Text in ASP Scripts Hidden From Windows Search

[Guest Perrinwolf]

Found some interesting behavior in Windows Search (Start => Search => All

files and folders => search for "A word or phrase in the file:"). This

applies to XP and maybe other Windows flavors.

 

Procedure:

1. Create a simple text file named test.txt.

2. Open the text file in a text editor and add a simple test word such as

"blah" (not quotes).

3. Save the text file.

4. Using Windows search, attempt to locate this new text file by searching

for files containing the word "blah" (no quotes). Recommend limiting search

to folder that contains the new text file and deselect search subfolders

option.

5. The file should be found.

6. Change the file extension of the text file from .txt to .asp.

7. Redo the search.

8. The file should be found.

9. Reopen the text file (now named test.asp) in a text editor.

10. Change the string "blah" to "<% blah %>" (without quotes). [The brackets

delineate script in asp files.]

11. Save the changes.

12 Redo the search.

13. The file is NOT found.

 

Interesting. There must be some security concern related to .asp files with

embedded scripts relative to Windows Search. I wonder if there is a KB

article or something about to this. I have not been able to find anything.

 

Can anyone shed any light on this behavior?

 

Does anyone know of a good tool to find files containing a specific

string/pattern? Cygwin and some of the Unix tools works, but a GUI tool like

Windows Search would be preferrable.

 

Thanks.

[Guest Kelly]

Re: Text in ASP Scripts Hidden From Windows Search

 

1. Go to Search/change Preferences/With Indexing Service/Change Indexing

Service (Advanced).

 

or via:

 

2. Go to Start/Administrative Tools/Computer Management/Services and

Applications/Indexing Service.

 

If this doesn't help...

 

Windows® XP has a known issue for not finding a number of File Types when

you do a Search for Files "containing text" or using the "A word or phrase

in the file" option. This can be remedied for many file types, but not all.

 

Download the VBS file below. Double click the file you just saved. You'll

be prompted to enter a file extension. If the PersistentHandler value is

correct, no changes will be made. If the PersistentHandler value exists,

but is different, no changes will be made. If no PersistentHandler value

exists, then it will be created.

 

Enable XP's Search to find text in files:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts/xp_persisthandler.vbs

 

Manual Edit:

 

To resolve this problem for other file types, install a program that

registers a filter for the file type that you want to search. If no program

that provides a filter is available, you can use the plain text filter for a

file type.

 

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and add a PersistentHandler key under the file type

key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and set its (Default) string value name to the

following value: {5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}

 

For example, to use the text filter provider for .pas files, the following

registry setting should exist:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.zzz\PersistentHandler\(Default) =

{5e941d80-bf96-11cd-b579-08002b30bfeb}

 

After you add this value to the registry, you must log off and then log back

on to make the change take effect.

 

Using the "A Word or Phrase in the File" Search Criterion May Not Work

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q309173

 

--

 

All the Best,

Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

 

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

 

"Perrinwolf" <Perrinwolf@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:43209921-ABBB-479D-B385-9F9C845097FC@microsoft.com...

> Found some interesting behavior in Windows Search (Start => Search => All

> files and folders => search for "A word or phrase in the file:"). This

> applies to XP and maybe other Windows flavors.

>

> Procedure:

> 1. Create a simple text file named test.txt.

> 2. Open the text file in a text editor and add a simple test word such as

> "blah" (not quotes).

> 3. Save the text file.

> 4. Using Windows search, attempt to locate this new text file by searching

> for files containing the word "blah" (no quotes). Recommend limiting

> search

> to folder that contains the new text file and deselect search subfolders

> option.

> 5. The file should be found.

> 6. Change the file extension of the text file from .txt to .asp.

> 7. Redo the search.

> 8. The file should be found.

> 9. Reopen the text file (now named test.asp) in a text editor.

> 10. Change the string "blah" to "<% blah %>" (without quotes). [The

> brackets

> delineate script in asp files.]

> 11. Save the changes.

> 12 Redo the search.

> 13. The file is NOT found.

>

> Interesting. There must be some security concern related to .asp files

> with

> embedded scripts relative to Windows Search. I wonder if there is a KB

> article or something about to this. I have not been able to find anything.

>

> Can anyone shed any light on this behavior?

>

> Does anyone know of a good tool to find files containing a specific

> string/pattern? Cygwin and some of the Unix tools works, but a GUI tool

> like

> Windows Search would be preferrable.

>

> Thanks.