HoudahSpot 6.0 - Major Upgrade to Mac File Search and Management Tool

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HoudahSpot 6.0 - Major Upgrade to Mac File Search and Management Tool - Published on 12/09/20

Houdah Software announces the availability of HoudahSpot 6.0 for macOS, a file search tool that helps Mac users organize files and finds these if they did not. HoudahSpot combines fast and precise file search with a customizable results display and previews. HoudahSpot makes it easy to find the right document, email message, photo, or video file. Version 6.0 adds many user-requested enhancements, including the ability to find Apple Mail.app messages files.

Luxembourg - Houdah Software is pleased to announce the availability of HoudahSpot 6.0 today. HoudahSpot is a file search tool that helps Mac users organize files and finds these if they did not. HoudahSpot combines fast and precise file search with a customizable results display and previews. It makes it easy to find the right document, email message, photo, or video file.

HoudahSpot is a productivity tool that serves as the hub of many workflows: in HoudahSpot, all the files related to the task at hand come together. It is also the starting point for deep dive searches to fetch further information from archives. Full-text search and a multitude of precise search criteria can be used to iteratively refine searches and hunt down an elusive document. A customizable interface makes HoudahSpot equally adept at presenting mail messages, documents, or media files. Search templates provide starting points for specialized searches. E.g., a search for video files.

HoudahSpot is a powerful, versatile, and highly customizable file search tool for Mac. It uses the existing Spotlight index for ultra-fast file searches. The purpose of HoudahSpot is to provide quick access to all kinds of files. It achieves this with searches that can be refined to return a manageable list of results. HoudahSpot shows search results in an interface that keeps relevant details within reach. Combined with previews of file content and text matches, this makes it easy to sort through search results and assess the found files' relevance.

HoudahSpot is the go-to tool for Mac users who need to find a precise document, mail message, photo, video, artwork, etc., in a "haystack" of files. HoudahSpot makes it easy to combine multiple criteria (such as name, text content, kind, and a wide assortment of other metadata) and thus helps users find the files they need:

* Mails messages with attachments received this year
* Word processing files containing the word "invoice" or "estimate"
* Image files named "logo" or "icon" that are more than 512 pixels wide
* Files created, modified, or opened within the last 7 days

Feature Highlights:
* Quick search field: start a search by typing just a few words
* Multi-criteria file search: Find files by name, text, content kind, author, recipient, image dimensions, and more
* Easy-to-use criteria editor: Combine search criteria to narrow down search results to the exact files you need
* Smart location selection: Search multiple folders at once, and exclude others
* Tag cloud: Lists file tags found in current search results. Provides a quick way to narrow down results (new)
* Customizable results display: View search results as a list or grid. Add columns. Sort. Arrange in groups
* Concise file info: See properties relevant to the selected file type
* Preview of file content: Peek inside files. See text matches in context
* Saved searches and templates: Use as starting points for recurring searches
* Snippets: Save sets of frequently used search criteria
* Filter by folder. See top-level files only. Combine multiple filters (new)
* Fully customizable. Set the default search window to match your preferences and workflow
* Continued search: Open files and, where the application supports it, continue searching for text matches by pressing command-G (Find Next)
* Integrates with Finder and third-party tools like Default Folder X, PopClip, ForkLift, Path Finder, Alfred, LaunchBar, and Butler

What's New in HoudahSpot 6.0:
macOS 11.0 Big Sur has introduced a dramatic new look representing a significant aesthetic departure from previous macOS versions. HoudahSpot 6.0 adopts this refreshed Mac user interface with a fine-tuned new look, a new icon, and a redesigned toolbar.

"This year Apple has announced and released major upgrades to both Mac software and hardware. These have presented us some unique challenges," says Pierre Bernard of Houdah Software. "Some of the appearance changes in macOS Big Sur root deep in how standard interface elements should be used. While working on the new HoudahSpot, we had to consider how both new and existing elements should fit the new design language." "Apple has also started the transition from Intel CPUs to their own Apple Silicon. HoudahSpot 6.0 manages the balancing act of providing a first-class experience across three major releases of macOS and two hardware architectures."

Of course, HoudahSpot 6.0 has much more to offer than good looks. It comes packed with features to improve your productivity. Many of these enhancements take root in user feedback collected over the years.

HoudahSpot 6.0 can again search Apple Mail messages. Finally! Starting with macOS 10.15 Catalina, Apple Mail messages are no longer available through the Spotlight index used by HoudahSpot. HoudahSpot 6.0 can nonetheless find your Apple Mail messages. HoudahSpot installs a plug-in that runs within the Mail application. This plug-in allows HoudahSpot to include Mail message files in your search results.

Tag Cloud:
The Tag Cloud lists your favorite file tags as well as all the tags found in the current search results. It also shows the number of occurrences of each tag.

The Tag Cloud is yet another way to incrementally refine your search to find only the most relevant files. Click a tag to restrict your search to files having that tag. Command-click a tag to exclude files. Hold the shift key while clicking to clear a previous selection and select only the last clicked tag.

Powerful Filters:
Filters help you focus on relevant files by only showing you a subset of your search results. HoudahSpot can filter files to show only those that share a common property. E.g., files modified the same day.

HoudahSpot can also filter files by name, path, and folder names. These filters also support regular expressions. You can thus show or hide results by matching their names or paths to a pattern. Filters can narrow down result lists in ways that are not pat is possible with a plain search. In HoudahSpot 6.0, you can now apply multiple filters at the same time.

Top-level Files:
You can also use a filter to see only files from a specific folder. Thus, you can choose to see only files from the top level of the folder structure where you are searching. Files nested deeper in the folder structure are hidden. The option to filter by folder can also help you break up a lengthy list of search results: explore search results folder by folder.

Grouped Results:
HoudahSpot can group search results by application, date, size, and kind. This option is another way HoudahSpot can help break up search results into manageable chunks. Version 6.0 can now also arrange results by file tags or volume/drive.

* Files Having or Missing a Property:
In the Refine pane, many attributes now offer the "is set" operator. This operator matches files that have - to the knowledge of the Spotlight index - a value for the selected attribute. You can, for example, use this to find files that have at least one tag. Their "Tags" attribute is set. This criterion can be nested in a "none of the following is true" group to find files that lack tags. Similarly, you can use the "is set" operator to find PDF files that lack "Text Content". These files may need OCR processing.

* Recent Searches:
HoudahSpot now remembers recent searches. You can resume an earlier search by selecting it from the list in the File menu.

* Share a Search:
HoudahSpot 6.0 makes it easy to share your current search configuration with a friend or colleague. Just select File > Share Search from the menu.

Further Enhancements:
* New columns in search results: parent folder and volume/drive names
* A quicker way of using Snippets: option-click a snippet in the sidebar to add it to the current search
* Improved support for VoiceOver
* Option to automatically start searching as soon as you enter a query

Customer Voices:
"If there is one utility that is indispensable for me on the Mac, HoudahSpot is it (locates files on disk)."
- @helgeg via Twitter

"I love HoudahSpot - way, way better than Spotlight as a search app for @Apple Mac computer."
- @sinabhfuil via Twitter

"HoudahSpot may be the most helpful application I own."
- H. E. Jr., Edmond, OK

"There's nothing else like it [HoudahSpot] for Mac users by a long margin."
- Adrain Stevenson

Language Support:
* HoudahSpot is offered in English, German, and French language versions

Minimum Requirements:
* macOS 10.14 Mojave or newer
* Optimized for macOS 11 Big Sur on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs
* Spotlight enabled
* 35 MB of disk space

Pricing and Availability:
HoudahSpot 6.0 is priced at $34 (USD) for a single-user license. A family license is available for $42. Upgrades are priced $19 and $29, respectively. HoudahSpot licenses purchased on or after June 1, 2020 upgrade for free. A full-featured trial version is available. Licenses can be purchased from the Houdah Software store. Upgrades are available upon loading a previous license.

Houdah Software: https://www.houdah.com/
HoudahSpot 6.0: https://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/
Tips & Tricks: https://blog.houdah.com/
Download HoudahSpot: https://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/download.html
Purchase HoudahSpot: https://www.houdah.com/store/
Press Kit (zip): https://www.houdah.com/houdahSpot/assets/HoudahSpot-Press-Kit.zip


Founded in 2005 by Pierre Bernard, Houdah Software s.a r.l is a small company based in Luxembourg, Europe. Houdah Software specializes in quality software for Mac, iPhone and Apple iPad. Our mission is to pair quality products with excellent customer support. All Material and Software Copyright (C) 2005-2020 s.a r.l. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Mac, macOS, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.


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