Search Scope and External Volumes

[sepulchra]

I tend to use custom searches for specific file types to make my searches more efficient and fast, but will adding a number of external volumes to my search scope make my results “noisier?"

 

Is there a recommended approach if I want to add a few external volumes? I already keep my default results pretty lean:

 

[Vero]

@sepulchra Depending on how fast the external drives are, and whether they're awake at the time you perform your search (as there may otherwise be a need to wait for them to spin up, connect, etc), a better way to search external drives would be to create File Filter workflows for the external drives, so that they don't slow down or clutter up your local search results when using Alfred's default search results.

 

This assumes that the external drives are indexed by macOS, which doesn't happen by default and has variable rates of success depending on how often you're disconnected from the drives, whether the content is being modified by other Macs, and therefore how often your Mac has to restart the indexing.

[sepulchra]

Thank you @Vero this is very helpful

[sepulchra]

 

@Vero I wanted to return to this thread to make sure I understood something.  In order to create those file filters on external volumes, do I need to add those external volumes to my Search Scope? Or can I just have them indexed by spotlight and not add them to the search scope in Alfred and still use file filters.... i.e. if spotlight indexes them, but they are not added to the main Alfred Search Scope, will Alfred still be able to search that index if it is designated in a file filters scope?

 

And if I ever use the 'find' or 'open' command, all of the volumes would be in that search (if they are in the search scope)? That is where the results would get noisy? And if my settings are shown as above and I use file filters, those results would  remain lean?

 

I just want to make sure I’m not missing anything else. 

 

EDITED FOR CLARITY

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by sepulchra

[Vero]

@sepulchra There's no need to add the volume to Alfred's default search scope.

 

To use the File Filter, first make sure your external volume is indexed by Spotlight: The success and reliability of this will vary based on the particular scenario in which you use the drive. For example, a drive that is always connected and always on will be easier for Spotlight to maintain as it'll have regular access to it to keep the index up to date.

 

Meanwhile if it's a shared drive where someone else might modify files, a drive that gets taken in your bag to work and back, etc... the reliability of the index itself will be affected as Spotlight will essentially have to reindex it every time you connect to it.  You can use Alfred's File Troubleshooting tool to check that the drive is indexed and returning the right metadata.

 

Next, you can create your File Filter workflow, adding the Volume to the object's Search Scope. There's no need to include the volume to Alfred's main search scope in the Default Results preferences.

 

Given an external volume may be slower at returning results, keeping it as a file filter ensures that your default results are always fast and efficient, and the external volume can be accessed specifically using the File Filter's keyword only when needed. Makes sense?  

[sepulchra]

Thanks @Vero this is incredibly helpful. I just found the terminal command to force spotlight to index volumes and away we go! Thankfully i'm indexing SSDs so it is pretty snappy so far.

 

 And this level of detail is great because I'm all about not mucking up my default results.