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XLocate

An X11 interface to leverage locate tools

Detailed description

XLocate is a file system index management tool and a front-end to the most popular GNU-Linux fast search utilities. XLocate allows you to maintain a collection of databases for shelved or offsite CD/DVD/Blu-ray collections, memory sticks, SD cards and other memory cards, fixed and removable hard disks, network places, etc. You can define search sets and get a high level of flexibility through a large choice of options.

Installation instructions

XLocate manual (pdf)

Detailed description

XLocate is a configurable X front-end to the standard Linux utilities GNU locate, slocate and mlocate, used to quickly spot filenames by means of index (AKA database) files.

These tools are traditionally used to create one big index file of the local hard disks, which is automatically updated by the system. XLocate allows to conveniently use an unlimited number of index files of different types, in a flexible approach.

Here is a list of the main features brought in by XLocate in order to better use the locate utilities:

  1. Easy management of index files for local and remote file systems, including shelved collections of removable drives, USB keys, CDROMs and data DVDs.
  2. Read-only volumes are treated as such (no update expected).
  3. Preset buttons let you define sets of volumes used in your typical searches.
  4. Three check boxes appear below the input field, allowing to select the search type: case sensitive, basename or regex.
  5. Provided you have sufficient permissions, any index file can be created, updated or deleted from within the application.
  6. A special effort has been made to access any command with the keyboard:
    - All functions are accessible through context menus (SHIFT-F10).
    - Unlike what happens in OpenOffice.org, Mozilla or KDE apps, SHIFT-INSERT is not a clone of CTRL-V but can be used to paste the system wide mouse (or keyboard emulated mouse) clipboard selection.
    - Keyboard shortcuts allow for quick navigation between sub-windows.
  7. For convenience, edition of text files and readonly display of HTML files is supported.
  8. There is a debug mode where you can control and edit the command lines sent to the locate tools.
  9. XLocate is entirely configurable from within the application.
  10. XLocate automatically recognizes through magic three of the most widespread locate database formats (GNU locate, slocate and mlocate), which don’t need to be installed in your path.
  11. Index creation and updating can be done from within the application as well as file searching.

XLocate uses Qt. Version 0.82 compiles natively under Qt4 or Qt5.

XLocate is distributed under GPL version 2.

Acknowledgments: