahSpot show only a limited number of results. E.g. the 100 most recently modified files.
This greatly speeds up queries.

## The results pane

You may now click the green "Start" button in the toolbar. This will start the query. The results list starts to fill up.
Once a query has been started, it remains live: as new files match its criteria, they are added to the results list. To return to the query pane so that you can adjust the search criteria, click the "Stop" button on the far right of the toolbar. To leave one search live while starting a second search or to start an all new search, use the "New Search" choice in the "File" menu.

### The result list

As long as the query is running, HoudahSpot shows matching files on the right hand side of the window.
From this list drag and drop files to the Finder or other application. Use this technique to open, move or copy files with ease.
You may also copy your selection from the list to your favorite text editor or spreadsheet.
The "Results" menu holds actions that apply to the current selection. Files may be opened, moved, trashed ... . The contextual menu on the result list replicates these same actions.
Using the contextual menu on the column headers, you may add or remove columns. There are hundreds to chose from

## Inspector and Preview

From the View menu you can open the Inspector and Preview windows. These allow you see result items in more detail.

## Documents

Each HoudahSpot search is actually a document. You can save it using the "File" menu. You may create or open as many documents as you like.
HoudahSpot search documents may be shared with others. You have set up a interesting query? Pass it around!

## Preferences

The default settings should be appropriate for most purposes. You may however want to configure HoudahSpot to launch on login. This way it will always be at the ready.
You may also want to configure hot keys for the default templates. In the future you might want to create templates of your own.

## See also

The Default Document
Preferences
Templates