When I use the "Find File" function in Konqueror, it never displays the files it finds. All it does is list the number of files and folders, at the bottom of the window. The kind of search I've been doing is for a *.* containing certain words. Well, I just solved my problem: the answer is that "use files index" wasn't checked by default, and apparently must be.
Okay, but if Konqueror has to use the files index, why do I have the option of telling it not to? When would it not be counterproductive, as in this situation?

I dunno.... I've never used the "Use files index" option... honestly, I hadn't even noticed it was there until you pointed it out.

From what I can gather, this checkbox is used if you want to do a large search for something across the whole system -- ie you don't know where a particular file is located. It seems to make the search use the the shell "locate" command rather than the "find" command that is used if you don't have it ticked. (nb: this is just what I'm inferring having looked into it for a few minutes; anyone who knows better is free to correct me! ;-) )

So, if the search isn't working without "use files index" ticked, then I'd say that either (a) you're doing a very large search and it's just taking a very long time, and you're not being patient enough, or (b) the "find" command in your computer isn't working correctly, but "locate" is. I would guess at (a), but you can check for (b) by going to a shell prompt and typing "find", and seeing what comes up.


One thing I would say, though, is use * as your wildcard, not *.* -- unlike Windows, not all files have a dot in their name.

Cheers!


SDC.

Thanks, I hadn't thought of that.

And the find command will always be faster,
so I never use the KDE tool.
Examples :
' find /usr/lib/ -name "*file*" '
or ' find . -name "*file*" '
where the dot ( . ) means the current directory, e.g. /home/"username"
......

I forgot this

'find . -iname "*file*"

-iname is important > > both 'upper case' and
'lower case' spelled words will be found.
......