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In anticipation of the release of HoudahSpot 2.0 (Leopard Edition), Houdah Software makes HoudahSpot 1.5 available for free. HoudahSpot 1.5 will work on Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger only.
HoudahSpot leverages Apple's Spotlight engine to bring you a powerful, fast and easy to use desktop search tool.
Features
HoudahSpot is a file search tool based on Apple's Spotlight technology. It enables users to quickly create and store powerful search queries.
Easy to use
HoudahSpot has been designed from the ground up with ease of use and convenience in mind. You will feel right at home. We feel it is not the user who needs to be educated, but the software that should be made to the user's need.
Powerful
With HoudahSpot you may search by name, contents, date, type or any other file attribute. It all starts with a basic query form. Take it from there to pinpoint the files you are looking for. Create complex queries by combining criteria using boolean operators.
Fast
HoudahSpot leverages Apple's powerful and fast Spotlight engine. It does not waste this engine's horsepower to run searches before you are done entering criteria. The search starts only at your command.
Live results
Search results remain up-to-date as long as they are on screen. Create a new file and it instantly shows up in the searches that match it.
Two-paned query window
The top half of the query window allows you to express search criteria. The bottom half defines the search scope.
Three-paned results window
The top half of the results window lists the file matching your query. This list may be sorted at wish. The action menu enables you to open files, reveal them in the Finder, move them or trash them.
In the bottom half you will find a column based file browser. The left-most column shows the siblings of the currently selected search result. To the far right is a larger view of the currently selected file.
Hot keys
HoudahSpot may be configured to start up as soon as you log in to your Mac. It is then ready to jump to your service at the press of a simple key stroke.
Query stationeries
You may save your queries for later reference. A query set up with a few basic criteria and a search scope might serve as a starting point for future searches.
Saved searches
Saved searches are much like smart folders. When saving a search its run state and result sort order are saved along with the query. A search saved while running jumps back to life as soon as it is opened. HoudahSpot comes with 2 such predefined searches: 'Applications' and 'Recent Documents'.
Templates
Queries saved to the template directory always are readily accessible from the 'Template' menu. You may assign keyboard shortcuts to up to ten templates. Templates may be used as stationeries or as smart folders.
HoudahSpot leverages Apple's powerful and fast Spotlight engine. It improves in many ways over the default interface in Mac OS X 10.4:
• Ability to express complex queries
• Flexible browsing of results
• It does not waste this engine's horsepower to run searches before the user is done entering criteria
• User definable templates
• Hot key access to saved searches: Recent Documents, Applications
HoudahSpot 2.0 will be a major upgrade. As such it will require Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. We are very excited about this release and want to make it the best possible. Thus we cannot yet settle on a release date.
The upgrade will be free of charge for registered HoudahSpot users. In fact, current users who upgrade to Leopard may apply for the private HoudahSpot 2.0 beta.
New in version 1.5.1:
HoudahSpot (Tiger Edition) is now freeware.
HoudahSpot 2.0 (Leopard Edition) will be shareware. Existing licences remain valid.
For my review of HoudahSpot and other Spotlight enhancers, click here.
System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later
* Universal Binary for PowerPC & Intel
Pricing and Availability:
HoudahSpot 1.5 is free of charge for Tiger users. Pricing for HoudahSpot 2.0 has not yet been fixed. Existing licences will remain valid.
HoudahSpot:
http://www.houdahspot.com
Houdah Software:
http://www.houdah.com
Download:
http://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/download.html
Tags: Software Updates ď Software News ď Utilities ď
