Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”

From	Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com>
Newsgroups	comp.os.linux.advocacy, comp.sys.mac.advocacy
Subject	Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”
Date	2026-05-11 10:26 -0700
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<10tt3fk$19gng$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	(9 earlier) <10tlaji$336rn$1@dont-email.me> <10tnbgp$3kvct$4@dont-email.me> <10tnbol$3d89e$2@dont-email.me> <10tpsv8$bj8g$2@dont-email.me> <n6c1b5F5sg9U2@mid.individual.net>

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 2026-05-10 11:33, rbowman wrote:
> On Sun, 10 May 2026 08:16:39 -0400, Chris Ahlstrom wrote:
> 
>> $ locate xyz
>>
>> This finds about 20 files on this system.
> 
> It finds 134 on mine :)  That's what happens when you mess around with GIS
> stuff. There are a lot of Python and Node library files to handle tile
> requests. The plocate database is 40 MB.

My ".Spotlight-V100" directory is 4.3GB...

...less than 0.5% of my 1TB drive...

...and it lets me find every ".py" file on the entire volume in less 
than a second.

I guarantee you that 4.3GB of my RAM is not occupied by a "cached" 
version of the index.

Executing this command on "/" (which has some 2,719,481 files) using the 
"time" utility:

mdfind "kMDItemFSName == '*.py' && kMDItemTextContent == 'cat'" -0 | 
xargs -0 grep -i -B 3 -A 2 "cat"

Which finds ever python file, and prints out 3 lines before and three 
lines after the "cat" in each...

...took 0.505 seconds.

I realize that you Linux advocates have to sign a contract in blood with 
Linus Torvalds before they're allowed to use Linux, but seriously:

Spotlight works excellently, and you just look foolish when you try to 
compare it to something like "locate".

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“5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-05 00:54 +0000
  Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-04 18:14 -0700
    Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” "Joel W. Crump" <joelcrump@gmail.com> - 2026-05-04 21:24 -0400
      Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-04 18:58 -0700
      SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 17:13 +0200
        Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-05 11:20 -0400
          Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 17:31 +0200
            Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-05 12:02 -0400
              Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 18:08 +0200
                Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 09:14 -0700
                Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 18:49 +0200
                Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-05 13:21 -0400
                Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 11:22 -0700
        Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) "Joel W. Crump" <joelcrump@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 13:35 -0400
          Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 19:41 +0200
            Re: SSD prices (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-05 13:53 -0400
              Re: SSD prices (was Re: �5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts�) chrisv <chrisv@nospam.invalid> - 2026-05-05 15:36 -0500
                Re: SSD prices (was Re: 5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-05 18:45 -0400
    Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 17:11 +0200
      Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 08:50 -0700
        Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 17:54 +0200
          Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 09:06 -0700
            Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 18:13 +0200
              Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 09:16 -0700
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 18:59 +0200
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 10:04 -0700
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 19:24 +0200
  Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-05 08:55 -0400
    Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 13:54 +0000
      Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” "Joel W. Crump" <joelcrump@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 10:24 -0400
        Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 08:51 -0700
        Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 17:27 +0000
          Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 19:32 +0200
            Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 17:50 +0000
              Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 19:55 +0200
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 17:59 +0000
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 20:04 +0200
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 18:14 +0000
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 20:15 +0200
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-05 22:37 +0000
                Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 16:44 +0200
              Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-05 22:18 +0000
                Re: “5MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” (was: “5MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 22:48 +0000
          Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” "Joel W. Crump" <joelcrump@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 14:26 -0400
            Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 18:46 +0000
      Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-05 21:45 +0000
        Re: �5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts� (was: �5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts�) chrisv <chrisv@nospam.invalid> - 2026-05-05 17:02 -0500
        Re: “5MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts” (was: “5MacOS command line tools I swear by over  their GUI counterparts”) Brock McNuggets <brock.mcnuggets@gmail.com> - 2026-05-05 23:00 +0000
    Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-05 08:51 -0700
  Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 17:08 +0200
  Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-05 17:37 +0200
    Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-05-05 21:46 +0000
      Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 16:41 +0200
        Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-06 12:24 -0400
          Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 18:27 +0200
            Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-06 12:31 -0400
              Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 18:45 +0200
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-06 12:56 -0400
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 19:09 +0200
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-06 14:04 -0400
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 21:58 +0200
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-06 18:45 -0400
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) CrudeSausage <crude@sausa.ge> - 2026-05-06 14:05 -0400
                Re: Nix (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts”) John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 22:00 +0200
  mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-06 10:37 -0700
    Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 19:52 +0200
      Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-06 11:58 -0700
        Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-06 21:57 +0200
          Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-06 13:34 -0700
            Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-05-07 01:34 +0000
              Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-06 19:31 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-08 13:44 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-08 11:33 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-09 08:59 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-09 06:09 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-10 08:06 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-10 06:25 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-10 12:21 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-10 21:41 -0700
            Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” John Bokma <contact@johnbokma.com> - 2026-05-07 12:08 +0200
              Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-07 07:27 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-08 13:52 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-08 11:38 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-09 09:06 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-09 06:10 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-10 08:16 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” pothead <pothead@snakebite.com> - 2026-05-10 12:24 +0000
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-10 06:34 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-05-10 18:33 +0000
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-05-11 07:33 -0400
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-11 10:26 -0700
                Re: mdfind vs ag (was Re: “5 MacOS command line tools I swear by over their GUI counterparts” Alan <nuh-uh@nope.com> - 2026-05-11 10:26 -0700

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