[OS X TeX] How to make locate/spotlight search ~/Library/texmf

[Herbert Schulz]

On Aug 10, 2010, at 12:16 PM, Alan Munn wrote:

> 
> On Aug 10, 2010, at 12:51 PM, Herbert Schulz wrote:
> 
>> 
>> On Aug 10, 2010, at 11:22 AM, Alan Munn wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi,  I can use the locate command in a Terminal to quickly find files in /usr/local/texlive.  However, it doesn't find files in ~/Library/texmf.  How do I make it do that?
>>> 
>> 
>> I'd guess that the locate database won't contain anything in the Users folder since that is private for each individual user. Perhaps there is a way to ell it to build a personal database.
>> 
>>> Secondly, what's the relationship between the Spotlight search (via Command-space) and the locate search database?  They clearly don't find the same things, since /usr/local files never show up in the Command-Space searches.  Is there a way to make them match?
>> 
>> There is no relationship between them. The technology is different for the two things.
> 
> Ok.  That makes sense then.  So is there a way to get Spotlight command-space to index ~/Library/texmf?
> 

Howdy,

Actually Spotlight does index everything but there is no way to make it show that information that I know of using the simple Cmd-Space. If you do a Cmd-F AND then click on Kind and pick Other and the select System Files (you can put that on the default list with a check box---that will save one step later) and then select `are included'' you can find those files. I wish there was a way to just have that turned on by default but I don't know of any.

>> 
>> I've been using `Find Any File', <http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/index.html>, and I'm quite happy with it.
> 
> Yes, I have that too, but I'm lazy... For most quick searches command-space is simply more convenient.  I'd just like to be able to find things in my local texmf folder as easily.  If locate could do that, that would be fine, since I've always got a terminal window open; if it can't, I'd prefer to use Spotlight if possible.
> 
> Alan

And that's why I use `Find Any File'!

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)