Article: Install Desktop Search App Recoll in openSUSE 13.1 or Tumbleweed

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Updated 13 Jun '14: This has been updated from focus on openSUSE 12 to focus on openSUSE 13 and Tumbleweed

Introduction: Since Beagle was removed, and with the closure of Google Desktop Search, the options for a comprehensive KDE desktop search facility have been Nepomuk and Recoll. Nepomuk is in development and not so good right now. IMHO, for the present, the open source app “recoll” is the way to go. It’s really fast with indexing, indexes the ususal files but also pdfs, emails, MS office docs and email (e.g. Thunderbird).

Repositories & Installation Recoll’s RPM is located in the KDE-extra repository and the key items held there are recoll, kio-recoll and antiword.

  • In openSUSE 13.1 goto Yast → Software Repositories → Add → Community Repositories → openSUSE BuildService - KDE:Extra → select it and proceed.
  • In Tumbleweed goto Yast → Software Repositories → Add → Specify URL.
    Then add this name in the obvious slot: openSUSE BuildService - KDE:Extra. And under that slot add this address:
http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/KDE:/Extra/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/

After attaching the repository, install recoll, kio-recoll and antiword. You can use Yast → Software → Software management for that (or “zypper in” as root). There is no special reason to keep the Repo once recoll and its dependencies are installed (unless you want them for another purpose).

Where’s the GUI?: In kDE it’s at Kicker → Applications → System → File System → Recoll

First Run: First time you’ll get a panel asking for configuration of Recoll. The default indexing oath is /home/you but you can change that. And there are options to run indexing on a schedule or in real time. I have 8Gb RAM and dual core CPU so I use the real-time daemon option.

How Fast is Indexing?: I had 15Gb and 35000 files in /home/john for the first run. Initial indexing took 3 mins 45 secs. Subsequently I never seem to notice it.

Turn off Nepomuk: It’s installed in KDE by default. It’s in development and runs continuously. You should turn it off. Go to Kicker → Configure desktop → Desktop search. Nepomuk control panel will appear. Disable all the stuff under the three Tabs.

That’s all folks (be well)

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Hi swerdna,

Thanks for the ultra clear guide on how to install Recoll & replace Nepomuk.

I’ve got Recoll indexing right now (yes pretty fast) :slight_smile:

Didn’t realise just how many files I’ve got (file indexing just shot over 10,000) & it’s been running for about 5 minutes.

Thanks again.

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Yes. It’s great. Thanks a lot.

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Hi swerdna, it seems to works well, many thanks :-),
two things, the indexing process in my dell latitude e6510 with intel i7 and 4Gb of ram tekes 24 hours and the recoll folder is 10GB, may be I have a little more files than you??
I disabled nepomuk, but, how to get rid of the triple advise that pops up at startup that say me that nepomuk is not running???

ciao :-), pla

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pier_andreit - those messages are generated by Akonadi (not Nepomuk) and are to be addressed in the next major release of KDE PIM //bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=258171#c71

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swerdna - you should update the introduction to note that Google Desktop Search is no longer supported nor (I believe) even downloadable.

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Thanks…

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in windows i like two desktop search applications: google desktop and exalead desktop search
both of them are more beautifule than any linux desktop search. i wish there is a desktop search as beautiful as these two applications in linux.

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I already said that this article is wonderful. But I need to say it again after trying recoll for some time. Really good recoll and the article.
Thanks.

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I agree. It is in fact a very good search app. Simple, fast, accurate, comprehensive, non-intrusive.