How to configure Baloo file extractor?

[Toubab]

Hey fellow Manjaroans,

I have noticed that Baloo file extractor has high CPU usage and found, that you can configure it, to be less resource hungry (basic file indexing, etc.). I am however unable to locate where to adjust these settings.
Be informed that I don’t have deep knowledge of Linux Manjaro, because so far everything just worked great.

I can neither find it in settings as described here:
https://community.kde.org/Baloo/Configuration
and also can’t find the file referenced in:
https://community.kde.org/Baloo/Configuration

Info:
OS: Manjaro Linux
GNOME Version: 48
Windowing System: Wayland
Kernel Version: Linux 6.12.21-4-MANJARO

Thanks in advance for your help

[Nachlese]

You can blacklist (exclude) the contents of some folders from being indexed:

Making sure you're not a bot!

some bot protection made the displayed link name … weird - this is that same link: →

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Baloo#Usage_and_configuration

There is probably much more info available elsewhere.

… you could disable it, you could delete the index and have it start anew … with a different set of directories to index …

That is usually the remedy when the thing is consuming too much CPU for some reason.

Perhaps there is a GUI to configure it - I don’t know.

The system log might provide more information.

[Toubab]

Hey, thanks for the link. It unfortunately also just references the second link I posted. It says the should be a file somewhere called which I can’t find anywhere though

[Nachlese]

@Toubab

It says the should be a file somewhere called which I can’t find anywhere though

Very ambiguous.
What do you mean?
Which file?
Where does what Wiki say what file - which you can’t find?

[Toubab]

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. On Baloo/Configuration - KDE Community Wiki
it says

<This page documents all of the values that can be used to configure Baloo File Indexing. The config file is generally present as ~/.config/baloofilerc for Frameworks 5 (including Plasma 5), and ~/.kde4/share/apps/config/baloofilerc in the kdelibs 4.x world (old Plasma).>

[Nachlese]

But you (using Manjaro) are now running KDE6 - (not KDE4 or KDE5)

The Arch Wiki is likely the most relevant at this point.

I have disabled it - don’t use it, don’t need it.
… nothing but problems for no benefit (to me) …

[Toubab]

Yes, I am aware. I just couldn’t find anything explaining the process for KDE6 specifically. Arch wiki also says:

By default the Desktop Search KCM exposes only two options: A panel to blacklist folders and a way to disable it with one click. Alternatively you can edit your ~/.config/baloofilerc file (info).

[Nachlese]

… and neither one of these exist for you?

I could boot my Plasma VM, enable baloo, and see how to control it.
But:
there really is literally nothing in that VM’s /home folder - there will be no problem like yours … there is nothing to index in there …

… I could therefore not realistically try to replicate your issue even if I tried

[Mirdarthos]

I think you can doe what you want to do by going to System Settings → Search → File search and adjusting what sho7uld and shouldn’t be indexed:

https://i.imgur.com/BiW0uuF.png

@Nachlese
I suspect those files only get created once custom configurtion is done.

Edit:

And I suspect after the desired configuration changes, the existing Baloo data needs to be removed and freshly indexed again:

balooctl6 disable

balooctl6 purge

balooctl6 enable

balooctl6 check

[Nachlese]

@Mirdarthos

I suspect those files only get created once custom configurtion is done.

Maybe - probably.

These indexers are known to sometimes choke or otherwise create problems.
Not regularly, not even often - but sometimes.

The remedy always seems to be:
stop it - delete the existing index db - have it start again

It may choke on some file type - or just take a really long time to index some large files … which may better be excluded from being indexed in the first place …

[Toubab]

Hey, thank you for chiming in. My system settings look a lot different to yours however. Under Search there is only in what order I want to see search results and when I click on Search Locations, there is the following:

[Mirdarthos]

That looks like Gnome, and with that

(And that would, I think, explain why there’s no baloo config files.)

Perhaps this helps:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GNOME#Search

[Toubab]

Oh wow, I am stupid then. I am wondering however why Baloo would be running at all then. I‘ll kill it and see if anything explodes.

[Nachlese]

It indeed looks like Gnome.

@Toubab
Your thread title is in the category of Plasma, though.

So:

Default Locations → “HOME”
Subfolders must be manually added …

Same for “Downloads” (which is whithin /home, so that is ambiguous, not clearly explained …)

Look why it chokes - or where or with what file.

stop it, delete index, start anew …

[Toubab]

Thank you both @Nachlese and @Mirdarthos for your help and your patience with me. My understanding is, that Baloo file extractor is only used for KDE Plasma, which I have never used. I have now disabled it and so far nothing has exploded

[Nachlese]

@Toubab

Baloo file extractor is only used for KDE Plasma,

that’s not true - but not important anyway

If you don’t need the functionality (like me) - just disable it and all is well.

[Yochanan]

@Toubab Why did you install Baloo on GNOME? Sounds like an XY Problem to me.

For clarification and posterity:

KDE Plasma uses Baloo as it’s file indexer.

GNOME uses TinySPARQL (previously called Tracker) as it’s file indexer.