Windows search - full text search in c#

Question

I am looking for a code that gets results of full text search using Windows search (it should be available in Vista, 7 and 8 by default).

I have found some questions here and some texts on msdn, but none of them have some exact code that works. I have tried with Windows API Code Pack (as it is mentioned as one of the interfaces to Windows Search), but it returns results only for file names, not for full text.

Pyrometallurgy

What do you mean by FullText ? – Rationalize

Full text means that Windows search will search the text (content) of document files (like .txt, .doc, .docx, .pdf), not just a file name or its properties. If you search with Windows Explorer, it is possible, so it should be possible. – Barty

Answer 1

Here is the code that does work - in example I made it to search for the word "dummy" in the desktop folder:

string connectionString = "Provider=Search.CollatorDSO;Extended Properties=\"Application=Windows\"";
OleDbConnection connection = new OleDbConnection(connectionString);

string query = @"SELECT System.ItemName FROM SystemIndex " +
   @"WHERE scope ='file:" + System.Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop) + "' and FREETEXT('dummy')";
OleDbCommand command = new OleDbCommand(query, connection);
connection.Open();

List<string> result = new List<string>();

OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
while (reader.Read())
{
    result.Add(reader.GetString(0));
}

connection.Close();

Pyrometallurgy

Works on Windows 8.1 in desktop mode – Lupien

This doesn't work for me if u want to find part of a word. For example: if the document contained 'dummy', and I used the code above to search for 'dum'. Any idea how to use wild cards here? Just adding a * doesn't seem to work. – Lupien

@Lupien did you tried * for search ? not solution – Convenient

Scope is file ? not folder ? – Convenient

The syntax is above. You use keyword file and set folder there. Why I don't know, I haven't created this API. – Barty

Works for window 10! – Banderole

Answer 2

Take a look at the DSearch example. Windows Search Code Samples

That's what you want.

Piccoloist

Thank you, I have already found the solution. That was one of the pages I needed, but it was far from enough (that sql example doesn't explain available sql syntax for Windows Search, which was necessary for me and the problem I have mentioned). You have the complete code that works in my answer above. – Barty

MS sample download link offline :) – Telugu

That link missing Microsoft.Search.Interop.dll, I am searh for the dll now. – Banderole