6 hidden GNOME Search tricks every Linux user should try

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ZDNET key takeaways

• GNOME Search is greater than only a search software.
• There are a number of added options you should use.
• In order for you probably the most environment friendly desktop, strive these features.

I’ve used so many GNOME and GNOME-based desktops through the years that I am unable to even recall all of them. One factor that has been fixed through the years is that GNOME is way extra helpful than you may assume. Positive, it appears to be like minimal, however that is all about getting out of your method and never stripping down options.

One of many cool options of the GNOME desktop is the search performance. At first blush, it appears the search software is only a means to find the app you wish to run. Au contraire, mon ami.

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The GNOME search tool is way more versatile than that, and I’ll present you a number of the cool issues you are able to do with it. 

Configuring Search

Maintain up. Earlier than we get to displaying off the search performance, you need to know the right way to configure it. Throughout the Settings app, you may discover a Search entry within the left sidebar. Click on that and you may see a number of entries below Search Outcomes. Undergo that record and allow all or any options you wish to embrace within the search performance.

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You can even organize the order through which the search classes might be used. By doing this, you can also make your searches extra environment friendly. For instance, when you repeatedly do file, net, software program, and calendar searches, you may wish to drag these entries to the highest.

Accomplished?

Let’s transfer on.

1. File search

The file search performance might be some of the helpful choices for GNOME search. With this function, you possibly can seek for any file in your system (so long as you might have it configured). Sure, if you wish to search past the standard directories, you may want so as to add it to the Default Areas part of GNOME search settings. By default, the search areas might be Residence, Paperwork, Downloads, Music, Photos, and Video. If that you must configure it past that, click on Add Location within the Search Areas part in Settings > Search.

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For example you might have the file zdnet.txt, however you possibly can’t keep in mind the place you saved it. Open the search software and kind zdnet.txt, and never solely will the situation seem, however you too can open the file (utilizing the default app for that file kind) instantly from the search outcomes.

2. Calculate

Name up the GNOME Actions overview (by both hitting the Tremendous — aka Home windows — key or by clicking the small sq. of dots within the dock, panel, or favorites bar). As soon as you’ve got executed that, kind a calculation, like 3.14156*3.14156. It is best to see the outcomes seem instantly below the search bar. You can even do extra difficult calculations, reminiscent of 2(3+4)/4(4+4), which equals 28 (in response to GNOME search).

3. Copy emojis

In case you like to make use of emojis in your messages, paperwork, or no matter, GNOME search will help you. Say, for example, you wish to copy the snicker emoji. Open the search software and kind snicker. You possibly can see all the out there emojis within the Characters app. In case you do not discover the Characters app or emojis do not seem in your search, that you must set up the gnome-characters app, like so:

• Ubuntu-based distributions: sudo apt-get set up gnome-characters -y
• Fedora-based distributions: sudo dnf set up gnome-characters -y

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4. Net searches

This one will get a bit tough. GNOME search is meant to honor the default Firefox browser for net searches, however for some motive, it is not. To get round that, you possibly can set up the Epiphany browser with the command:

flatpak set up flathub org.gnome.Epiphany

As soon as you’ve got executed that, ensure you’ve enabled Net in Settings > Search.

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With that taken care of, open the Actions Overview and kind a search string within the search subject. It is best to see a hyperlink seem which you can click on to disclose the outcomes.

5. Set up functions

For example you wish to set up the GIMP picture editor. In case you kind gimp within the search subject, it’s best to see an entry seem with the GNOME Software program icon. Click on that entry and Software program will open to GIMP, the place you possibly can click on Set up.

6. Find contacts

In case you open the Actions Overview and kind the identify of a contact, you possibly can then click on the identify to open their entry within the Contacts app.

Sadly, not all the Search Outcomes suppliers truly work. Though there are suppliers for a number of totally different options, actions, and apps, you may discover that the one you wish to use does not work (reminiscent of Calendar and Climate).

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Hopefully, these supplier points could be resolved in a future replace. Till then, comfortable looking.

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