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Windows 7 search content of text files

I have an ascii file that I am unable to have windows 7 search the content in. The file extension of the file is .ls which is simply a text file that the machine creates. I have associated ls with notepad thinking that would help, but it has not. So I have also added the ls extension to the indexing option as well as have all check boxes and radio buttons selected to search the content of that particular file, as well as all files.

If I rename the file to .txt, I can search the content. So what are windows 7 limitations of searching the content of files? I would have thought that as long as windows is able to view the file, it could search them. There are no odd characters are anything different between the .ls file and the .txt file. I simply renamed it... not even doing a save as so its truly an ascii text file.

Any help would be appreciated.

jcimarron

adembo--
Ron Hunt in a post dated August 1, 2010 on
http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/windows-7-file-search-indexing-options/
says
"I agree: Windows 7 search is useless. I have just wasted an hour – and finally had to copy a large folder to a flash drive and find what I wanted using XP on another laptop.

My "particular" problem is that many of my files come from external environments – are "pure" ASCII text – and DO NOT HAVE ANY EXTENSIONS! The Win 7 indexing options will only index specified file extensions. "

Perhaps the reason for your problem?

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adembo

ASKER

OK, this ended up being weird. I know for a fact I had selected the option to search the content of the extension I added, but when I went back in to review, it did not show. So maybe I hit cancel or something... but nonetheless, I checked it again and after allowing the computer to rebuild the index, I am able to search the contents.

Thanks!!