The creators of the Google Search Engine have also created a free utility program known as Google Desktop Search.  This utility program indexes files on your Windows PC and displays the results in a Google search page.  (Google Desktop Search requires Windows XP, Vista or Windows 2000 SP 3+ )

The General CADD Desktop Search Plug-In adds the ability to Google Desktop Search to look inside DWG, DXF, DGN, General CADD .GXD, Generic CADD .GCD and Visual CADD .VCD files and extract searchable text strings for inclusion in the file description index.  For example, if you create a GXD, GCD, DWG, VCD, DGN or DXF file that contains the text "Ajax Builders" somewhere in the drawing,  when you launch the Google Desktop Search (after this plug-in is installed) and type in "Ajax Builders" for the search keywords, Desktop Search will list every file that contains the text Ajax Builders at the top of the list.  This allows you to search for CAD files on your computer based on text strings contained within the CAD file.  

Imagine what you would have to go through to find a drawing that you or someone else created several years ago and you can't remember the file name or where it is located on your computer.  If you do remember some text that you used in the drawing to label something such as the customer's name or  "Hazel's Carport", you can search for the file using "Hazel's Carport" as a search keyword.  Desktop Search will quickly locate the file and provide a link to it.  Then you click on that link and Windows will launch the CAD program assigned to open that file type and bingo!  Instant access to your drawing!

Example of Search Result Listing

How to Get this Functionality on Your Computer

Click this link to download and  install Google Desktop or to check if already installed:
 

http://desktop.google.com/
  

2.  After installing Desktop Search, download, unzip the zip file and run SetupGeneralCADDIndexer.msi to install the General CADD Desktop Search Plug-In.

click this link  

      Note!  Please do not upload this program to freeware and download sites - see copyright notice below

Special Notice - VISTA & Win 7 INSTALLATION:
You must have Administrator rights and “User Account Control” (UAC) must be turned OFF before installing the plug-in. After verifying that the plug-in has been installed (seeing it in the Google Desktop preferences’ plug-in listing), UAC may be turned back ON.
 

3.  Finally, access the Preferences page in Google Desktop Search and check the checkbox which will add the General CADD Desktop Search Plug-In to Desktop Search.  
 

(Make sure that Text and other files is also checked.  If “Text and other files” is not checked Google Desktop will index the GXD, GCD, DWG, and DXF files but it just won’t show those files in the search results.)

Special Note!  If you are upgrading this indexer from a previous version -

Exit (Close) Google Desktop before installing this new version to avoid a forced reboot.

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