Move Index menu to a sidebar

[Stamimail]

Remove Index from Menu and place it under View menu

Folders
Advanced Search (TODO)
Preview
Filters
Search History (TODO)
Bookmarks (TODO)
V Indexes

in Indexes sidebar you will be able to manage indexes:
[V] index1 ◉ (online-monitored) [...] (edit-index-button )↩ (rebuild-button)
[V] index2 (removable device) ◉ (online-monitored) [...] ↩
[V] index3 (removable device) ◉ (offline) [...] ↩
[_] index4 [...] ↩

[ ]remove duplicates


--------
Notes:
1. Each index can contain anything
2. Clicking on the green/red button will start/stop monitor (A semicircle if not everything in index can be monitored)
3. When removing a removable device from computer, it will possible to configure that the green will become red. (you still can search it, but it's not monitored)
4. Unchecking an index removes the index from searching, but its db/csv saved on disk.
5. Removing index from list, will remove also from disk. (Or a dialog box asking the user what to do)
6. The Indexes sidebar is not intended to give full control, but rather a quick access to maximum management.

[Stamimail]

btw, IMHO this dialog needs also to be improved.

The problem:
In an initial run of Everything you can not define how to build your first index according to your preferences. (For example: to index only a network folder)

[Stamimail]

All the indexes that are displayed to the user, can really be behind the scenes one database file (if Everything has limitation with multiple db files).
You can specify what percentage each index takes up from the one database file (Everything-1.5a.db).

[V] index1 (50%)
[V] index2 (30%)
[V] index3 (20%)
[_] index4 (Not part of db)

[V] index1 (45%)
[V] index2 (25%)
[V] index3 (15%)
[V] index4 (15%)


You can also specify how much memory each index takes up from the one database file (Everything-1.5a.db).

size of db in memory: 1000 MB
------
[V] index1 (50%) (500 MB)
[V] index2 (30%) (300 MB)
[V] index3 (20%) (200 MB)
[_] index4 (Not part of db)

Another column can be added (checkbox or eye button for each checked index) - a quick access to filter indexes.
This also may help the user understand the concept of indexes / filters.

[void]

I will consider an Index sidebar and removing the Index menu.

Thank you for the suggestion.

In an initial run of Everything you can not define how to build your first index according to your preferences. (For example: to index only a network folder)

I recommend launching Everything with -no-auto-include

Everything.exe -no-auto-include

-or-

Launch Everything normally.
Hit Ctrl + Break on startup to cancel the automatic index.

-or-

Launch Everything normally.
Right click the Indexing progress bar and click Cancel (easier to remember)


From either of these options you can then customize the index from Tools -> Options -> Indexes.



The user will most likely want to install the Service if it is not installed already.
Otherwise, the alternative "Do not index NTFS volumes" makes the most sense.



I still have on my TODO list to define what to index from the command line..
This might look something like:

Everything -no-auto-include -index-network-drive d:

All the indexes that are displayed to the user, can really be behind the scenes one database file (if Everything has limitation with multiple db files).
You can specify what percentage each index takes up from the one database file (Everything-1.5a.db).

An Index sidebar similar to the folder sidebar that only allows you to select which indexes to search might be useful.
The folder sidebar offers this already and more.

I am considering adding a 'search only indexes' option under the Index menu.
So you might have:

Code: Select all

Index -> Search Only -> ✓ Search All Indexes
                          C:
                          D:

Showing the database memory usage would be useful.

Another column can be added (checkbox or eye button for each checked index) - a quick access to filter indexes.
This also may help the user understand the concept of indexes / filters.

Yes, this would be useful for a possible index sidebar or even the current Index menu.

Thank you for the suggestions.

[NotNull]

Otherwise, the alternative "Do not index NTFS volumes" makes the most sense.

... which is called Manual configuration in Everything 1.5. That explains the option rather well imo.

[Stamimail]

I see this now in 1313a.


I think you need to add 4th option:
( ) Do nothing

and change the 3rd option:
from
( ) Manual configuration
to
( ) Manual configuration (Tools -> Options -> Indexes)
this will open the Options dialog in NTFS tab.
The "(Tools -> Options -> Indexes)" will inform the user where to look again in case he choose other option.

+
"Everything" requires administrative privileges
Everything requires administrative privileges
The program requires administrative privileges

[NotNull]

What would be the difference between "Manual configuration" and "Do nothing" ?
(other than opening the Options dialog instead of the main window?)

[Stamimail]

You have already answered yourself...
"Manual configuration" is a shortcut for the user, to go straight to the index configuration.
"Do nothing" works like the previous "Do not index NTFS volumes". (In case the user wants to check the user interface or something else...)

[void]

I will consider a Do Nothing option.
Thank you for the suggestion.

I would like to keep this interface as simple as possible.

Clicking cancel currently does nothing.

[Stamimail]

Clicking cancel currently does nothing.

That's not correct.
Cancel - shows this dialog again when restart
Do nothing - won't show this dialog when restart ("Do nothing" works like the previous "Do not index NTFS volumes")