[SOLVED] Search results when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

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tuska
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

[SOLVED] Search results when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by tuska »

2void

When I use this setting and then apply a filter <> 'Everything', I don't get any search results:
Options - 1.5.0.1408a (x64) -> Results -> ✅ Hide results when the search is empty
[Right now, I have to press the space bar at least once to get a search result].

Example:
- Applying the "Document" filter or "Folders and Shortcuts to Folders" filter.
- NO search results are displayed.
- Only after pressing the spacebar do I get the search results.

This could lead me to the mistaken conclusion that there is no result.

Could you perhaps make a technical change to the program so that a filter returns a result?
Last edited by tuska on Mon Apr 27, 2026 4:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
horst.epp
Posts: 1642
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: Search results are missing when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by horst.epp »

This is no error and nothing is missing.
When you don't enter any search term why should a result be shown ?
The reason is that you have explicitly disabled showing results in this case.
A filter does not show anything by itself.
This is the job of a bookmark for example.
tuska
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Search results are missing when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by tuska »

Options - 1.5.0.1408a (x64) -> Results: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

2horst.epp

Hmm, in my opinion, you can also look at this issue as follows:

1. Open Everything to perform a search -> the search results are empty at this point (OK).
    Enter a search query -> the search results are displayed (OK).

- OR -

2. Open Everything to perform a search -> the search results are empty at this point (OK).
    Change the ‘Everything’ filter to a different filter, thereby triggering a search query
    -> the search results for the filter should be displayed, or rather, they are the results I expected (NEW).

I advocate for point 2.

The filters offer macros and shortcuts that are helpful when performing a search,
in that you don’t have to open the filter separately in the first place.
With many filters, however, it becomes difficult to remember all these shortcuts, etc.

Why would you create a bookmark here when it would be easier - even with this option (✓ Hide results...) -
to simply enable the desired filter and get a search result?
horst.epp
Posts: 1642
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:24 pm

Re: Search results are missing when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by horst.epp »

tuska wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2026 11:55 am
Why would you create a bookmark here when it would be easier - even with this option (✓ Hide results...) -
to simply enable the desired filter and get a search result?
It does exactly this when you not enable the option.
So why do you enable this option if you don't like the behavior?
It doesn't harm to start Everything with the default setting (option is off).
tuska
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Search results are missing when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by tuska »

horst.epp wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2026 3:28 pm
tuska wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2026 11:55 am
Why would you create a bookmark here when it would be easier - even with this option (✓ Hide results...) -
to simply enable the desired filter and get a search result?
It does exactly this when you not enable the option.
So why do you enable this option if you don't like the behavior?
It doesn't harm to start Everything with the default setting (option is off).
I used to have this option unchecked for quite some time (back when I hadn't yet looked into it).

However, I've since had this option (✓ Hide results...) checked for quite some time now,
to hide search results when launching Everything, mainly for the following reason: ...

When I open Everything, it displays a portion (depending on window size) of the indexed folders
from various drives, sorted in ascending order by name, i.e., for example, from drives D:, C:, G:
and this view is of no use to me at all since I hadn't entered a search query yet at that point.

Exception: The number of items (files and folders) in Everything’s status bar.

On the contrary, if I ever post on a forum or make a statement there, I have to
be even more careful to ensure that no personal data is present in an image or video.

However, for someone just starting to use Everything, I think it can be helpful
if search results appear even when the search field is empty, as this likely
gives them the assurance that Everything is working properly (that was the case for me).
void
Developer
Posts: 19839
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Search results are missing when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by void »

"Hide results when the search is empty" applies to the search box and it doesn't matter if you have a filter active.
This makes sense for most filters.
However, I understand if you have a filter that only matches a few files, you want to show results when the search is empty.

For those filters, please add the following to the filter search:

no-hide-empty-search-results:


no-hide-empty-search-results:
tuska
Posts: 1381
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Search results are missing when using a filter <> ‘Everything’ and setting: ✅ Hide results when the search is empty

Post by tuska »

2void
Great, thanks - it works perfectly!
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