Find Files Containing Specific Text

Finding Files that Contain Specific Text

This dialog is used to search for files that contain text that matches a pattern you specify. Virtual Folders (the results of a search) can contain one file or all the files and folders on multiple drives. The great advantage of Virtual Folders over Explore Views is that files in multiple folders can be manipulated at the same time, e.g. copied, renamed, deleted and much, much more.

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.

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.

To start the dialog use the Find | Files Containing Text... command from the main menu.

Method for Matching the Search Pattern

Search Method

Three different types of searching can be performed.

FileBoss supports smart white space matching where the white space (spaces and tabs) does not have to be exact for a match to occur. This allows the search pattern to specify one space or tab and FileBoss will still match even if the source text contains two or more consecutive spaces or tabs or a mixture of both.

The type of search to be done is specified by choosing on of the following options:

Exact

Matches the search pattern exactly (no wild cards have special meaning) except for capitalization and white space. Capitalization is controlled by the 'Match capitalization' check box and all white space is considered to be the same, e.g. spaces, tabs and new lines are considered to be the same. In addition multiple spaces will match one space and vice-a-versa.

Normal

In normal searching, FileBoss recognizes two wild card characters: the question mark and the asterisk.

The question mark (?) matches any one character.

The asterisk (*) matches any number of any characters up until the next character in the search pattern. For instance, the search pattern F*ss, would match FileBoss

To enter an asterisk or question mark as literals, i.e. without special meaning, precede them with a backslash.

Unix Style

See Unix Style Searches for a complete definition of FileBoss's Unix style search implementation.

Match Capitalization

Selecting this option tells FileBoss that searches should be case sensitive. Thus, if this option is selected and "Blue" is searched for, FileBoss will find "Blue" but not "blue" or "bLue." If this option is not selected, FileBoss will match any combination of capitals and lowercase letters, no matter what was used for the search string.

Note that this option does not affect searches when Unix mode is turned on.

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_TEXT

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