Searching for files in Win7 Or I think I'm losing my technical abilities - by SubJeff
SubJeff on 9/3/2010 at 00:14
Or is it as shit as I think it is?
Where in the hell is the old XP file searcher where you specify type or extension (and type is really important since you might know its a video but you may not know what the extension is), age and size?
Is this too much to ask? Because I'll be damned if I can find it in Win7 and Google is helping me none. I keep finding simple stuff like this no longer easy to do and that's why I'm wondering if its me that is losing it and not the designers that are over complicating things.
Xenith on 9/3/2010 at 00:33
Well apparently you can choose age (date modified) and size (to some degree) and also search by extension using "*.extension_name" or "type:=", but that's about it. Yeah I also liked the XP search function which was simple and right there when you needed it.
Renzatic on 9/3/2010 at 00:34
Trying to look for crap through the start menu will only get you so far. Hitting Win+F and using the true Windows search function with net you much better results.
To use your example, if you're looking for a movie, but don't know the extension, typing kind:=video should bring up every movie file on your comp. Alternately, you can type *.mov and do the same if you're looking for specific extensions.
edit: the one thing I like about the Win7 search function over the old XP searcher is the speed. You have to be a little more indepth with the syntax, but the results pop up nigh instantaneously compared to the couple minutes you have to wait for XP to bring up all the results.
Telliamed on 9/3/2010 at 01:22
Quote Posted by Renzatic
To use your example, if you're looking for a movie, but don't know the extension, typing kind:=video should bring up every movie file on your comp. Alternately, you can type *.mov and do the same if you're looking for specific extensions.
Wasn't the whole point of Windows so that we wouldn't have to remember myriad arcane commands that need to be typed at a prompt? I appreciate the effort to use a modern database backend for desktop search, but the way MS has gone about it in Windows 6.x is a regression in usability.
Quasi-related is moving the sidebar toggles to a submenu instead of the toolbar. OTOH, I'm loving the way they've done the address bar.
Renzatic on 9/3/2010 at 03:56
Quote Posted by Telliamed
I appreciate the effort to use a modern database backend for desktop search, but the way MS has gone about it in Windows 6.x is a regression in usability.
Not entirely true. Apparently Vista had quite a robust and easy to use search function, but was pared down in 7 for reasons unknown.
And this might be old news for some, but it looks like 7 only indexes and searches the \users\ directory by default. That could explain why it doesn't thrash your HDD after the initial install like Vista did.
