How to search

Use this;

Everything Search Engine

and/or this;

Alternative to Windows Search For Files + Duplicates Search

and/or this;

dngrep - dnGREP - Google Project Hosting

Any one of those will do the job, but they all have varying possibilities, so I have all three of them on my machines. They are all freeware.

Regards....Mike Connor

I just don't understand why even suggest using a bunch of third party apps to do a job that is incredibly simple to do with Windows' own features?

George, here's how. Just type the search parameters as described below to Explorer's search field.

1. If you know the exact date you downloaded the file:

Code:

date:1/4/2011

This would find all files saved or modified yesterday, April 1st. Please notice the date format must be the same used by your computer, in my case European D/M/Y, in USA for instance it would be M/D/Y so instead 1/4/2011 you would need 4/1/2011.

The more information you give to the search, the more you can narrow the search. For instance you can add file type to search parameters; the following would find all PNG image files saved or modified yesterday (add ext:XXX to search where XXX is the file extension you are looking for):

Code:

date:1/4/2011 ext:png

2. If you do not know the exact date but you know the time frame:

Code:

date:1/2/2011..28/2/2011

This would find all files saved or modified between 1st and 28th of February this year, both dates included. You can also exclude dates:

Code:

date:>1/2/2011<28/2/2011

This would find all files saved or modified between 1st and 28th of February this year, both dates excluded.

3. Using search parameter datemodified: you can select time frame with mouse using a calendar:



Please notice that Windows searches on that location where you are and downwards i.e. if you open Users folder and do a search, the search looks only the Users folder and its subfolders, or if you open drive D: and do a search, it looks only the drive D: and its subfolders. Therefore, if you want to search whole computer, you need to open Computer in Explorer.

Also worth to notice is that searching from Start Menu > Search only searches indexed locations, whereas Explorer search also searches non-indexed locations.

There really is no need to use any third party search tools in Seven, although I have to admit that using this extremely simple and powerful tool (Windows Search) seems to be too difficult to some

More about Windows Search:

• Windows Search - Configure and Use
• Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax

Kari

Kari said:

I just don't understand why even suggest using a bunch of third party apps to do a job that is incredibly simple to do with Windows' own features?


Kari

The third party applications do things that windows search can't do, and easily. dNgrep gives previews of documents found etc. among a lot of other things.

In my experience most users do not have windows search set up properly, and it doesn't work for them. Also, few users can get to grips with the syntax.

Considering how "incredibly simple" it is, why do so many people have problems with it?

Man muss nicht unbedingt ALLES wissen oder verstehen, Man muss aber akzeptieren das manche Dinge einfach sind wie sie sind.

Translation: It is not absolutely necessary to know EVERYTHING, or understand everything, but one must accept that some things are as they are.

Regards....Mike Connor

Mike, the search method I described in my previous post does not need to be set up. Just open the Explorer and search. It's native in Windows Seven. Nothing to set up, no need to install any third party apps. And, of course, you also get the preview, you can turn it on with single mouse click:



Windows Search is a lot easier than user interface on some of these third party search tools. Here's a challenge: Please give me just one example of a search that you can do with any of your third party tools, and I'll show you how easy and simple it is to do with Windows Search.

Windows Search has evolved as any other part of Windows GUI. Some "I don't like Seven, please give my XP back" users do not like Windows Search as it today is simply because it's different than what they are used to. But it really is simple and powerful, easy to learn once you get over of that "why have they changed this?" mentality.

Waiting for your challenge. If not, I consider this conversation concluded.

:) Kari

I am not here to challenge anybody, or to accept any challenges, merely to help if I can. "Challenges" and other suchlike nonsense are merely a total waste of time.

I don't want to force anybody to do anything at all, or even read my posts if they don't want to.

Some things which are doubtless "incredibly simple" for you, may not be quite so "incredibly simple" for others. People also like to try alternatives.

You are perfectly entitled to your opinions, as I am to mine, but you are not entitled to stuff them down other people's throats in an ill-mannered and bombastic fashion.

Courtesy costs nothing, but is in fact priceless.

You might have lasted about ten seconds on my customer support team.

Have a nice day.

Mike Connor

Mike, please how can you say I have used ill manners?

Only thing I have said is that I really do not understand the need to use some third party apps when Windows can natively do the task so easily. With my playful challenge I just wanted to show that IMO there simply is nothing you can do with third party search tools that you can not do with Windows Search. Really.

Between the lines in my first post in this thread you can also read my frustration. I admit that. This is a Windows 7 forum, about Windows 7 and how to use it. I find it a bit comical that a solution offered to a member asking help with an issue completely bypasses built-in native Windows 7 features. Especially when the issue is something where the native tools and features really offer a simple solution.

Keep it simple, that's what I mean. OP asked something which could be done with a few key strokes, or installing some obscure third party app and then learning how to use it. It's of course up to OP to decide what and how to do.

I'm sorry my opinion heart your feelings.

Kari

Kari said:

Mike, please how can you say I have used ill manners?

Only thing I have said is that I really do not understand the need to use some third party apps when Windows can natively do the task so easily. With my playful challenge I just wanted to show that IMO there simply is nothing you can do with third party search tools that you can not do with Windows Search. Really.

Between the lines in my first post in this thread you can also read my frustration. I admit that. This is a Windows 7 forum, about Windows 7 and how to use it. I find it a bit comical that a solution offered to a member asking help with an issue completely bypasses built-in native Windows 7 features. Especially when the issue is something where the native tools and features really offer a simple solution.

Keep it simple, that's what I mean. OP asked something which could be done with a few key strokes, or installing some obscure third party app and then learning how to use it. It's of course up to OP to decide what and how to do.

I'm sorry my opinion heart your feelings.

Kari

Your opinion did not hurt my feelings, very difficult indeed to hurt my feelings.

What you do or do not understand is not germane to the issue. I happen to agree with you that learning to use windows functions is the best way to go, but most users don't do it. They prefer third party applications that make things look easier.

I don't disagree at all with what you wrote, I disagree most emphatically with how you wrote it and the general tone you used.

"Challenging" people is also a remarkably silly thing to do on a help forum.

They are already challenged enough trying to find answers to problems they often find insuperable. Quite regardless of how "incredibly simple" the solution to those problems might appear to somebody else.

As I wrote, have a nice day.

Mike Connor

Before signing out from this thread, I really need to say this:

I read my two first responses in this thread once more, trying to find what made you to take them so personally. I found nothing. In my first post I told the truth, there's no need to download and install any third party tools for a task so simple as this, giving valid examples with screenshots. Nothing personal, no wrong information, nothing that is not true. And, if I may add, I did it quite politely. Period.

My second response was to correct some wrong information readers could get from your response to my first post. Windows Search really needs no setting up, when used from Explorer. And the one example you gave what extra you get with third party search tools, the preview, I just showed that it is native in Windows Search. Last but not least I told my opinion in answering you question why do so many people find Windows Search difficult.

One more time, after typing the above, I read my responses through. I really do not understand why you took this so personally?

Over and out, issue solved. Unsubscribing.

Kari