Desktop Searching with X1

I’ve been using X1 for over 2 years.  It is lightening fast.  It can index virtual any file.  AND, it is now FREE.  TOTD strongly recommends X1 as the best and simplest desktop searching software available. 

Download here: http://www.x1.com/products/xds.html

Here are some key features of “X1 Enterprise Client”:

Productivity
· Displays search results as fast as user types characters, words, terms
· Refines results on-the-fly with addition of more characters, terms
· Save frequent, complex searches to eliminate retyping
· Instant email, file content display without opening second application
· Launch program instantly from system tray icon
· Action buttons print or email documents from within X1
· Optional toolbar allows information searches from Windows Task Bar

File Search
· Index searches full file contents of 370 different content formats
· Embedded content viewers preview documents and data without original application
· Use common characters or words for most searches instead of formalized search language
· Supports Boolean search functionality
· Allows searching, indexing, sorting by file types, file sources, file sizes, dates
· Export search results to Excel spreadsheet or other data format
· Searches for Outlook and Lotus Notes contacts
· Searches for Outlook Calendar items
· Searches for Outlook Tasks
· Media-enabled preview plays music, displays images, video files

Email Search
· Supports Outlook, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes, Eudora, Thunderbird formats
· Email Application integration permits X1 to send, forward, reply to messages
· Supports other actions on email or attachments according to email application (see detailed list)
· Specifies local mailbox locations for indexing
· Search by character or term, and refine searches with “from”, “to,” “date,” and “subject”
· Searches and displays contents of email attachments
· Searches off-line Outlook .PST email archives
· Searches multiple Outlook .PST files simultaneously
· Copy email messages to a folder or Outlook .PST file

Automation
· Background indexing automatically pauses for disk-intensive applications
· Real-time Outlook email indexing
· Real-time file indexing
· Optional program launch at start-up
· Highlights and displays first result of search term
· Lists all search results of input characters or terms
· Schedule indexing in background or for off-peak hours

Interface Control
· Users can enable, disable search features for streamlined search
· Accepts pre-configured default settings
· Add saved searches, action buttons, and custom menu items
· Range searching

File Format Support
· X1 indexes, views, and acts on 370 content formats

Local Network Integration
· Enterprise Client can index shared network location(s)
· Allow only authorized files, shares, or folders to be indexed


Here’s a review:

X1 Search

From Tony Bradley, CISSP, MCSE2k, MCSA, A+

Do I Need X1 Search?: That is for you to decide. If you’re like me you think its great to have a 120Gb hard drive so you can store anything and everything on your computer. The problem is trying to find it when you need it.

What Is X1 Search?: X1 Search is a lightning quick and very powerful indexing and search utility for your computer. Using X1 Search you can find emails, file attachments, files and contacts as fast as you can type- literally.

What File Formats Can X1 Work With?: X1 Search is capable of finding and displaying files from Generic Text, DOS Word Processors, International Word Processors, Windows Word Processors, Macintosh Word Processors, Spreadsheet Formats, Database Formats, Presentation Formats, Graphic Formats, Music, Pictures, Compressed Formats and more.
Its nice that hard drive space is so cheap, but it doesn’t help much to have the history of the world on file in no particular order and no logical means of locating the data or information when the need arises.

I have created folders within folders in Outlook to “organize” my email messages so I can refer back to them later. But, when the situation comes up it takes me days, if not hours, to sift through the hundreds and thousands of messages and find what I am looking for.

All of this cheap storage space is somewhat of a double-edged sword. That is until I started using X1 Search. After doing an initial indexing of your computer X1 can find any message, file or contact as fast as you can type the search terms.

Not only can it find what you are looking for as fast as you can think of it, but the viewer pane is capable of displaying it using the proper formatting and style of the source program- Word documents look like Word documents and Excel spreadsheets look like Excel spreadsheets. And if the viewer pane isn’t enough, X1 can launch the source application with a click of the mouse as well.

At face value this is not a “security” product, but in reality it has potential as a forensic investigation tool as well. Being able to search entire hard drives in the blink of an eye for key words or terms might help evidence gathering. X1 will not only find files and data related to the search term(s), but it will highlight the search term(s) within the file to help you pinpoint where they occur.