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Using Search and Recents in Egnyte Desktop App

The Egnyte Desktop App provides efficient access to files and folders from the cloud directly to the local device.  Search and Recents are two key features that allow files and folders to be located faster.

Benefits of Using Egnyte's Search and Recent in the Desktop App

  • Egnyte's Search is faster than the native search in File Explorer or Finder, providing quicker access to files.
  • Files and folders from the cloud can be viewed from the app's UI without syncing them to the local device. This is different from the native search in Explorer or Finder, which only shows synced or downloaded files.
  • Open the file or navigate to its location directly from the search results with a single click.
  • The search results also show who updated the file most recently, providing important context.
  • Egnyte's Search makes it easier to find and share content. Files can be shared files directly from the search results, saving time and effort.
  • Recent section provides easy availability to recently accessed files with last accessed duration and file path.
  • The recent files can be directly shared from the widget without navigating to the File Explorer or Finder

Understanding the Difference Between Egnyte's Search and Native Search

It's important to note that the search functionality provided by Egnyte's Desktop App is separate and distinct from the native search functionality in Windows Explorer or Finder. In general, native search is not supported by Desktop App.

Native search will only go through files that have been cached (such as previously accessed files) and can potentially degrade the performance of the device. For a comprehensive search result, the Egnyte's Search should be used, which can locate all your cloud-stored files without the need for them to be cached first.

How to Use Egnyte's Search in the Desktop App

  1. Once the Desktop App is installed, it will appear in the task bar (both Mac and Windows)

    Desktop App_Search_1.png

  2. Click on the Home icon from the widget to access Egnyte's search feature.

    Desktop App_Search_2.png

  3. Select a location in which a file or folder is to be searched. Files and folders can be searched in the entire cloud drive or narrowed down to a specific folder. Only the files and folders that the user has sufficient permissions will be visible in the search results.

    Desktop App_Search_3.png

  4. To refine the search, click on the Filters option. Search results can be narrowed down by file type (Type), date of upload (Uploaded), and uploader (Updated by).

    Desktop App_Search_4.png

    Desktop App_Search_5.png

  5. When results are displayed, user can:
    1. Click on a filename, to open a file.
    2. Click on a file path to open a folder in which file is located.
    3. Click on a Share button, to display sharing options in the web browser. Share button will be displayed on hovering the cursor over the search result.

      Desktop App_Search_6.png

How to Use Recents

Recents is a feature that automatically displays recently accessed files, saving the time and effort of navigating through complex folder hierarchies.

  1. Recents are located just below the search bar in the Desktop App..
  2. Click on the desired file to open it directly, or use the Share button to share files with others.

    Desktop App_Search_7.png

  3. Recents also display any uploaded files. If an upload fails, the user is notified with a message within the application. The user can make the necessary corrections and retry the upload.

    Desktop App_Search_8.png

    Desktop App_Search_9.png

Keyboard Shortcuts

The Search widget will open instantly allowing you to find files you need.

Windows

On Windows there is a keyboard shortcut to easily access Search whenever you need it. Simply press:

Win + Alt + E

Mac

For Mac, the keyboard shortcut for Search is:

Command + Shift + Space

Hotkey can also be configured in the Preferences tab of the Desktop App UI.

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