Search for Data in a File (Solved)

[loki]

I can't seem to figure out how to search for data in a file - I want to find all the file that contain data "TCON.......(".  I can see it in the viewer, but I can't copy it or search for it.

[loki]

Sort of answered it myself - In the Find Files dialogue - put hex value in the File Content box and choose Matching Method = Hex and Search Content Box = Binary.  Is there a way to copy the hex data.  I used another program to get it.  I could type it by hand...

[Mathias (Author)]

Search for Ascii text in Binary files are not working yet in the new file search. it will be back again.
Right now you have to go the hex way to find text in binary files.

[loki]

Upon testing the hex search, it's not working either.  It finds different files each time - without me changing anything. Seems like the first search only searches the first folder.  The next time, it searches more. But it fails to find files in subfolders too.  Also it stops working and the search window just sits there - it never says the search is over - buttons say stop or pause.

[Mathias (Author)]

Hex work for me.  I'm not able to make it fail.
If you have a case where hex does not work, I would be great if you could describe one.

Also if it 'hang', Then the content search probably got stuck on something in a text file.
If you are able to narrow down and find what file it get stuck on, maybe we can find what causing it.

[loki]

I think it's the hanging on a file part that is causing the problem.  How do you think I should go about finding the issue.  How does find work?  In what order?  I changed the name of a folder, and voila, it found files in it. I think it hangs on a file (or folder) and that's why it's not finding all the files in all the subdirectories.  But I just don't have time to check them all.

[Mathias (Author)]

You do not have to do it one by one.. do it in batches.. take half.. and if that work.. include half of the rest and so on.
Then you can find what file is causing it. But I understand if that is too time consuming for you.

The problem is that it does not hang on my test files. so something is special with one of the files you have. I would really like to know what causing it so I can fix it.
It would be great if you could find what file it  and if you can send it to me.. (if possible. might depend on what inside the file if it is very private and not possible to send.) If it is just unpersonalized data you can send me all and I find it.  But that is up to you. I don't know how personal those files are. I understand that that might not be possible
Alternative can you make it hang. And then go to task manager and in the details tab. Select the MultiCommander.exe process. Right click on it and select Create
Dump. And compress it and send it to http://multicommander.com/upload
It might give me a hint on what causing the issue.. Files are better but dump files are a good alternative

[loki]

Thanks, I figured out how to do it.  I had a few directories, and ran it by directory.  Found two directories that had issues (files within them).  Narrowed these down - like you said, half by half (one had few files so I just did it file by file).  Found two files that 'hung' the program - the only ones that did. These are not personal files, they are MP3 files I made from my CD's for my own personal use - so they are 'legal'.  I tried to attach them - but they are too large and can't be compressed - they are already compressed. You can email me (I think you will have that as you are the admin)  I have XP and no details tab in the Task Manager.  I used process explorer and attached the process info - maybe that will help.  Otherwise tell me if you need anything else - or a way to create a dump in XP (I googled but there are many conflicting results and I'm not sure which is the type you would want).  I'm pretty computer literate.

[Mathias (Author)]

XP! Ohh no.., Then we are in trouble..  XP does not support creating of dump file from task manger,
No the info does not help.. a dump file is a image of MultiCommand from memory. and from that I can see where in MC the program is when the dump file was created, so I can see where inside MC it is stuck.

I don't think it is binary files like "mp3" that causing it. I think it must be some text file.

Hmm process Explorer you say. I think it have the "Create Dump" option even on XP..  But if ProcessExplorer is very old it might not have it. 
But they had it before.  (If you right click there MultiCommander.exe there should be a "create dump" option. so something similr might be named something else. but "dump" should be in the name)

If not, I just have to wait until somebody else run into this issue.

[loki]

It is the mp3 files.  I put only one file in the directory and MC hangs. Again - I can send them, but not attach them they are too large. A full dump is also too large.  I attached a compressed minidump (zip). This is the minidump from Process Explorer (latest version) for one of the two problem MP3 files in a directory - when using the Find Files part of MultiCommander. I also attached a screenshot (jpg) of what the program looks like when 'hanging'.

[Mathias (Author)]

Ahh you doing hex, I tough that was another issues and the hang was a separate issue

use http://multicommander.com/upload to send file..

[loki]

Sorry.  I too thought they were separate issues.  Then from your response I realized that they were all part of the same issue.  At first I did not know that the fact that the search never said "completed" meant that it was stalled out.  I could still complete another search.  But the program was indeed stalled and I could not close the window of the search, nor the program itself.  Anyway hope this helps.  I can look into the files too, but I'm not sure I would be able to tell what the problem is.

[Mathias (Author)]

I think I found the issue.
the byte matching get stuck on your 0x00 byte matching at the end of some files.. (partial matches at the end of the file with 0x00 at the beginning )
Strange corner case.. but should work in next version.. 


A new version is coming later to day. It has this fix and also a lot of other find files and other fixes.

[loki]

Thanks!  Great work. I just checked the new version - no stalls - finds all the files. Changed the thread to Solved!