Find Modified Files

Finding Recently Modified Files

The settings in the above dialog will find all files modified on the current day in the two paths specified in the first field (each path is separated by the bar character, '|'. Note that when finding recently modified files subfolders are automatically searched.

To find files that have been modified recently or within a specific date range use the Find | Recently Modified Files... command from the main menu to invoke the dialog below where you can specify which files to find.

After FileBoss has found all the files they will be collected into a virtual Virtual Folder where you can manipulate them (rename, delete, copy, move, backup, open, and more) one at a time, in groups or all at once. And, of course, like any other Virtual Folder the definition can be saved and used over and over again. Once the Virtual Folder has been created just select one of the File | Save > commands.

For more ways of finding files and creating Virtual Virtual Folders see:

Find Files,

Find Recently Modified Files,

Find Old Files,

Find Files Containing Specific Text,

Find Long Filenames,

Find Files by Attributes,

Find Files by Size and

Advanced File Find the master, do it all routine.

Using Relative File times

Relative times allow you to find files that were modified, accessed or created within a specified time period. The time frame is calculated every time the search is run meaning that if you create a Virtual Folder today and it is reloaded when you start FileBoss tomorrow, or you save it and open it again another day, the new Virtual Folder will be created based on that future time and not the time when you first clicked the OK button on this dialog.

The one exception is the last option, where you specify a fixed start and end time for the search. These remain constant.

Relative times allow you to find files that were modified, accessed or created within a specified time period. The time frame is calculated every time the search is run meaning that if you create a Virtual Folder today and it is reloaded when you start FileBoss tomorrow, or you save it and open it again another day, the new Virtual Folder will be created based on that future time and not the time when you first clicked the OK button on this dialog.

The one exception is the last option, where you specify a fixed start and end time for the search. These remain constant.

Paths Field

(In some dialogs the Search Subfolders will not be displayed in which case all subfolders will be searched automatically.)

Specifies one or more paths to be scanned. For instance to scan the My Documents directory on drive C: enter:

C:\My Documents

(Note: if you are comparing folders either from the Compare Folders or Paths dialog or directly in the Create Virtual Folder dialog two and only two paths must be entered in this field)

Including Multiple Paths

Separate multiple paths with the bar character '|'.

To scan the My Documents directory on drive C: and the Temp directory on drive D: enter:

C:\My Documents | D:\Temp

(The maximum length of this field is over 65,000 bytes.)

Using Wildcards

If you would like to collect files on all of drive D: and in the My Documents and My Installations folders on drive C: enter the following.

D:\ | C:\My *s

(Of course, the entry C:\My * would search all folders in the root of drive C: which began with My then a space and end with an s.)

The use of a wild card is restricted to the last element of the path. For instance, the following examples will not work:

D:\*\Backup

C:\My *\*

C:\Program Files\Iront*\FileBoss

But the following will work:

C:\My *s

(It would return files in folders C:\My Videos and C:\My Pictures if present.)

To search both the Normal and Nermal directories on drive D: you could enter either:

D:\Normal | D:\Nermal

  or

D:\N?rmal

Excluding Folders

Specific folders can be excluded from the search by preceding the folder's name with a minus sign, '-'.  If the name of the folder actually begins with a minus sign, simply put another in front of it, e.g. "--my folder".

Consider the following example:

C:\My Documents | -Temp|-Backup|D:\

Paths to be excluded can contain the normal wildcard characters, * and ?. (Use full paths, e.g. C:\house\pictures) to avoid excluding all paths, e.g. every folder named 'pictures'. This can be especially important when using wildcards.)

Note that the order of the entries is ignored: in the above example any Temp and Backup folders will be ignored on drive D: as well in C:\My Documents

Using Wildcards in Folders to be Excluded

Using wildcards in folders to be excluded is almost exactly the same as it is to use them in paths to be scanned. For instance:

C:\ | -C:\C*s

Would search all of drive C: except for files and folders in and below any root folders beginning with a 'C' and ending in 's'.

File Patterns (Include or Exclude)

Enter the names or name patterns of files and folders you want included in the search.

Leaving the field empty is the same as specifing a single asterisk '*' or the traditional '*.*' meaning include all files.

Multiple File Patterns

Separate multiple patterns with the bar character '|'.

Wildcards in File Patterns

The common wildcard characters '*' and '?' can be used when specifing groups of file to be inclucded.

The entry *.tmp | *.bak | ~* will find all files with the extension tmp and bak as well as all files begining with the tilde character '~'.

Exluding Files and Groups of Files

Specific files and groups of files can be excluded from the search by preceding the files with a minus sign, '-'.  If the name actually begins with a minus sign, simply put another in front of it, e.g. --notations.txt.

To create a Virtual Folder that includes all files except temporary and backup files you could enter

    -*.tmp | -*.bak | -~*

(Note that there is no *.* or just * in the beginning. Remember that if there is no include specification then *.* (all) is assumed.

For example the these two patterns are equivalent: -*.zip and *.* | -*.zip (include all files except those with the zip extension).

User Defined & Default Patterns

While the drop down list box will remember the most recently used patterns, even when FileBoss is closed, you can use predefined

Predefined Patterns

The [ >> ] button displays a pop up menu of predefined file patterns that can be quickly added to the 'Patterns' field to the left.

You can edit this drop down menu to include the file patterns you use the most (use the 'Edit Menu' option at the bottom.)

The patterns fly out can hold up to a maximum of twenty entries.

Opens a list of default search patterns, which can be used to quickly fill in the Patterns: field. You can edit this drop down menu to include the file patterns you use the most (use the 'Edit Menu' option at the bottom.)

The patterns fly out can hold up to a maximum of twenty entries.

Edit

Allows you to edit the contents of the Patterns: drop-down list box.

What to include in the Search

Determines what will be included in the find operation, file, folders or both. The default is that only files will be included in the search.

Ref: HIDD_CREATE_FILESET_MODIFIED

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