Search computer

[gsusser]

Sorry, I'm not getting this and the knowledge base offers no relief that I can find.  How do I search my mac with Alfred?

[Andrew]

Sorry, I'm not getting this and the knowledge base offers no relief that I can find.  How do I search my mac with Alfred?

 

There are a few different ways to do this such as using the 'open' or 'find' keywords, or setting up workflow filters for particular file types... but the easiest way is to show Alfred and prefix your search with a space. For example, show Alfred and type:

 

[spacebar]desktop

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[gsusser]

Thanks for responding.  I'm still a bit confused.  Using the recommended method, spacebar followed by a word or phrase did work on some searches and not others.  When it didn't work and went to search the web, it's as if it could not find the word(s) on my mac.  All words that I used were in Word documents.  I was using names of businesses that are listed in my resume which is in Word.  Btw, I'm assuming this is normal - when I press spacebar, the apostrophe character appears, i.e.,

 

'the gsusser nuclear ice cream parlor

[Andrew]

Thanks for responding.  I'm still a bit confused.  Using the recommended method, spacebar followed by a word or phrase did work on some searches and not others.  When it didn't work and went to search the web, it's as if it could not find the word(s) on my mac.  All words that I used were in Word documents.  I was using names of businesses that are listed in my resume which is in Word.  Btw, I'm assuming this is normal - when I press spacebar, the apostrophe character appears, i.e.,

 

'the gsusser nuclear ice cream parlor

 

Ah, to look inside files, use the 'in' keyword which looks inside files, for example...

 

in the gsusser nuclear ice cream parlor

 

By separating the different types of keywords (open for open, find for reveal in finder, in for inside files), it keeps the results nice and clean. You can customise this behaviour with workflows if you need

[gsusser]

Thanks, that worked, that is, "in."  This is one of the primary reasons I purchased Alfred - I'm not happy with spotlight or finder.  Hopefully, Alfred will work better.  It doesn't appear to search gmail though.