Searching for upper- or lower-case words in files.

[dutchg]

I'm searching across thirty-some Word documents in one folder. How can I specify a search for words with specific case requirements? I'm looking for the word "lesson," not "Lesson," and I want to see what files it occurs in and where those occurrences are.

Thanks for any help.


PS: Bonus points to anyone who can tell me how to use Word itself to search across multiple Word files. Word's search is a lot easier to use.

Again, thanks.

 

[search53]

The only program that I'm aware of and am 100% certain can do case sensitive searches is GREP... but that requires doing it at the C:\ prompt.

But then again... I don't use Word for anything but term papers.

 

[search53]

Oh, there IS a program that adds tabs to Word. If you install it, you might be able to search across multiple documents at once if they're all loaded. I don't know for a fact, but it's possible. I'll post the link - the free version is in the left most column

Office Tab Free Edition

 

[dutchg]

Thanks for the thoughts. I'll give that add-on a look.

I'm sure Windows 7 should be able to do case-sensitive searching from Explorer--I mean all I hear is how superior 7's search capability is to XP's--but I'm hanged if I can figure it out.

 

[search53]

Yeah, I read all these rave reviews too. I give it merely an "almost adequate" review. I'd much rather have a list of checkboxes - the way XP's "doggy" search had. You can do the same thing with Win 7, but it requires knowing what the query criteria terms are, and that they be typed into the search box. Sounds like an excellent opportunity for a third party program.

 

[search53]

I just came across this at CNet download.com. I haven't tried it yet but it looks promising:

Super Finder XT

Edit: I've installed this program, but haven't fully tested it. Looking at the search parameter section, though, does allow case sensitive searches when looking for Content. I don't know how badly Word mangles the file contents though.

Edit again: I'll be looking to see if I can set this program to open up when I press F3. If it does, this program just may be a Win 7 killer app.

Last edit: Nah, I don't see any way to call this program via the F3 key.

 

[dutchg]

Ha. Yeah, you got that right. I just downloaded a program called Agent Ransack, from a company called Mythicsoft. It's more benign than its name might imply. Anyway, it's doing the search like a champ.

Thanks for your help. Sometimes I can't imagine what MS is thinking.

 

[dutchg]

Super Finder looks good, too. Seems like several developers jumped into the gap on this.