Searches
The Searches window lets you search for files across the eD2k and Kademlia networks and add results directly to your download queue.
Overview
The window is divided into two main areas. The upper area (highlighted in red) contains the search controls:
The lower area displays search results:
Basic Searching
Starting a Search
Type what you want to find in the Name field and click Start:
Search queries are matched against file names. For example:
amule— finds files whose name contains "amule"debian iso— finds files whose name contains both "debian" and "iso"
For details on how the search logic works (AND, OR, NOT), see Search types below.
Getting Results
Once a search starts, a results tab appears:
The results list shows, for each file: filename, size, sources (total sources, followed by the sources holding the complete file in parentheses, and an optional client count in square brackets), type, file ID (hash), status (download status) and directories (only populated for results obtained from a "view shared files" request):
When no files are found for the query, the results tab is empty.
For global searches, a progress bar appears showing how far the search has progressed:
Stopping a Search
Click the Stop button to halt an active search:
Alternatively, close the active tab (described in Tabs below).
Downloading from Results
Once results appear there are three ways to start a download.
Download Button
Select one or more files in the results list and click the Download button:
This method supports downloading multiple files in a single click.
Double-Click or Enter Key
Double-click a single file, or select it and press Enter:
Double-clicking or pressing Enter downloads all currently selected files (the selection is not cleared), the same as the Download button. The only exception is a result with grouped variants (see below): double-clicking it expands or collapses its variants instead of downloading.
Right-Click Menu (Extended Options)
Right-click on one or more selected files and choose Download or Download in category:
Using Download in category lets you assign the file(s) to a specific download category at the moment of queuing:
This method is not available to macOS users with a single-button mouse (no right-click). Use Ctrl+Click as an alternative.
Result Row Colours
Files in the results list are colour-coded:
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
 Green | Already downloaded or currently shared by you |
 Red | Already in the download queue |
| Dark blue / black | Not downloaded and not in queue; fewer sources |
 Light blue | Not downloaded and not in queue; more sources |
| Magenta | Previously queued for download but cancelled |
The brighter/more vivid the blue, the more sources the file has. Some search results may also display an average rating (when the server provides it). Comments are never shown in search results, only average ratings.
Grouped Variants
When several results share the same file (identical hash) but differ in name, they are grouped under a single parent row. A grouped row can be expanded to reveal its variants and collapsed again. Double-clicking a grouped row expands or collapses it instead of starting a download. The Directories column shows the source directory for variants that come from a "view shared files" request.
Tabs
Each search opens its own results tab:
Starting a new search creates an additional tab; previous tabs remain accessible in the background:
The tab label shows the search text you entered:
Clicking any tab shows the results for that particular search, allowing you to compare multiple searches simultaneously:
The number in brackets next to the search text is the result count:
When a filter is active (see Filtering below), the count appears as N/M, where M is the total number of results received and N is the number currently passing through the filter:
Closing a Tab
Click the X button on the left side of a tab to close it. Closing a tab also stops its search if it is still running:
Scrolling Tabs
When there are more tabs than fit in the window, scroll arrows appear on both ends of the tab bar:
Tab Right-Click Menu
Right-clicking a tab reveals three options:
| Option | Action |
|---|---|
| Close tab | Close the clicked tab |
| Close all tabs | Close every open tab |
| Close other tabs | Close all tabs except the clicked one |
Advanced Searching
Search Type
The Type dropdown selects the search method:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Local | Search only against the server you are currently connected to; instant results |
| Global | Broadcast the query to all known servers; slower but broader results |
| Kad | Search across the Kademlia network; slower, results trickle in over time |
Extended Parameters
Click Extended parameters to reveal additional search filters:
File Type
Restrict results to a specific media category (Any, Archives, Audio, CD-Images, Pictures, Programs, Texts, Videos):
Category
Automatically assign queued downloads to a specific category instead of the default "Main" category:
Extension
Show only files with a specific file extension (e.g., avi, mp3, iso):
Minimum Size
Discard results smaller than the specified size. Select the unit (Bytes, KB, MB, GB):
Maximum Size
Discard results larger than the specified size. Select the unit (Bytes, KB, MB, GB):
Availability
Discard results with fewer sources than the specified minimum:
Filtering
Click the Filtering checkbox to reveal post-search filtering controls. Filters apply to all open result tabs simultaneously:
Filter
Type a wxRegEx expression in the Filter box and click Filter results. Files whose name matches the expression are displayed; all others are hidden. The match is case-insensitive. A plain word (e.g. linux) matches any filename containing that word:
Invert Result
Check Invert result to reverse the filter: only files whose name does not contain the filter string are displayed:
Hide Known Files
Click Hide known files to remove from the results list any file that is already in your download queue or has already been completed:
Clearing Searches
Clear Search Parameters
Click the Reset Fields button to clear the search text and reset all extended parameters to their defaults:
Clear All Tabs
Click the Clear button to close all open tabs at once:
You can also right-click any tab and choose Close all tabs:
Results Right-Click Menu
Right-clicking on a result row opens this menu:
| Option | Action |
|---|---|
| Download | Add selected file(s) to the download queue |
| Download in category | Add selected file(s) to a specific category |
| Get <stats server> for this file | Open a browser with the configured statistics server for the file (last selected file if multiple are selected). The label shows the configured server name (default: "Shorty's ED2K stats"); this entry only appears when a statistics server is configured |
| Search related files (eD2k, local server) | Start a new search for files related to the selected file |
| Copy eD2k link to clipboard | Copy the ed2k link(s) as plain text (single selection only) |
Miscellaneous
The Fast ED2K links handler bar at the bottom of the search window lets you paste ed2k links to add them directly to the download queue. It is always visible in the Searches panel, regardless of whether it is enabled in Preferences → Interface → Show "Fast eD2k Links Handler" in every window. To hide it in the search window as well, click the Search button in the toolbar twice.