Overview
Most any dialog that require folder paths or file patterns can accept
either simple entries, e.g.
C\Data\My Data
and
*.bmp
or very complex strings that specify not only what to include but
also what to exclude from a, most typically, search.
This page describes the complete description of how to use these
fields to their full advantage.
Paths Field
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 File Set dialog two
and only two paths must be entered in this field)
Including
Multiple Paths
Select
the drives or paths you want to check. Multiple
paths are separated with the semi-colon (;),
comma (,) or bar character (|).
You can even specify folders to exclude by
preceding the name with a minus sign. For
complete details right-click the field in the
program.
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'.
Specifying File & Folder Patterns
Enter the names or name patterns of files and
folders you want included in the search.
Leaving the field empty is the same as
specifying 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 specifying groups of
file to be included.
The entry *.tmp | *.bak | ~*
will find all files with the extension tmp and bak
as well as all files beginning with the tilde character '~'.
Excluding 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 File Set 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
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.
Edit
Allows you to edit the contents of the Patterns:
drop-down list box.
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