GREP has a vast and interesting history. Read on to discover
more about the history of GREP and why Hurricane Search was created.
GREP History
GREP was originally a tool available on UNIX platforms allowing
you to search for text in text files. You could customize
searches by an amazing array of command line switches. GREP would
use Regular Expression syntax to help you quickly find very
specific pieces of text embedded in a text file. Its output was
simply redirected to the screen. This utility eventually made
its way to the DOS world and worked in a very similar fashion.
Then along came Windows with GUI interfaces. Many GREP-like
utilities have been created for the windows environment, but most
of these utilities don't take advantage of the rich user interface
features available in Windows. This is where Hurricane Search comes in.
Hurricane Search has a powerful interface that does away with the old notion of
command line GREP utilities. It contains the features that
you have come to expect in quality professional software:
look-and-feel customization, easy to use user interface to help minimize your
typing, integrated on-line help, and seam-less integration into your
working environments.
Why Hurricane Search?
Hurricane Search was built with the way that a programmer works in
mind. Programmers often need to find a very specific piece
of text in a sea of source code. The only practical way of
doing this is to have a utility sift through all of the files
for you. This is where most utilities stop. You simply see
the results of the search. Some even let you view/edit the
file. This is where Hurricane Search goes the extra step to save you
an extra step. When you have found the piece of text that you
were looking for, you obviously want to do something with it.
You may want to change it, move it somewhere, or simply look
at the context in which it is used. It would make sense that
the best place to do this is in your standard working
environment. Your environment has the colors customized the way
you like, the keys are set up just right, and you know if
you save a file in your environment that you don't have it open
somewhere else. Hurricane Search gives you the option to use your IDE
to view the results of a search.
After a search has completed, Hurricane Search displays the results of the search
in a hierarchical tree of the files that contain a match. By clicking
on a file, Hurricane Search will also show you all the matches (including line number)
in that file. As you select each match, Hurricane Search will show a preview of the
match in the "Quick Preview Window". This window will show the match and several
lines around it. In many cases, you will never need to open the file to get
the information you need. In the cases where you do need to open the file,
Hurricane Search will make this a painless process.
When you choose "Open" (by either double-clicking or using the Open Button)
while on a match, Hurricane Search will open that file for you.
How it is opened is up to you:
Hurricane Search can open the match in Hurricane Editor.
The file is opened and Hurricane Editor is positioned on the
line number of the match.
Hurricane Search can open the match in a custom defined editor of your choosing.
Parameters can be supplied on the command line for both the filename
and line number.
Hurricane Search can synchronize YOUR IDE automatically!
If the file is not already open in your IDE, then it
is opened, otherwise the open copy is brought to the
front. Then the IDE is positioned on the match. At
this point you can simply return to work without any
further delays.
Hurricane Search is designed to aid you in your quest to create great
software. It can enable you to find the information
you are looking for quickly and then helps you return to your
favorite environment sooner, so you can be more productive.