# Search Miss Binary

> ripgrep/search_files silently skips binary-detected files — verify empty search results with grep -a / file / xxd before concluding 'not found'.

- Skill: `ashutoshsinghpr7/search-miss-binary` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ashutoshsinghpr7/search-miss-binary`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ashutoshsinghpr7/search-miss-binary/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: ashutoshsinghpr7 (https://skillmd.com/u/ashutoshsinghpr7)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ashutoshsinghpr7/search-miss-binary

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# Search Can Silently Miss Binary-Detected Files

## Problem

`search_files` (ripgrep) returned 0 matches for `SECRET-` even though
`data.log` contains `SECRET-1722`. Trusting the empty result would fail the
task ("which file contains the secret?").

## Root cause

Ripgrep skips files it heuristically classifies as binary. The empty result
means "no match in text-classified files", not "string absent".

## Fix

- When a content search returns nothing but files exist, do NOT trust the
  empty result blindly.
- Force text mode: `grep -a -l PATTERN <files>` and/or `file` + `xxd`/hexdump
  to confirm where the string lives.
- Confirm the actual match content before writing the answer.

## Evidence

- Hit in a real graded task: `SECRET-1722` lived in a binary-detected file;
  the agent correctly suspected "encoding or binary detection issues" and
  verified directly instead of concluding "not found".