Search Item In Box
Few things waste more time in Minecraft than rummaging through row after row of chests looking for a single stack of iron or that one enchanted book you swear you stored somewhere. Search Item In Box solves this problem elegantly. This Forge mod lets you hover over any item and press a key to instantly locate matching stacks in nearby containers, marking them so you can grab what you need without breaking your flow.
What Does Search Item In Box Do?
The core function is refreshingly simple. Hover your cursor over an item in your inventory or a crafting interface, press the default Y key, and the mod scans nearby chests for that item. Every container holding a match gets highlighted, and particles help you spot the location from a distance. It integrates seamlessly with JEI, so your recipe lookups and item searches work together instead of against each other.
One of the smartest design choices is its flexible installation. You can run it client-side only, server-side only, or on both sides depending on your setup.
Client-Side Only Mode
When installed only on the client, the mod can search chests you have previously opened. This is a practical limitation: the game needs to remember container contents, and that data resets when you exit the game or move far enough away from the chunk where the chest sits. Reopening the chest records the data again. For singleplayer worlds or servers where you cannot add mods, this mode still delivers enormous convenience.
Server-Side and Dual Installation
With the mod on the server, searches work across all containers without needing to open them first, and the server enforces fair-use rules through configurable intervals. Running it on both sides gives the best experience, with the client handling visuals and the server managing permissions and distance limits.
Configuration Options and Commands
You can fine-tune behavior through the config file or in-game commands. The main settings include:
- Search Distance (distance): Default is 2 chunks. When both sides are configured, the client value cannot exceed the server limit.
- Particle Display Time (particle_live_time): Controls how long particles remain visible on the client.
- Highlighted Slot Time (slot_height_light_time): Duration in ticks that found items stay highlighted in slots.
- Highlighted Slot Color (slot_height_light_color): ARGB value converted to decimal, defaulting to -3385513 (0xFFCC5757).
- Minimum Search Interval (server_search_interval): Milliseconds between each player's query requests.
- Whitelist and Blacklist: Control which players can use the feature on a server.
Server admins can manage access with commands like /sib player_list enable_white_list true, /sib player_list list add [players], and /sib player_list list show. The list type command switches between blacklist and whitelist modes, giving you full control over who benefits from the search function.
If you would rather skip manual file editing, the foxygame.net launcher handles the entire setup for you. Its add-on catalog includes Search Item In Box with automatic version matching, so the correct build for your Forge installation is selected and updated without any guesswork.
Supported Versions and Loader
Search Item In Box is built for Forge and targets modern Minecraft releases where Forge support is active. Before you download Search Item In Box, confirm that your game version matches the mod build, since Forge mods are version-specific. The mod works in singleplayer, on LAN worlds, and on multiplayer servers where you have permission to install it.
How to Install Search Item In Box
Getting started takes only a few minutes:
- Install the correct Forge version for your Minecraft release.
- Download Search Item In Box for Minecraft from a trusted source.
- Place the mod file into your mods folder.
- Launch the game and verify the mod loads in the mods list.
- Open a chest once, then hover an item and press Y to test the search.
For server owners, install the same file on the server and adjust the config to set search distance, intervals, and player permissions. Remember that client-side changes to the whitelist setting have no effect; that option is server-controlled.
Final Thoughts
Storage management is one of the quiet time sinks of Minecraft, and Search Item In Box removes a big chunk of that friction. Whether you run it client-side for personal convenience or deploy it server-wide for your community, the mod pays for itself the first time you find a lost stack of diamonds in seconds instead of minutes. Pair it with JEI, tune the config to your liking, and your chest rooms will finally feel organized rather than overwhelming.