Solved How do I search for multiple files in a particular directory

[cincihal]

With windows 7 I don't seem to be able to find an advanced search option like XP has. I am trying to bring up multiple file types in a certain directory. In other words, in the programx directory, I want to find all files with the extension .aaa, .bbb, and .ccc. How do I do this in Windows 7?

 

[Infinite]

Download Everything, it does that for you.

 

[Lemur]

No need for an install. We can just use boolean logic (AND, OR). For instance, if I want to find all bat and txt files, I can use: "*.bat AND *.txt" without the quotes.

 

[DeaconFrost]

You definitely don't need to mess with third-party apps. I would be very fearful of how they would muck up my indexing and other system components.

 

[dsperber]

With windows 7 I don't seem to be able to find an advanced search option like XP has. I am trying to bring up multiple file types in a certain directory. In other words, in the programx directory, I want to find all files with the extension .aaa, .bbb, and .ccc. How do I do this in Windows 7?

As has already been suggested, a superb ALTERNATIVE to the Win7 search is a fabulous little product named Everything.

It is much simpler to use than Win7's search, and it is based on an index that it maintains in realtime anytime you do anything relating to file names. As you type your search (using whatever intuitive full/partial or wildcard syntax you can dream up, limited to a drive or not, limited to a folder or not, etc., etc., etc... exactly as you'd intuitively hope for) the "hit list" appears on the screen. The more you type, the shorter is the "hit list"... exactly as you'd expect. The search of the index is occurring simultaneous with your typing, so the search is effectively INSTANTANEOUS.

And the "hit list" is of course Explorer-compatible, so there's a right-click context menu on files selected from that "hit list", etc., etc.

Yes, Win7's search is powerful and sophisticated. Is it as simple and straightforward as the old WinXP search? No. Is Everything truly everything you wanted in a quick-and-easy filename search? Yes. There's an object running in the System Tray, you right-click on it and select "new search", and then start typing in the window that appears. Could not be easier, more intuitive, or speedier.

Just try it. You'll like it, I'm sure. It is totally independent of Win7's search and does not preclude your also using Win7's search.

 

[FliGi7]

You definitely don't need to mess with third-party apps.

Unfortunately, it's many people's first thought to download some other third party app to manage file searches instead of learning how Win7 natively does it. I will agree in some cases a third party file manager can make things much easier (for instance certain bulk renaming actions), however in most cases it's just a lack of understanding of Win7's search capabilities rather than the actual lack of ability for Win7 to properly search for things. As Lemur already pointed out, this search is easily achieved with Boolean operators in the search box.

 

[Kari]

You definitely don't need to mess with third-party apps.

Unfortunately, it's many people's first thought to download some other third party app to manage file searches instead of learning how Win7 natively does it. I will agree in some cases a third party file manager can make things much easier (for instance certain bulk renaming actions), however in most cases it's just a lack of understanding of Win7's search capabilities rather than the actual lack of ability for Win7 to properly search for things. As Lemur already pointed out, this search is easily achieved with Boolean operators in the search box.

+1.

Windows 7 Search is a powerful tool, I can see no reason to install again one third party app to do something that can easily be done with native Windows tools.

Kari

 

[Lemur]

+1 to the +1 of the +1.

I reviewed the text of "Everything" (sounds all encompassing).

Wildcard (e.g., ?, *) function within MS Windows search, similar to "Everything".

A vertical bar in EVERYTHING is the same as "OR"

You can use quotes to include a space (e.g., "united states")

There's no need to run a second index.

Windows will handle other features, but you get the gist.

 

[FliGi7]

+1 to the +1 of the +1.

I reviewed the text of "Everything" (sounds all encompassing).

Wildcard (e.g., ?, *) function within MS Windows search, similar to "Everything".

A vertical bar in EVERYTHING is the same as "OR"

You can use quotes to include a space (e.g., "united states")

There's no need to run a second index.

Windows will handle other features, but you get the gist.

But, recommending someone learn the search features of Windows7 doesn't allow the misguided opportunity to bash a feature one knows nothing about. That sounds a lot less cool.

 

[cincihal]

It looks like there are differing opinions on this subject and I will have to say that the Windows 7 search utility is not as intuitive as some seem to think. I did as I Lemur suggested, I opened up My Documents and in the search box in the upper right, typed *.doc And *.txt, checking first to make sure there were actually some of those files types in that directory first. the result was "No items match your search".

 

[Lemur]

I did as I Lemur suggested, I opened up My Documents and in the search box in the upper right, typed *.doc And *.txt, checking first to make sure there were actually some of those files types in that directory first. the result was "No items match your search".

Please look at my attached example. Note in the search box, I specified *.txt OR *.docx. I did not use the AND. Here is why. AND means one file would have to satisfy both requirements. OR means it just has to satisfy one of the requirements. Does that make sense?

 

[DeaconFrost]

The concept of these boolean searches shouldn't be foreign to anyone by now. Google uses them for web searches.

 

[cincihal]

That worked. Thanks!

 

[Lemur]

Excellent. Boolean logic can be your friend

 

[Kari]

It looks like there are differing opinions on this subject and I will have to say that the Windows 7 search utility is not as intuitive as some seem to think. I did as I Lemur suggested, I opened up My Documents and in the search box in the upper right, typed *.doc And *.txt, checking first to make sure there were actually some of those files types in that directory first. the result was "No items match your search".

This is due to an error in search string. Boolean AND means both search criteria must be true, and because a file only has one extension, search can not find anything.

Correct syntax is *.doc OR *.txt



This search finds all files with extension .doc OR extension .txt.

Same search can also be done using search parameter ext:xxx, where xxx is the extension searched. Syntax for this search would be ext:doc OR ext:txt:



Kari

EDIT: Too late, fellow geeks were faster...

 

[Lemur]

EDIT: Too late, fellow geeks were faster...

I resemble that remark