Simple file name search

It's personal preference but I typically use filename (or part name) searches.

Windows 7 has 2 search engines (1) Indexed searching (2) A "GREP" style search.
Many people (not everyone) have problems with Windows index search (see Microsoft Answers forum for more robust discussion).

As far as I am aware:
If you search from the root eg C:\ using the top right search box you do an exhaustive grep style search. Guaranteed to find a filename but a bit slow for some.
I have disabled indexing for "Users" and search at the user or subfolder level. It's relatively quick and exhaustive.

A Word of Warning: (with reference to an earlier post in the thread) I have "Search Everything". It is VERY fast but very powerful and can give some access reserved for the hidden administrator. It needs to be carefully configured for general user use in my opinion. I wouldn't let any other user of my computer near it.

One day I might get around to trying some Registry fixes to solve my indexed searching issue. McAfee Total Protection 2010 has been recently identified as a major culprit in indexed search problems.

You can do a simple name or partial name search

You can do a simple name or partial name search by going to Organize>Folder and search options, and under the search tab click find partial matches. if you have a file called C6798T and you only remember the numbers and not the letters then type *6798 and it will come up with anything with those four numbers in it. If you just start typing C67 it will come up with anything with those first 3 characters.

Vista allows you to search files names only as shown below in the two search options. Has Windows 7 changed these options? If not, these are two alternate ways of searching file names only.

Go into Windows Explorer.
Click Organize, then select: Folder and search options.
Click Search, and in the "What to Search" section, select either:
1. "Always search file names only" OR
2. "In indexed locations search filenames and contents. In NONindexed locations search file names only."

Imperfect1 said:

Vista allows you to search files names only as shown below in the two search options. Has Windows 7 changed these options? If not, these are two alternate ways of searching file names only.

Go into Windows Explorer.
Click Organize, then select: Folder and search options.
Click Search, and in the "What to Search" section, select either:
1. "Always search file names only" OR
2. "In indexed locations search filenames and contents. In NONindexed locations search file names only."

Click to expand...

I believe this is the case when Windows index search is working correctly. Unfortunately Windows search does not work for some people, many of whom are technically able to try "fixes".
A solution is to use better third party software.

Imperfect1 said:

Vista allows you to search files names only as shown below in the two search options. Has Windows 7 changed these options? If not, these are two alternate ways of searching file names only.

Go into Windows Explorer.
Click Organize, then select: Folder and search options.
Click Search, and in the "What to Search" section, select either:
1. "Always search file names only" OR
2. "In indexed locations search filenames and contents. In NONindexed locations search file names only."

Click to expand...

My Win7 Windows Explorer offers these two selections:

1. "In indexed locations, search file names and contents. In non-indexed locations, search file names only."
2. "Always search file names and contents (this might take several minutes)"

So it looks like if you want to search file names only in an indexed location, you have to use the "filename: name" syntax in the search box.

This might help ???

I use "Agent Ransack", a free 64 bit Windows 7 file searcher - not only is it free but it's really, really fast and lets you choose the drive or path to search.

I Always use Ransack when I'm searching for files. Reminds me of XP's search.

You can download it for free at
Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

I use "Agent Ransack" all the time. I've been plugging it on this forum like I own the company. It's great.

I searched this morning for a .jpg. I knew only the number in the file name. You can't very well check for content with a photograph. Although I later found the photo by accident, the Windows 7 search did not find it. The file name was DSC_2742, and I was searching for 2742. After I removed the underscore, the search found both DSC_2742 (which no longer existed) and DSC 2742. Libraries drive me crazy too. Why is MS always being such a tyrant dictator? It is difficult to find anything good about Windows 7.

In passing, you might investigate two very nice "search folders and files" replacements for Windows Search:

(1) Search My Files which is an "on demand" search tool, where you define your search criteria each time you want to do a search. It also allows search based on text or binary file contents, not just file names (with expected wildcards, etc.).

(2) Everything (which I believe was mentioned earlier in this thread) is an always-running tool which builds an index of every folder/file on your system (subject to setup configuration options), with the index continuously updated any time a new file is created, deleted, or modified. It thus supports "instant" file name search (including the expected wildcards, etc.) as you type what you're looking for, based on this always up-to-date index.


I think you'll find both of these products much more user-friendly and intuitive than Windows Search. Furthermore, Search My Files can do things that Windows Search cannot do, because of its extensive optional search criteria variables.

Thank you, will do!

monelle said:

I searched this morning for a .jpg. I knew only the number in the file name. You can't very well check for content with a photograph.

Click to expand...

You most certainly *can* search for photographic content. It's called metadata. You can search for a particular photograph using any of its metadata, including date taken, date modified, camera model, lens used, exposure, flash, compression, focal length, file size, and the list goes on.

mborner said:

You most certainly *can* search for photographic content. It's called metadata. You can search for a particular photograph using any of its metadata, including date taken, date modified, camera model, lens used, exposure, flash, compression, focal length, file size, and the list goes on.

Click to expand...

True enough technically, if you're wanting to search on the basis of a metadata field. Like using MP3Tag to search for music files on the basis of fields in music file tags as part of its "extended fields" option on its "filter" capability.

In this case I'm sure he was referring to something more like trying to find a picture of his grandmother... by the picture image itself. How can a program know what image content to look for, to satisfy this search criteria objective? I'm sure that's what he meant.

Like trying to find a TXT file that contains the word "Washington" inside of it, which requires that you actually open the text file and browse it during the search... looking for the text data inside the file. That can be done.

But looking for a picture of grandmother... not possible.

In any case just a slicker and easier-to-use search utility (like either Everything or Search My Files) could locate the partial file name search criteria which was acceptable for his particular need in this situation.

dsperber said:

True enough technically, if you're wanting to search on the basis of a metadata field. Like using MP3Tag to search for music files on the basis of fields in music file tags as part of its "extended fields" option on its "filter" capability.

In this case I'm sure he was referring to something more like trying to find a picture of his grandmother... by the picture image itself. How can a program know what image content to look for, to satisfy this search criteria objective? I'm sure that's what he meant.

Like trying to find a TXT file that contains the word "Washington" inside of it, which requires that you actually open the text file and browse it during the search... looking for the text data inside the file. That can be done.

But looking for a picture of grandmother... not possible.

Click to expand...

But this is true for any search engine. None have the technology to find an image based on subject matter. But it's a simple matter to use tags. I have amassed well over 10,000 images over the years, and the majority of them are tagged. It's a system that works and works well.

In any case just a slicker and easier-to-use search utility (like either Everything or Search My Files) could locate the partial file name search criteria which was acceptable for his particular need in this situation.

Click to expand...

I've tried both of these, and agree that they are quite fast and efficient. A thread search through these forums on the term 'search' will turn up many of my contributions to the topic of what's wrong with Win 7 search..

I found its performance so abysmal that I tried several 3rd party utilities. But I was also intrigued by the fact that so many seemed to obtain good results and 'swore' by it. This inspired me to investigate why my results were less than desirable (i.e., searching for a file I could actually see, but win search couldn't find).

I found that there were a few factors involved.

1. My production machines have as many as 14 partitions, which were selectively indexed. No point in searching my Acronis partition, which contains only .tib files.

2. Configuration. Instead of selectively indexing my partitions, I added all of them to the index (which, oddly, is not endorsed by MS). To keep from searching uneccessary files (such as the afore-mentioned .tib), I employed selective filtering (CP\Indexing Options\Advanced\File Types), i.e., I removed the checkmark next to the file type I wished 'unindexed'. I also changed settings in Folder Options\Search tab.

3. I decided to thoroughly educate myself on the use and syntax of W7 search. Very important to my current success with search.

Now, I can honestly say that, between a configuration that works and use of proper syntax, I can find anything quickly and easily. It's not perfect, and sometimes I need to narrow the search to a particular partition to find something, but now, I wouldn't use anything else.


Where search truly falls short is not in it's function, but in its ease of use (read 'setup and education'). The average user will have neither the inclination or technical ability to use it. And some who possess the skills just don't care to learn it or plain don't like it. Nothing wrong with that.

Many here will attest to my aversion to search, so my 'new testimony' is likely a surprise. I just thought that the testimonly of a converted Win 7 search antagonist belonged here, especially since so many of my negative comments are to be found in this forum.

James

James Colbert said:

Many here will attest to my aversion to search, so my 'new testimony' is likely a surprise. I just thought that the testimonly of a converted Win 7 search antagonist belonged here, especially since so many of my negative comments are to be found in this forum.

James

Click to expand...

James, it's great to hear that you're finally endorsing Windows search. I know it took a while. I remember way back when.........................

I guess I misspoke. What I should have said was, "I don't use tags. I don't know which camera I used to take the picture, or the size of the file, or the date I took it. I only know it's a photo of hydrangeas and the number 2742." I downloaded a little program called "Search My Files," and it found it instantly. Why couldn't Win7 find a file called DSC_2742 when I told it to look for 2742? I know I sound negative and obstructive, but I just feel like every version of Windows is progressively more frustrating and difficult to use

dsperber said:

Like trying to find a TXT file that contains the word "Washington" inside of it, which requires that you actually open the text file and browse it during the search... looking for the text data inside the file. That can be done.

.

Click to expand...

File Locator Lite / Agent Ransack does both. That is, it locates the file(s) the string eg."Washington" is located in, location and surrounding words in the file(s). It does this for multiple locations of the word in a single file. This is carried out in one operation.

monelle said:

I only know it's a photo of hydrangeas and the number 2742."

Click to expand...

Exactly. Partial file names are, for me, the most common search need.

I downloaded a little program called "Search My Files,"

Click to expand...

If this was as a result of my suggestion above, right after your original post about this topic, then I'm glad I have helped you solve your need.

and it found it instantly.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's a terrific, fast, convenient, user-friendly, intuitive, and very effective search utility.

If you want to try out the second recommendation I had made above and give yourself another smile, install that "Everything" program and experiment.

In your case, using Everything to look for a file which had "2742" in it, you would simply have opened its search window and started typing... 2742 and your file location would have been instantly found (probably by the time you had typed the second or third digit). It works off an index it has constructed, of every file and folder on your machine (other than what you tell it not to look at, etc.)... and it's purely a scanner of folder/file names from this index, matching fragments as you type whatever you want. Multiple hits are presented as you type more and the list of multiple hits reduces as your search results get more precise the more you type, but it's really a fabulously easy and simply way to find ANY folder/file from anywhere on your machine on the basis of a partial or full name.


I'm in agreement with you, that I really used to use the old "simple" Windows search facility, where you put in a full or partial file name with or without wildcards, specified the drive(s) you wanted it to look on, and said GO.

With the recent "enhancements" into a WINDOWS SEARCH SUB-SYSTEM, I honestly feel like I must be missing something... because I don't seem to be able to search for something in the old "simple" way I used to. I know I probably could, if I tried to figure it out and learned about how to use it. But why should I need to "learn how to use it" for simple basic intuitive things that represent 90% of my need for the function? The interface should be intuitive, and you should instantly fall into that basic usage intuitive interface (or wizard) that will solve 90% of your needs. It should be obvious how to use itself and it should be simple to use easily and get results quickly... as Search My Files is, and as Everything is.

Thank you, dsperber. Yes, it was at your suggestion that I downloaded Search My File, and I thank you--I should have given you credit. I will try Everything as well. Maybe the Microsoft folks are all young. As you get older, you value your time more and more, and if I want to spend my time left on earth learning configuration and syntax in order to find a file with the number 2742 in it (which I could easily do in XP), it should be my choice, not Microsoft's.

Syntax is filename:myfilename

The correct syntax is filename:myfilename, not name:myfilename. I have tried both and only the first one works.

joema said:

dougham said:

...999 times out of 1000 when I search, I search for a filename, often using only part of the filename...How can I get a simple, search filenames only?...

Click to expand...

Win7 does allow searching filenames only. You can also restrict searching to a specific folder. However you cannot INDEX only filenames (at least not easily). The additional overhead of content indexing is why MS warns against indexing entire drives.

To search only filenames from the Start | Search box, just use "name: myfilename", where myfilename is your file. You can also use leading and trailing wild cards.

If you've already navigated to a folder in Windows Explorer, searches are done within that folder by default. E.g, navigate to My Documents, and in the upper right search box type "*.pdf", which searches within your current folder for pdf documents (by filename).

Note there is a powerful search syntax called Advanced Query Syntax. You can use this from the initial Start|Search box, or anywhere else. You can use Boolean modifications like NOT and OR, search only specific file types like folders, start searches in a specified folder from the original search box, etc. See: Advanced Query Syntax

If you want a fast, simple, filename-only indexer there are several available 3rd party tools. I use "Everything.exe", which is free and runs OK on Win7: Everything Search Engine

Click to expand...

Most irritating thing about Windows 7 and Vista

It really, really irritates me that MS did not offer the option to use the old tried and true file search system. Just as an option if nothing else. It worked great - you could search for files by name or by content. It had a simple drop-down menu of choices for types of things to search for - like Folder for example, which I often need. I use file search A LOT and the original was as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. I get screaming mad at the current abomination. And for those who bought a Sony laptop it doesn't at all because of the way they protected the file system. Horrifying as hell.