everything-es-search

name	everything-es-search
description	Use when finding files by name/path on Windows primary dev PC via voidtools Everything (es.exe); prefer scripts/es-find.ps1 with a capped -MaxCount. On Linux lab-op SSH use find/fd, not es.

Everything (es.exe) search — token-aware

Prefer this skill when

• The operator is on Windows (primary Windows dev PC), Everything is installed, and the task is locate files by name or path (not file contents).
• Glob over the repo would be too broad, or the target is outside the workspace (another drive, sync folder, large tree).

Do not use es when

• The session is about lab-op as Linux SSH — run find / fd / locate on that host, or use lab-op.ps1 output. Everything does not run on Linux.
• You need content inside files — use Grep or SemanticSearch.

Default workflow

1. From the repo root, run .\scripts\es-find.ps1 with -Query and keep -MaxCount small (default 50 unless the user asked for full lists). This is the default path — wrapper calls es.exe (not “ex.exe”; the binary is es / es.exe). Do not skip it for ad-hoc Get-ChildItem when es should work on Windows.
2. Scope: omit -Global to search under the repo root only; use -Global only when the user needs the full indexed volume set.
3. Use -ShowCommand to print the exact es.exe line — copy it to add raw CLI flags not wrapped by the script.
4. Use -Help for a short usage string embedded in the script.

If es is missing or fails

• Exit code 127 means es.exe not on PATH. Install voidtools Everything CLI; ensure Everything is running (IPC). See docs/ops/EVERYTHING_ES_PRIMARY_WINDOWS_DEV_LAB.md.
• Tell the operator what failed (IPC, PATH, stderr) so they can fix the machine — then fall back.
• Fallback: .\scripts\es-find.ps1 -Query "..." -FallbackPowerShell — capped PowerShell filename search under the same default scope (slower). Not with -Regex or -Global.
• Assistants (Cursor): if es-find still cannot run, use Glob for in-repo names, or Get-ChildItem on a narrow root — Get-ChildItem is allowed; avoid SemanticSearch as a substitute for “find this filename”. Do not “forget” that es-find.ps1 exists for the next similar task.

primary Windows dev PC (primary dev workstation)

• es-find.ps1 only queries the Everything index — read-only, primary-dev-workstation-safe.
• Do not confuse with clean-slate / history rewrite — docs/ops/PRIMARY_WINDOWS_WORKSTATION_PROTECTION.md.

Token-aware habit

• Prefer summaries and top N paths in chat; avoid pasting hundreds of lines.
• For in-repo work, try Glob first; switch to es-find when it saves time or transcript size.

Session keyword

• Operator may type es-find — align the session to the wrapper + .cursor/rules/everything-es-cli.mdc.

See also

• Rule: .cursor/rules/everything-es-cli.mdc
• Guide: docs/ops/EVERYTHING_ES_PRIMARY_WINDOWS_DEV_LAB.md
• Token scripts hub: .cursor/skills/token-aware-automation/SKILL.md, .cursor/rules/check-all-gate.mdc