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Re: Mathematica and desktop search

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg104622] Re: Mathematica and desktop search
• From: David Reiss <dbreiss at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 03:49:13 -0500 (EST)
• References: <hcjilq$jee$1@smc.vnet.net> <hcr9sh$9m0$1@smc.vnet.net>

On Nov 4, 2:18 am, Mac <mwjdavid... at googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Nov 1, 9:59 am, ntgl... at gmail.com wrote:
>
> > A recent computer failure has afforded me the opportunity to rethink th=
e
> >  tools I use.
>
> > I have accumulated 1000s of notebooks over the years and have found the
> > Copernic search engine a good way to rediscover old work. However, the
> > Copernic search logic (in the free version, at least) is more limited t=
han  
> > I would like.
>
> > I'm sure many mathgroup regulars have come up with good methods for  
> > searching their libraries of notebooks.
> > Would you share your experience?
>
> > Thanks,
> > Tom Gladd
>
> I use Windows XP. Finding the right notebook can be a problem for a
> number of reasons:
>
> 1) The content within each notebook is very dynamic and I often copy
> text and calculations between notebooks to address different problems.
> This makes it difficult using seach engines to formulate the query
> using the right key words
>
> 2) There are practical limits to how much can be put into a single
> notebook and work effectively, both in terms of functionaliy (e.g. a
> split sceen to view content at two different locations, methods/
> keyboard shortcuts to jump around within the notebook) and often
> physical size of the notebook esp. if there are a lot of graphics. As
> a result I often start a new notebook to address work subthemes and
> this leads to a lot of notebooks on my disk addressing similar
> material.
>
> My main approach is to organise my notebooks in structured
> directories, each addressing different workthemes and using the Google
> seach bar with the Mathematica plugin which works reasonably well.
>
> Mac

The structured directory approach is exactly the model that is used in
http://scientificarts/worklife along with a wide variety of tools to
automatically work within that approach.

--David