gdSuite 1.1 - Taking Desktop Searches to a New Level

“[gdSuite] bring[s] Google closer to creating an interface that Microsoft is likely to deliver.” - NewsFactor

“gdSuite … gives Google Desktop Search an interface, and some much needed advanced features” - InsideGoogle

“I'm glad to have the additional options for those times when Google Desktop doesn't find exactly what I needed quickly” - SearchEngineWatch, on gdSuite

News - March 6, 2005 - New Version of Google Desktop Released

Today, a new version of Google Desktop was released. To download it, visit http://desktop.google.com. gdSuite is incompatible with this new version; however, expect a new version of gdSuite to be released within the next week.

News - January 2, 2005 - gdSuite API to Google Desktop Released

Today, we are releasing a beta version of the gdSuite API. Using the gdSuite API to Google Desktop, you can use the Google Desktop search results in your own applications. Visit the download page to get the API, see the API documentation for more information, or discuss the API in the forums.

Update - December 22, 2004 - gdSuite 1.1.2 Released (For Real This Time, I Promise)

Yesterday, when I said we had released version 1.1.2, I was apparently very tired and not paying attention. I did actually compile it and make the installer; I just forgot to post it to the download site! I promise that this time it really is the new version. To get this new version, go to the download page.

Update - December 21, 2004 - gdSuite 1.1.2 Released with Bug Fixes

Today we released gdSuite 1.1.2. This includes no new features, and fixes a bug that caused gdSuite to display the Invalid Search Terms error and/or required the user to run the initial settings wizard every time gdSuite was started. We believe that this is related to the new Google Desktop update. Note that only users with the Check for Updates on Startup option in gdSuite are affected. If you do not have any problems, it is not recomended that you update. To update, go to the download page.

News Flash - December 12, 2004 - gdSuite 1.1 Just Released

We have just released gdSuite 1.1! What's new in 1.1:

• Faster Searches
• Better auto-configuration when you first install gdSuite (it actually works now!)
• A large number of other enhancements, speed-ups, bug fixes, and tweaks. For example, gdSuite now detects if Google Desktop is running, and if it isn't, gdSuite offers to start it for you.

Head over to the download page now to get gdSuite 1.1!

Previously, we had announced a number of other features to be in gdSuite 1.1. However, since some features and fixes were ready before others, we decided to release version 1.1 with a smaller number of fixes and then release 1.2 with the large updates outlined below. Don't worry, though, we are almost done with 1.2; we just didn't want to make you wait for some of the smaller but important things that were ready! We expect to have gdSuite 1.2 finished toward the end of December.

Discuss this news flash in the forums here.

What is gdSuite?

A screenshot of gdSuite in action.

To see the full list of things gdSuite can do, see the features page.

gdSuite is a next generation desktop search client. It can instantly find emails (from Outlook and Outlook Express), chats (in AOL and AOL Instant Message [AIM]), and web pages you've viewed in Internet Explorer. Plus, it can find any file by filename and can search inside Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files. Plus, gdSuite is completely free!

gdSuite takes searching your own computer to a whole new level. You can engage advanced filters based on the following:

• date (within the last year, month, or week; or between two specific dates)
• medium/item type (file, AIM, e-mail, or web page)
• file extension
• file name
• folder name (with subfolders on/off)
• what the web site address contains
• what a web site is titled
• who an e-mail is from
• the subject of an e-mail
• who an AIM conversation was with
• text in an item

gdSuite also integrates into Windows Explorer to make searching as fast and easy as possible. Just right click any folder or drive and click Search with gdSuite... to start a new gdSuite search of that folder.

gdSuite uses Google Desktop to find items. Then, gdSuite filters the results and displays them in any easy to use Windows interface. Read more about Google Desktop here.

Old News

gdSuite 1.2 Status

For gdSuite 1.2, I am working on the following:

• PDF Support (you can search inside PDFs)
• Trillian support (an instant messanger program)
• Remote searching (probably not going to be in gdSuite 1.2 unless there is huge interest; if I don't choose to include this, I will at least make gdSuite able to use an existing GDS proxy, like DNKA)
• Files types via GDSPlus. GDSPlus allows you to customize the file types Google Desktop searches. You can install GDSPlus automatically and configure it from within gdSuite in an EASY TO USE way. I am working with the author of GDSPlus on this.
• Google Desktop tools, like moving the index files, forcing Google Desktop to index certain folders, and more.
• Searchable MP3 metadata (like artist, album, etc.) (again, probably not going to be in gdSuite 1.2 unless there is huge interest)
• Web pages on your computer (HTML files) can be toggled between being shown as files or as web pages (currently the only option)

If you have any input on features you want to see in gdSuite 1.2, talk about it in the forum topic here. Be sure to mention if you want to be able to search inside any other file types not yet supported. While we are looking into support for gMail, Firefox, and a number of e-mail clients, it is much harder to implement a whole new service or program than a new file type.

A number of people have asked me about getting the beta. I will post a link to the beta when I am finished with it.

Lastly, I am working on a plug-in interface so people can add more file types to Google Desktop and have Google Desktop actually process them and them look inside them in a way other than as raw text. We have it working with PDFs, and if any developers express interest in an API (via the forum post), we will make it available.

Latest News - November 19, 2004

gdPlus has been renamed gdSuite! gdPlus was too similar to GDSPlus, another great Google Desktop add-on.