I asked the question a while back of how Google Desktop Search determines what is and is not a text file. I was distraught because it seemed to find my Java, Perl and Python files without breaking a sweat, but was ignoring all my Ruby, SQL and C# files. It turns out that they do indeed have an “approved extensions” list for determining what is a text file. Enter GDSPlus. This extension/patch for GDS gives you the ability to add whatever extensions you want for indexing. I downloaded it, followed the directions (some of them belatedly…) and now all the aforementioned ignored files are being indexed alongside those that the Google folks decided were search-worthy. I’m very happy.

The only real drawbacks are that in order to add a new extension, you have to whack the cache that has already been created. In my case it was close to 700 Mb. It wasn’t hard to whack it, and the directions with GDSPlus tell you exactly what to do, but I don’t like the fact that it has to start over again from scratch. The other drawback is that as soon as the Google folks release a new version, it will have to be patched again. Unless, of course, they fix this deficiency before the next release. Let’s hope they do.