dnGREP

Finding specific files on your computer can be a pain, although Windows comes with its own solution in this regard. It gets even worse when you only need a bit of text from a document, but you're not exactly sure where and what document it is. Luckily, specialized applications like dnGREP give you the possibility to specify advanced search criteria for all files on your computer or specific locations.

The application is nothing more that a polished interface for a command line utility, namely GREP. Functions are properly implemented and although it might feel like crashing from time to time, it's pretty stable on its feet and retrieve results according to your specifications. You don't need to have GREP installed on your computer for proper functionality.

Context menu integration plays an important role in the application's set of features, considerably increasing practicality and flexibility. Even if no folder is selected, you can launch it from the context menu.

A simple interface is put at your disposal. Thus, accommodation is not an issue, with most fields being similar to what you're used to from the Windows search feature. The path can either be specified by using the built-in open dialog, or launching the application through the context menu.

You can perform basic search operations by simply writing down a part of the word you're looking for. On the other hand, you can take advantage of complex criteria in order to find Regex or XPath entries, as well as text or phonetic.

Content can be replaced with a text string of your choice. To narrow down results, you can check options for case targeting, multiline or whole word. In case you constantly need to perform a specific operation, you can save it thanks to the integrated favorites manager.

Result doesn't take long to be displayed, but it could have done a little better. If text is retrieved, the application lets you view content without running other utilities. However, accessing the options menu enables you to add a custom editor and even enhance it with arguments for more functions.

DnGREP lives up to expectations and provides a powerful environment in which to perform thorough search operations to find any file, as well as content. It's easy to use by anyone, with the context menu integration representing a major advantage. Even if it's not meant to replace your default search application, you're tempted to do so after the first try.