GNOME 活动搜索：你可能从未了解过的 7 个功能
搜索 GNOME
![](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224338y0d7dgqlez0e0nmz.jpg)



> 
> GNOME 的桌面环境中隐藏着丰富的搜索特性，爱探索的你不妨尝试寻找。挖掘新知，将是一场乐趣无穷的旅程。
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在我之前的 [一篇文章](https://itsfoss.com/nautilus-file-search/) 中，分享过在 Nautilus 文件管理器中如何掌握搜索的技巧。


在这次的教程中，我将介绍 GNOME 活动区域中一些被忽视的搜索功能。


如果 “<ruby> GNOME 活动 <rt>  GNOME Activities </rt></ruby>” 这个术语你并不熟悉，你可以在 GNOME 桌面环境的左上角找到并点击 “<ruby> 活动 <rt>  Activities </rt></ruby>” 按钮，进入相应界面。


![点击活动以访问](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224343kmrt22922rccjhrq.png)


你也可以通过按下 `Super` 键（即：`Windows` 键）来快速访问。


![GNOME 搜索界面](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224344x8yyt85ecc8ts8gu.png)


尽管 GNOME 内置了强大的搜索功能，但大部分人却仅仅用它来搜索和运行应用。


![大部分人用 GNOME 活动来搜索和运行应用](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224344zfgtiltv3vf31nkf.png)


而实则，它还有更多的功能等待你去探索，这些可能在你使用过程中派上大用场，同时让你带上专业用户的范儿。


就让我们逐个介绍这些隐藏功能吧。


### 1、全局文件搜索


这个功能和打开应用非常类似。当你在搜索区域开始输入，你会发现搜索结果在不断的变化。如果有文件与你的搜索关键词匹配上，你可以点击文件名，也可以按回车，以默认的应用打开它。


![文件搜索](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224345kxqz9vxtnq9zopzg.png)


在同一界面中，你可以看到每个文件都有一个小型的预览。并且，列表中的每个文件都会标注其完整路径。


如果你细看，你会发现这里有一个文件管理器的图标，点击它。


![文件管理器图标](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224346e48wi15l1nglffyw.png)


点击后，会打开 Nautilus 文件管理器，并进入搜索模式，你可以看到所有匹配到的文件。


![Nautilus 文件管理器的搜索模式](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224346whrhr7qooow96r9a.png)


同样的，如果你点击了搜索结果中的某个应用图标，将打开这个应用，并同时展示相应的搜索结果。



> 
> ? 如果你已经安装了 GNOME Sushi，你甚至可以在开始使用这些文件前，使用全屏模式预览它们。
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### 2、复制表情符和特殊字符


GNOME 提供了一个名为 `gnome-characters` 的应用，它包含了许多表情符以及相关字符。如果你还未安装这个应用，可以使用以下命令进行安装：



```
sudo apt install gnome-characters

```

安装完成后，这个应用将配置自己的搜索提供器。这意味着你能够搜索任何字符的名称，并且在输入过程中，系统会为你提供各种搜索建议。


![搜索概览中的字符](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224347azftrm9ompp4p34r.png)


一旦你找到了想要的字符，按回车键，就可以将其复制到剪贴板。然后使用 `CTRL+V` 进行粘贴。


![字符已复制](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224348wh8mvqnhve3krmqm.png)


### 3、不必打开计算器便能进行计算


你完全可以利用 GNOME shell 的搜索功能当作一个快捷的计算器。对于一些简单的数学运算，并无必要额外打开计算器应用。


相反，你可以直接在 GNOME 活动区域内完成计算。


![获取计算结果](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224349yiy3jcjfbyeycplm.png)


此外，你还可以将计算结果复制到剪贴板。


### 4、轻松获取全球时间


想要知道另一个城市现在的具体时间吗？不必使用其他小工具或程序，仅仅输入城市名称，GNOME shell 就能告诉你该地的时间。


![GNOME Shell 搜索中的世界时钟](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224349sxx02uhd2zjgl7cl.png)


### 5、方便地在运行中的终端窗口之间切换


假设你同时运行了多个终端窗口，或者在同一终端窗口中打开多个标签，各自运行了不同的活动命令，例如 `top`，或者用 `bat` 或 `less` 在读取某个文件等，


你可以通过在 GNOME shell 搜索中输入命令名称，快速定位到正在运行该命令的终端窗口。


![获取运行中的终端窗口](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224350nh3e8d7iehahzdd6.png)


你会发现，我在其中一个终端中运行了 `top` 可以直接跳转到此终端窗口。若这是在不同的标签中，它也能帮你切换到运行着这个特定命令的标签页。


### 6、执行网络搜索


你可以通过 GNOME Shell 直达 Firefox 的网页搜索。为能实现这个功能，你需要先在后台打开 Firefox。


![设置中的 Firefox 角色——搜索提供器](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224350nn4aapzcsucekpks.png)


启动 Firefox 后，你可以在活动概览中搜索并找到网页结果。除此之外，你还可以在系统设置中，根据你的喜好对 Firefox 的显示顺序进行调整。


![Firefox 搜索结果](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224351by577tvoohhvht5q.png)



> 
> ? 遗憾的是，在我使用的 Fedora 38 系统中，虽然 Firefox 是搜索提供器，但我无法从中获得任何搜索结果。但在 Manjaro 上，一切运行正常。
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如果你使用的是其他的发行版，你可以在 GNOME shell 搜索中，通过 Epiphany 或 GNOME Web 浏览器来访问网络搜索结果。首先，你可以使用你的包管理器来安装 Epiphany：



```
sudo apt install epiphany

```

或者，你也可以从 Flathub 安装：



```
flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Epiphany

```

安装完成后，打开设置，找到搜索功能。这时，你会看到 GNOME Web 已经出现在列表中了。


![搜索设置中的 GNOME Web](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224351ps5l7n0gsgpgjuyu.png)


如果它未被激活，只需开启这个开关。即使 GNOME Web 并没有被打开，它仍能正常工作。


![使用 GNOME Web 搜索得到的网络结果](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224351kuyfqy0yiukuuzui.png)



> 
> ? 如果一个新安装的应用程序提供了某种搜索功能，它将会出现在搜索标签页中。
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### 7、管理搜索结果的显示顺序


你可以使用系统设置对显示的搜索结果进行重新排序，禁用某些结果等操作。


#### 在系统设置应用中访问搜索设置


打开系统设置，然后进入搜索选项卡。


![设置中的搜索选项卡](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224352xx35x8z5xg35zp5i.png)


#### 重新排序搜索结果显示的顺序


打开搜索设置后，你可以看到列出了所有可用的搜索提供器。每一个项目的左侧有一个把手，右侧有三个点的菜单。


![用于排列项目的按钮和把手](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224353tsd91zyy1yg1j6jq.png)


你可以直接拖拽左侧的把手来调整项目顺序，将其放到你希望的位置。


![拖拽调整项目显示的顺序](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224353pq73jv897rn8ynvr.gif)


或者，你也可以点击右侧三点菜单，然后选择“<ruby> 向上移动 <rt>  Move Up </rt></ruby>”或“<ruby> 向下移动 <rt>  Move Down </rt></ruby>”。


![使用按钮上下移动](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224354wsgu3dzqcjbuztuf.gif)


调整后的设置将会作为 GNOME shell 搜索结果新的显示顺序。


#### 管理各个文件的搜索位置


通过搜索选项卡里的“<ruby> 搜索位置 <rt>  Search Locations </rt></ruby>”选项，你可以调整系统应用，如文件、照片、视频等的搜索位置。


![](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224354vgogennjjdnentug.png)


现在，你可以开启或者关闭已有的搜索位置。或者点击添加按钮，添加新的位置。


![添加或移除位置](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224354a5jqy2mm222fqz5d.png)


#### 从搜索中启用或禁用搜索提供器


如果你并未使用某些搜索提供器，你可以通过禁用未使用的搜索提供器在搜索界面释放一些空间。具体操作是，使用每个项目右侧的切换按钮关闭指定提供器。


![启用 - 禁用开关](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224355m9tcdu5rqgs9z8zd.png)


如果需要，你可以随时重新开启它们，只需切换相同的按钮至开启状态。


#### 整体禁用搜索


你可以通过关闭 **应用搜索** 按钮来彻底禁用 GNOME Shell 中的应用内搜索。


![在概览中禁用搜索](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224355krvzwp3j7j325p87.png)


在这种情况下，只有应用程序可以进行搜索，搜索结果会被隐藏。


![应用内搜索被禁用状态](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224356bslyst1134qclyj5.png)


### 额外技巧：扩展插件增强搜索效能


有一些 GNOME 扩展件可以使你的搜索更便捷、有效。


#### 快速网络搜索


这是一个名为 “Quick Web Search” 的扩展，它会为 DuckDuckGo 提供一个搜索选项。每当我们在 GNOME shell 搜索中输入一些词汇时，DuckDuckGo 的图标就会出现。单击它，将在你的首选浏览器中打开搜索结果。


![Shell 中的 DuckDuckGo 搜索](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224356rfrq2rf9olwan1oz.png)


即使所有的浏览器实例都已关闭，这个功能也可以正常工作。此外，你可以通过扩展设置将搜索提供器更改为谷歌或其他选项。



> 
> **[获取 Quick Web Search 扩展](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/6051/quick-web-search/?ref=itsfoss.com)**
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#### GNOME 模糊应用搜寻


此扩展为 GNOME 搜索提供了模糊应用搜寻结果。因此，即便你输错或拼错了某些名字，它都会尽力为你找到匹配的结果。


![使用模糊搜索的 GNOME 搜索](/data/attachment/album/202310/10/224357oj8517x790jx2525.png)



> 
> **[获取 GNOME 模糊应用搜索](https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/3956/gnome-fuzzy-app-search/?ref=itsfoss.com)**
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### 充分利用 GNOME


如你所见，你可能从未充分地利用过所有的 GNOME 搜索特性，或者可能未曾对其给予足够的关注。


? 期望你能喜欢这些技巧。欢迎在评论区留下你的建议。


*（题图：MJ/81a823e0-ed00-4988-a0a8-47c88e4ed188）*




---


via: <https://itsfoss.com/gnome-search/>


作者：[Sreenath](https://itsfoss.com/author/sreenath/) 选题：[lujun9972](https://github.com/lujun9972) 译者：[ChatGPT](https://linux.cn/lctt/ChatGPT) 校对：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy)


本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出


OK
![Warp Terminal](/assets/images/warp-terminal.webp)


![Warp Terminal](/assets/images/warp-terminal.webp)

In an earlier article, I shared tips for [mastering search in the Nautilus file manager](https://itsfoss.com/nautilus-file-search/).

In this tutorial, I'll tell you many of the ignored search features in the GNOME Activity area.

If you are not aware of the technical term 'GNOME Activities', you can access it by clicking the Activities button in the top left corner in the GNOME desktop environment,

![Click on Activities button on top left to get to GNOME search interface](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/click-on-activities.png)

You can also press the Super key (Windows key) to get the same.

![The search interface of GNOME](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/GNOME-Search-interface.png)

Yes. GNOME has quite a powerful built-in search feature and yet many people use it to search for applications and run them.

![Search among installed apps in GNOME shell search](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/installed-apps-in-search.png)

But it has several more features that may come in handy and make you feel like a pro user.

Let's see them one by one.

## 1. Desktop wide file search

This is similar to opening apps. When you start typing something in the search area, you can see things changing continually. If some file is matched with your query, you can open it using the default application, by clicking on the name of the file, or pressing Enter.

![File Search results in GNOME Shell search](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/file-search.png)

On the same interface, you can see that there is a small preview for each file. Also, each file listed here is associated with its absolute location.

If you look closely, you can also find the file manager icon here. Now, click on the file manager icon.

![File manager icon in GNOMEshell file search results](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/file-manager-icon-highlighted.png)

This will open the Nautilus file manager in search mode, where you can see all the files matched by the query.

![Clicking on the file manager icon on GNOME shell file search results page will get a nautilus file manager instance in search mode](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/nautilus-file-manager-in-search-mode.png)

Similarly, if you press the icon of the app associated with the bulk search result, then that application, along with the suggested results, is opened.

## 2. Copy emojis and special characters

GNOME has an application called `gnome-characters`

. This provides you with several emojis and related characters. If you don't have this application, you can install it using:

```
sudo apt install gnome-characters
```


Once installed, this application has its own search provider. This means that you can search for any character name. You can see various suggestions as you type.

![Characters are shown in GNOME search results](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/characters-in-search-overview.png)

Once you find some character, press Enter so that the selected character will be copied to your clipboard. You can paste it using CTRL+V.

![Character copied to clipboard message](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/character-copied-to-clipboard-message.png)

**Suggested Read 📖**

[13 Keyboard Shortcuts Every Ubuntu User Should KnowKnowing keyboard shortcuts increase your productivity. Here are some useful Ubuntu shortcut keys that will help you use Ubuntu like a pro.](https://itsfoss.com/ubuntu-shortcuts/)![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2018/09/ubuntu-keyboard-shortcuts.jpeg)


![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2018/09/ubuntu-keyboard-shortcuts.jpeg)

## 3. Calculate without opening calculator app

Use the GNOME Shell search as a quick calculator. If you have to do some simple math calculations, there is no need to open the calculator app for this.

Instead, do it in GNOME activity itself.

![Doing simple mathematical calculation in GNOME Shell](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/get-math-result.png)

You can copy the result to clipboard also.

## 4. Get world clock

Want to know what time it is in another city? Why use some widgets and programs when GNOME shell can give you the time in a city by entering its name?

![Get time of various cities using GNOME Shell Search Feature](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/get-time.png)

## 5. Move between running terminal windows

Let's say you are running multiple terminal windows or multiple tabs in one terminal window with different active commands, like `top`

, reading a file using `bat or less`

etc.,

You can move to a particular terminal window, that is running a specific command by entering the command name in shell search.

![Get terminal window by entering the active command it is running](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/get-terminal.png)

You can see that I am running `top`

in one of my terminals and I can go directly into that. If it's different tabs, it will switch you to the particular tab running that particular command.

## 6. Perform a web search

You can access the Firefox web search directly through the GNOME Shell. In order to make this work, you should need to open Firefox in the background.

![Firefox listed as a search provider in system setting search tab](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/firefox-as-a-search-provider-in-settings.png)

Once Firefox runs, you can search for web results on the activities overview. Also, you can reorder the Firefox appearance as you like in the system settings.

![Firefox search results in GNOME Shell Search](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/firefox-search.png)

If you are using other distros, you can access web search results on shell search using Epiphany or GNOME Web browser. First, install Epiphany, either using your Package manager:

`sudo apt install epiphany`


Or, from Flathub:

`flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Epiphany`


Once installed, open the settings and go to the search features. You can see that, an entry for GNOME Web has been appeared there.

![GNOME Web s listed as an entry in search settings in system settings](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/GNOME-Web-in-search-settings.png)

Simply toggle on, if it's off. It will work even if GNOME Web is closed.

![GNOME Web providing search results in GNOME Shell](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/gnome-web-results-in-search.png)

## 7. Managing Search Appearance

It is possible to reorder the appearance, disable some results, etc. using system settings.

### Access search settings in System Settings app

Open System settings and go to the search tab.

![Open the searches tab in system settings](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/search-tab-in-settings.png)

### Reorder Search Results Appearance

Upon opening the searches, you can see all the available providers listed. On each of the item, you can see a handle to the left side and three dots menus on the right side.

![Buttons and Handles to arrange items in search view inside system settings](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/button-to-arrage-items.png)

Either drag one item with the left side handle and place it to the required space.

![Arrange order of Appearance of results by drag and drop](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/arrage-order-in-searches.gif)

Or, click on the three dot menu and select “Move Up” or “Move Down”.

![Move up or down a particular search item using buttons](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/move-up-and-down.gif)

This arranged settings will be the new order in which the searches will appear on GNOME shell search results.

### Manage Individual File Locations

Tweak the locations searched by system apps like Files, Photos, Videos etc. by going to **Search Locations** on the searches tab.

![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/search-locations.png)

Now, toggle on or off for disabling existing locations. Or Add new locations by clicking on the Add button.

![Add or Remove Locations searched by system apps such as files](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/Add-remove-locations.png)

### Enable or disable a search provider from the search

If you are not using some of the search providers, you can free up some space on the search interface by disabling some unused search providers. For this, toggle off the particular provider using the toggle button on the right side of each item.

![The toggle button to enable or disable a particular service to appear in GNOME search](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/enable-disable-toggle-button.png)

You can always turn it back on, by toggling the same button to on position.

### Disable search altogether

Disable the in-app searches in GNOME Shell altogether by toggling off the **App Search **button.

![Disable Search in Overview](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/Disable-search-rsults.png)

Only Applications can be searched, and the search results will be hidden from view.

![Inside App search is disabled, and only application name can be searched](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/no-in-app-searches.png)

## Bonus Tip: Extensions to make search more effective

There are several GNOME extensions that will make your search more accessible and productive.

### Quick web search

This extension, called Quick Web Search, will add a search option for DuckDuckGo. Whenever we search some terms on the shell search, a DuckDuckGo icon will appear. Click on it, to open it on your preferred browser.

![An icon of DuckDuckGo in shell, so that we can search using DDG through GNOME Shell](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/ddg-web-search-plugin.png)

This works even if all the browser instances are closed. Also, you can change the search provider to Google and others by using the extension settings.

### GNOME Fuzzy app search

It gives fuzzy application search results for Gnome Search. So even if you have misspelled or wrongly typed some names, it will try its best to match with a result.

![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/no-result-in-misspell.png)

![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/result-even-if-mispelled.png)

GNOME search using Fuzzy Search

## Get more out of GNOME

As you can see, you probably never used all of these GNOME search features. Or perhaps never paid enough attention to them.

At It's FOSS we take pride and feel joy in sharing such lesser-known features with our readers.

Here are a few more such articles that a GNOME user may find interesting.

[Mastering Nautilus File Search in Linux DesktopBecome a pro finder with these handy tips to improve your file search experience with GNOME’s Nautilus file search.](https://itsfoss.com/nautilus-file-search/)![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/nautilus-file-search.png)


![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/08/nautilus-file-search.png)

[13 Ways to Tweak Nautilus File Manager in LinuxNautilus, aka GNOME Files, is a good file manager with plenty of features. You can further enhance your experience by using these extensions, tweaks and tips.](https://itsfoss.com/nautilus-tips-tweaks/)![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2022/07/customizing-GNOME-Nautilus-File-Manager.png)


![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2022/07/customizing-GNOME-Nautilus-File-Manager.png)

[Install and Use GNOME Tweak Tool in Ubuntu and Other LinuxLearn to install GNOME Tweak too in Ubuntu. You’ll also learn how to use GNOME Tweaks to customize your Linux desktop.](https://itsfoss.com/gnome-tweak-tool/)![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/03/customise-ubuntu-with-gnome-tweaks.png)


![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2023/03/customise-ubuntu-with-gnome-tweaks.png)

[Customize Task Switching Experience on GNOME Desktop With These Nifty ToolsUnless you’re new to Linux, you know that there are several popular desktop environment choices for users. And if you’re that newbie, I recommend you to learn what a desktop environment is along with this tutorial. Here, I shall be focusing on tweaking the task switching experience on](https://itsfoss.com/customize-gnome-task-switcher/)![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/11/gnome-task-switcher-customization.png)


![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/wordpress/2020/11/gnome-task-switcher-customization.png)

🗨 I hope you liked this collection of tips. Please leave your suggestion in the comment section.