# Searching Spotlight with ruby

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 23, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284 "2007-09-23T03:26:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/35a633/32.png) [@Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Filipe)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284/1 "2007-09-23T03:26:29Z")

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Is it possible to search for files using spotlight in ruby just like  
it’s done on the terminal with the command ‘mdfind’?

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**Author:** ![Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/35a633/32.png) [@Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Filipe)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284/2 "2007-09-23T04:20:34Z")

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On Sep 22, 2007, at 21:25 , Filipe wrote:

> Is it possible to search for files using spotlight in ruby just like  
> it’s done on the terminal with the command ‘mdfind’?

results = `mdfind #{search_string}`

perhaps?

~Wayne

s///g  
Wayne E. Seguin  
Sr. Systems Architect & Systems Administrator

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**Author:** ![Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/35a633/32.png) [@Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Filipe)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284/3 "2007-09-23T05:25:39Z")

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On Sep 22, 7:22 pm, Filipe [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> Is it possible to search for files using spotlight in ruby just like  
> it’s done on the terminal with the command ‘mdfind’?

You can run any terminal command in ruby (and capture the output) via  
a variety of mechanisms. Does that not do what you need?

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**Author:** ![Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/35a633/32.png) [@Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Filipe)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284/4 "2007-09-23T20:45:57Z")

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On Sep 23, 12:22 am, Phrogz [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> On Sep 22, 7:22 pm, Filipe [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:
> 
> > Is it possible to search for files using spotlight in ruby just like  
> > it’s done on the terminal with the command ‘mdfind’?
> 
> You can run any terminal command in ruby (and capture the output) via  
> a variety of mechanisms. Does that not do what you need?

For sure. How do I go about running terminal commands and getting  
their outputs?  
I’m new to this ruby thing.

Thanks in advance

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**Author:** ![Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/35a633/32.png) [@Filipe](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Filipe)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/searching-spotlight-with-ruby/115284/5 "2007-09-23T20:51:59Z")

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Filipe wrote:

> For sure. How do I go about running terminal commands and getting  
> their outputs?

[http://groups.google.com/group/ruby-talk-google/msg/45d16a9975851516](http://groups.google.com/group/ruby-talk-google/msg/45d16a9975851516)  
Easiest way is output=`command`

HTH,  
Sebastian