> swish -w query words -C swish.conf

-C isn't a valid config option, SWISH ignores it.  -c is the config
file switch.
swish -w "test" -c swish.conf

It will reindex the whole site as soon as it reads the index
directives in the config file.  And, you cannot omit the index
directives.  The command line should override the index file, it does
not.

--
,David Norris
  World Wide Web - http://www.webaugur.com/dave
  Page via mail - 412039@pager.mirabilis.com
  ICQ Universal Internet Number - 412039
  E-Mail - dave@webaugur.com