too old for this technology... need help

[senior_citizen]

Hello-

I'm new to this forum and new to androids, and probably should have stuck with a Cricket at my age, but I'm giving it a try. Is there a way I can search my entire device for a keyword? I have some Word docs saved on my card and if I type a word I think is on one of my word docs, I'm hoping this phone (HTC ERIS) can find that word. My phone has a magnefying glass at the bottom of the screen but when I click it, it seems to be searching the internet instead of my phone. If anyone knows how I can search all files of my phone for a keyword, I'd appreciate taping into your young, agile minds.

Thanks,
Senior_Citizen

 

[Podivin]

Welcome to the forum Senior-Citizen.
I've moved your message to the HTC Eris forum where folks with the same phone can help you out.

*I* am not aware of a way to search your phone for a keyword, or an app that does that.

Windows however can search by keyword, and the phone can connect to your PC and be seen as just another drive. So I'd suggest you mount the phone to the PC and do a Windows keyword search on the drive letter that the phone gets assigned.

Others here may know of a way to search on the phone itself, we'll know soon enough.

 

[MrDangerous]

Also depends on if the word files are DOC (2003 and older) or DOCX (2007 and newer) format. I've never really noticed if the Eris can read DOCX files or not.

DOCX files are basically a zipped directory of XML files. If you rename a DOCX file to .ZIP and open it you'll see all the files inside.

 

[Frisco]

Hello-

I'm new to this forum and new to androids, and probably should have stuck with a Cricket at my age, but I'm giving it a try. Is there a way I can search my entire device for a keyword? I have some Word docs saved on my card and if I type a word I think is on one of my word docs, I'm hoping this phone (HTC ERIS) can find that word. My phone has a magnefying glass at the bottom of the screen but when I click it, it seems to be searching the internet instead of my phone. If anyone knows how I can search all files of my phone for a keyword, I'd appreciate taping into your young, agile minds.

Thanks,
Senior_Citizen

Horray, another old guy (or gal). Welcome to the asylum.

"Documents to go," from Market for free, should resolve the DOCX issue.

 

[OfTheDamned]

Welcome to the forum! Great screen name!

For some strange reason I have never seen a way to do this natively. I've always found the lack of search on a phone built by a search engine company to be rather odd, but it is what it is.

You can use the default search button to search for things on the phone itself, but you would have to use a file manager like Astro or OI to locate things on the SD Card.

If you know the file type you are looking for (as you do in this case) you can open the program associated with the file (Quick office) and sort or search for the files that way.

 

[senior_citizen]

Thank you all for your responses. Forgive me if I sometimes ask dumb questions. I'm sure I'll have more of them. It took me a week and a lot of early mornings with an angry wife to learn how to turn the alarm off.

 

[senior_citizen]

One more question I just though of for now. If I have my phone connected to a USB and my computer, but I'm in a metal building not getting a cell or a 3G signal, is there a way to make my phone connect to the internet through my USB and my computer so I can search for programs on the andriod market icon?

 

[Podivin]

One more question I just though of for now. If I have my phone connected to a USB and my computer, but I'm in a metal building not getting a cell or a 3G signal, is there a way to make my phone connect to the internet through my USB and my computer so I can search for programs on the andriod market icon?

Nope. But you can go to androlib.com or appbrain.com to search for apps. You can't actually load them on the phone from there, but at least you can look for 'fun' apps at times when your phone doesn't have a signal.

Or, if you can latch on to a wifi signal, you can get to the internet that way.

 

[OfTheDamned]

Nope. But you can go to androlib.com or appbrain.com to search for apps. You can't actually load them on the phone from there, but at least you can look for 'fun' apps at times when your phone doesn't have a signal.

Or, if you can latch on to a wifi signal, you can get to the internet that way.

Just to add a little to this. Appbrain.com actually has an app in the Android market. You can download that app and sync it with appbrain.com.(You simply need to sign into appbrain using the gmail account on your phone.) Then when you are searching appbrain.com you can select apps that you would like to add later. Then once you have signal again you can sync the appbrain app with the appbrain market and load those apps from the Android Market.

Reading back through that I don't believe I explained it as well as I could have, but it is really easy to do and a lot easier than writing the app names on a piece of paper or trying to remember them later.

 

[heaha]

Actually You can tell the ERIS what to search.

Under search settings you can check any of the several sub categories you want the Search function to look in.

The more apps you have installed, the more this list grows, But on a stock phone you will see internet, music, contacts, apps etc...

Whether or not this will narrow down your search depends on the file type and what 3rd party apps you have install

If it is a Word Doc. Perhaps one of the programs that read it will turn up on the list.

I don't use any of those, or have any installed on my phone, so I cant confirm it

But I do know my search will search music, contacts as well as the net, which is how I have it set up .

 

[bberryhill0]

I didn't know there were search settings.

I have Docs to Go and it doesn't show up.

 

[dhrandy]

You can download a file browsing app like Linda Manager and browse and open the document with Documents to Go. It should auto open with that program or ask.

 

[MrWilliams]

Too old? I work in education. I had a student last semester complete her bachelors degree at the age of 79! There's no maximum age for learning. Welcome to the wonderful world of Android.

 

[senior_citizen]

Thank you all. You're very helpful. Has your Android ever bit you? I'm may be going crazy, but sometimes when my android is in my pocket, I'm sure something is stinging me on my leg. When I empty my pocket expecting to find an ant... the only thing in there is my Android. Is this normal behavior of an Android phone?

 

[mc48]

Thank you all. You're very helpful. Has your Android ever bit you? I'm may be going crazy, but sometimes when my android is in my pocket, I'm sure something is stinging me on my leg. When I empty my pocket expecting to find an ant... the only thing in there is my Android. Is this normal behavior of an Android phone?

hahahaha. I'd have to go with the crazy part on that one. Maybe the battery was warm and you felt that...or maybe you didn't have the back on tight and it pinched you. But bit? No.

 

[Alleycat]

too old? I work in education. I had a student last semester complete her bachelors degree at the age of 79! There's no maximum age for learning. Welcome to the wonderful world of android.

ecu?? Pffffftt!!! Go wolfpack!!!!:d