Block Search

A sophisticated Word document search and content transfer utility designed specifically for debate research.

Features

Document Search

• Fast, as-you-type searching of Word documents
• Context-aware search that can include file paths in search results
• Prefix-based searching to limit results to specific folders
• View documents in their original context with hierarchy preservation
• Multiple sorting options (name, date modified, date created, size)

Document Handling

• One-click document content transfer to:
  • Clipboard
  • Closed target document
  • Open Word document at cursor position or document end
• Preview documents before selecting
• View documents in their original document context
• Preserved formatting, including highlighting and background colors

Document Index Management

• Split large Word documents by heading levels
• Preserve document hierarchy and relationships
• Output as individual files or ZIP archive
• Uses a template system for consistent formatting
• Queue system for processing multiple documents
• Update existing indexes without recreating from scratch

User Experience

• Global hotkey activation (default: Ctrl+Space)
• System tray integration
• Comprehensive keyboard navigation
• Status bar feedback
• Customizable UI

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+Space	Show/activate application (configurable)
Up/Down	Navigate through search results
Left Arrow	Show document in its original context
Right Arrow	Return from context view to search results
Enter	Select document (use default paste mode)
Ctrl+Enter	Select document (use alternate paste mode)
Shift+Enter	Preview document without selecting
Ctrl+T	Select (closed) target document
Ctrl+Shift+T	Clear (closed) target document
Ctrl+P	Toggle between paste modes (cursor/end)
Ctrl+Shift+P	Toggle including path names in search
F1	Show help dialog
F5	Refresh open documents list
Escape	Hide application window
Alt+F4, Ctrl+Q	Quit application

Installation

1. Ensure you have Python 3.6+ installed
2. Install required packages: pip install -r requirements.txt
3. Run the application: python BlockSearch-Windows.py

Usage Tips

Basic Search

Type search terms in the search box to find matching documents. Results update as you type.

Using Prefixes

Configure prefixes to limit searches to specific folders:

1. Set up prefixes in Search Settings → Prefix Configuration → Manage Prefixes
2. Use format: [prefix] [search terms]
3. Example: cb 2ac searches for "2ac" only in folders assigned to "cb" prefix

Document Context

Press Left Arrow on any search result to see it in the context of its original document. Navigate with Up/Down arrows, select with Enter, and press Right Arrow to return to search.

Adding Documents to the Index

1. Open Index → Add Files to Index...
2. Select input document and template (optional)
3. Choose heading level to split at and output options
4. Select output location
5. Add to queue and process documents

Updating Existing Indexes

1. Open Index → Update Index...
2. Choose update mode:
   • Update All: Complete rebuild of entire index folder
   • Update by Document: Update individual documents within an index
3. Select the index folder to update
4. For document updates, choose between "Add New Only" or "Rebuild All"
5. The system automatically uses original settings from metadata files

Development

This application is built with:

• Python 3.6+
• PyQt6 for the user interface
• python-docx for Word document handling
• win32com for Word automation

Contributions are welcome!