9

In Ubuntu 18.4 I use the filebrowser thunar instead of the low-functionally internal filebrowser (nautilus), but there seems to be no button to search in folder.

I also added a custom action like described here, but that button isn't visible nowhere either.

How do I search inside the currently visible folder in thunar?

rubo77
  • 32,486

1 Answers1

13

Xubuntu 18.04

I don't use Xubuntu much but the little magnifying glass is under File in Thunar 1.6.15 and works without any further steps:

Thunar Search

Ubuntu 18.04

One has to install thunar and catfish. Even after installing catfish, the search option doesn't appear.

To fix this,

  • open Edit > Configure custom actions

  • Click on the + sign to open a new child window

  • In the tab titled Basic, enter Search for files in the Name box

  • In the Command box, enter catfish --path=%f or choose something from the command parameters provided

Then open the Appearance Conditions tab. In there, enter * as the File Pattern and tick the appropriate choice below Appears if selection contains:

Click OK. Close the Custom Actions window.

The next time you open Thunar, you should see the option to Search for files when you click on File in Thunar's menu bar.

Search

More reading: https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/thunar/custom-actions

Edits:

  • I've noticed a couple of cases in which Catfish didn't list all the relevant files. This was both in Xubuntu and Ubuntu. I'll make a separate question about that.

  • As rubo77 suggested in a comment, searchmonkey is a suitable alternative.

Community
  • 1
DK Bose
  • 42,548
  • 23
  • 127
  • 221
  • cool that works, although catfish seems a bit lacking of functionality. for example "open containing folder" would be nice. And then sure, your bug: did you report it upstream? – rubo77 Oct 20 '18 at 13:44
  • 2
    I tried apt install searchmonkey and added this line instead: searchmonkey -d %f works fine ;) – rubo77 Oct 20 '18 at 14:00
  • 1
    You should extract the part that explains the bug in catfish into a separate question with a new title, for example: "Why is catfish not showinf all files?" and then just link to that question here when you suggest catfish. (you can suggest searchmonkey as an alternative here too) – rubo77 Oct 20 '18 at 14:20
  • I've edited the answer. I'll post about the missing files later today, – DK Bose Oct 21 '18 at 02:01
  • Worked perfectly. The lack of this function has bugged me for years. – GBG Mar 19 '21 at 18:30