SUMMARY: Baloo has the option to "Index hidden folders" (as an option in .config/baloofilerc and presented in the System Settings 'Search' page.) This seems to work "as if" it means index hidden files STEPS TO REPRODUCE: Create a hidden folder mkdir .test and create a testfile in it echo 'Hello World' > .test/testfile Enable "Index hidden folders" in System Settings > Search; run "balooctl monitor" in a separate window to see what's happening and then "balooctl purge" to make sure everything is reindexed. Search for the file by filename or by content baloosearch testfile baloosearch "Hello World" OBSERVED RESULTS Nothing is found If the file is copied to ~/Documents, it is then indexed and found If the .test folder is explicitly added to Baloo's folders list then the file is found (this seems to override the 'Index hidden folders' flag) EXPECTED RESULTS Expect both searches to find the file SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Neon Testing Baloo : 5.79.0 Plasma : 5.20.5 Frameworks : 5.79.0 Qt : 5.15.2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION There is scope for confusion here. If the option is "Index hidden files and folders", you can see people would expect that baloo indexes the folder content (whether filenames or free text) It is not "discoverable" that you can (or that you need to) include a specific hidden folder in the indexing criteria. Maybe the options should be "Index hidden files" together with a "Show hidden folders" that has a hint/tooltip that says select the folders you want indexed.
I find it a good compromise to have to explicitly give the 'hidden foldername'. It makes sense to have to specify .config rather than 'all hidden folders' and find you are suddenly indexing all of .cache The trouble is how people find out about that. It's probably a usability thing. That's why I aimed the report at the System Settings > Search panel (I can never work out what components are responsible for what)
Created attachment 134967 [details] Mockup with "Index selected hidden folders" checkbox Maybe this is a possible solution. It separates out the indexing of hidden files from the hidden folders (that need to be explicitly included in the baloofilerc file). It sidesteps the implication that all hidden folders are indexed The "Index selected hidden folders" option would need to make the hidden folders visible so that they can be selected The dialog is perhaps a bit weak in showing that normal folders can be included/excluded
Should be fixed by Stefan Brüns with the commits in https://invent.kde.org/frameworks/baloo/-/merge_requests/37/commits in Frameworks 5.79!
That works for me. Checked with .test folders and a general "index hidden folders" and including .test as a specific folder. Thanks! Setting the general "index hidden files and folders" indexes all hidden folders, just as it "says on the tin". It means you get things like .cache, all thumbnails for example, which could be more than you were expecting... I think it's worth making the option to index a chosen hidden folder more visible - should just be flagged "wishlist" though.