Searching For Files And Mail

FirstClass contains a powerful built-in search feature. You can search within messages and documents for a word, or you can search for items based on the subject, file name, attachment name, to/from names and even the content of the item.  Searches in FirstClass are performed in the background, allowing you to carry out other tasks (like reading your mail or chatting with another user.)

Searching Within A Message Or Document

If you have a message or document open (such as this one), you may search for words within the text by pulling down the File menu and choosing Find.  Enter the text you are searching for in the dialog box that appears, and press the Find button.  FirstClass will scroll the document to the position where the word appears and highlight it for you.  To search for the word again, pull down File and choose Find Again.

Searching For Messages and Documents

You can search for an item within your mailbox, within a conference or within a set of conferences.  To begin a file search, open the target object you wish to search, for example your mailbox.  Pull down the File menu and choose Find.  A search form will appear, allowing you to specify the search criteria.  The search form contains a box to enter the text to search for, and a set of checkboxes which controlwhere to look.  The checkboxes have the following effect:

Search subject/file name: Search in the Subject  field of messages and in the file name  field of files and documents.  This is the fastest of the search options.

Search sub conferences & folders: If the search encounters a sub-folder or conference, it will continue searching inside the folder.  This allows you to search large portions of a system, and may take a long time.  As an example, you could search the help system (where this file resides), including the sub-folders by checking this option.

Search content of documents: Search the text contained in the message or document.  This option will make the search take longer because each message or document must be opened and searched.

Search attachment names: Search the text in the attachment name  field of any message with attachments.  If you are looking for an attachment only, check this box (and possibly the Search sub conferences & folders box) only.

Search “From” name: Search in the From  field of messages.  This can be used to show all messages from a specified person.

Search “To/CC” names: Search in the To  or Cc  list of messages.  This can be used in your mailbox to show all messages sent to a particular person.

The search starts when you press the Search button.  A new window is opened (the search list ), which displays items which match the search criteria. Searching is performed in the background so you can continue to do other things while the system is searching.  You may open items in the search list as soon as they appear, without waiting for the search to finish.  The current conference or folder being searched is displayed in the top right corner of the search list.  When the search is complete, a beep sounds and the top right corner will appear blank.