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I'm using 17.10 and I would like to search for file names from the gnome-shell search bar. Is there a way to turn this on?

If I open up a file manager (nautilus) and search for a filename, it finds what I want, but I'd like to have those results show up right from that easily accessible search.

Thanks!

Update

In response to pomskey's answer:

This pointed me down a good path, but it's not working in 17.10 strictly (this is a fresh install of artful, not an upgrade).

  1. tracker is no longer installed, so I tried to install that and configure it according to your linked question, and it never quite worked correctly.
  2. There seems to be a built-in file search in gnome-shell now, but it does not look in subfolders. For instance, place a file called 'paste.txt' in your home folder at the root, and one in your Dropbox. It finds the /home/user/paste.txt, but not /home/user/Dropbox/paste.txt.

This appears to be a bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-shell/+bug/1732780

Which sucks. Also, tracker doesn't seem to work quite right with gnome-shell. This bug explores some of that: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nautilus/+bug/1666676

In the end, I am unable to use file search like it worked in Unity. :/

dpb
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1 Answers1

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Open Settings, go to the Search section and toggle on "Files".

Then click on the gear symbol at the bottom and toggle on/add locations you want to be included for searching. Then reboot.

If it fails to search for files from the locations you just set, see this: GNOME 3 search bar with no results.

pomsky
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