Windows 7 (advanced) search pane?

Anonymous
2010-01-27T14:40:15+00:00

I've been using Windows 7 for some time now, and loving it!

However, when I was preaching to my family and friends, they asked me if the Advanced Search pane (that we used to have in XP) is back in Windows 7.

Of course, with the Windows Search Advanced Query Syntax (let's call this AQS), we are able to achieve what the advanced search pane could and more. But then they brought up a pretty good point:

Why should I (they) have to learn/memorize a special syntax in order to perform a complex search, when the advanced search pane in XP was so much more straightforward? And I kinda agree with them.

E.g, without looking at the AQS documentation, how many of you can immediately come up with the single search criteria for:

  1. all jpg and png files (only)
  2. that are in e:\images and d:\images and f:\dir\images
  3. without recursing into any subdirectories
  4. that are larger than 10KB
  5. and was created between 25th of December and 1st of January?

Anyone got an answer for that?

Or is there some sort of advanced search pane like in Outlook? Pick from a list of filters the field to search/filter by, and you get a nice label/textbox for you to type in?

I've done some digging, and it seems like there's only partial (restricted) support for this. E.g, in the Music library, you can only add filters for Album, Artist, Genre, Length; Documents: Authors, Type, Date modified, Size; etc.

And when you're not in a library, e.g, folder on an external disk, the only filters you can add are Date modified and Size.

Are there any ways to add more filters? Or are we limited to either: 1) relying on the filters that Windows 7 *THINKS* we need, or 2) buckle down and memorize the AQS?

[Edit]

Here's another story: I was explaining to my mom how you could build an AQS search criteria, and she remarked (paraphrased), "Why is it trying to search when you're not even done typing? Why not have a search button that begins searching only when you are ready to?"

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2011-11-13T16:56:45+00:00

By default, Windows only searches inside files if the location is indexed (so it can return instant results). You can tell Windows to do an intensive search (just like XP would have done).

  1. Open Folder Options (type 'folder' into the Start menu to find it).
  2. On the Search tab, click the 2nd option ("Always search file names and contents"), then click OK.

After that, using quotes to phrase-search inside files should work, even in un-indexed locations.  Searches may take a while if the location isn't indexed (just like XP), but they'll be complete and should return the results you want.

____________

One more note:  If the location is indexed, but your phrase isn't being found.... do this to make sure the file type is getting indexed.  Do this, for example, if you are trying to find a phrase inside a non-standard file like a JavaScript or PHP file:

  1. Type 'index' into your Start menu to find the Indexing Options, then click the Advanced button.
  2. On the File Types tab, find the file type you want to be indexed (tip: click in the list, then type the file type letters like JS to jump to it).
  3. With the file type selected, make sure the 2nd option is selected "Index properties and file contents", then click OK to close each box.

I believe these two setting changes would resolve about 90% of search frustrations people commonly have with Windows 7.  Please let me know if this helps for you.

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Anonymous
2010-02-09T01:26:47+00:00

Maybe it's just me, but how can you even get that far?

My "search" usually just stalls before it lets me even BEGIN to add a filter. Do you just initiate the initial search from a new explorer window? Or do you initiate the search from the start icon and then add a filter...or.....?

To me, Search is defunct...99% of my data is on a network share and it can't find it even if I am in the folder that I am searching for

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2010-02-02T12:28:25+00:00

I think rather than finding the filter, they'd rather you just type a few parts of the file and Windows will figure it out for you (whether you type the author or whatever).  I don't necessarily agree with that, lol.

You can see more filters if you expand the search box, but who would consider that an intuitive interface?  I think this could have been implemented much differently with better results.  Perhaps the 'search filters' could be checkboxes at the bottom of that menu, or even at the top similar to the library pane's links.  Perhaps Windows 8 will have more time spend on this area.

![](http://public.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pqxrKJw4QR06lJSyyWRLZGs_D-sLwOfn4JwRyCdXTqAr9WQi9Yo8_mO_d7tlrgBUd4pD1DifYDmGpRLPVWrq4tw/Search Filters.png)

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2010-01-29T03:35:12+00:00

You don't have to learn or know the syntax.  It's really easier than it may appear on the surface.

Instead of trying to figure out the syntax, simply type what you're looking for.  If you want to search a specific type of info (like Author or Date, anything that used to be in the Advanced pane), it appears for you.  Simply click it and you're done.

In this picture below, I didn't have to type any of that, I just clicked "Add a search filter".  It's the same options from Windows 7, but now they're blue links instead of a big bunch of text boxes.

If this was helpful, please vote by clicking the green triangle. If it solves the issue, click Propose as Answer. Thanks!

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-03-22T20:22:32+00:00

    Also bumping. This is driving me insane, I can't find anything, and have been unable to since I bought this computer with Win7 pre-installed.

    Have to agree with you guys, it's impossible to do a proper search on Win 7. Trying todo a search for a name., typed it in my search box, in this case "Ally", typed the extension I want and guess what? I'm getting results that don't have that string ANYWHERE on the title. So, instead of a streamlined group of results, I'm getting a page full of useless trash results with no relevance whatsoever to my query. Not everyone wants to search inside file contents. I hardly ever do in any file that's not a document. And I name my files well enough so I'll know if the file is the one I'm looking for or not.

    Many times I guess directory names, which are usually some crappy name, followed with the path in parenthesis (another idiotic invention). I have several folders with the same name, pasting the last folder name isn't intuitive at all. Not to mention the fact that I'm unable to access said folders without resetting the extremely tedious search process. How hard would it be to include an option to "open in a new window"?

    So, I suspect that that horrible "search" is searching inside the file itself or something, and TAKING FOREVER. If I wanted to search inside the file, I'd wanted to tell the program to do so, most times I ONLY want to search a file name. And only a specific file type, or within a size bracket ranging from 0k to 2Gb. And not program-imposed brackets. Most times I want files between 10Mb and 1Gb. But apparently windwsos 7 programmers decided I don't need that.

    How am I supposed to tell program that I want to include all files of a certain extension between 10Mb and 1Gb in size that have a specific string on the name, and that I don't want program to search inside the file itself under any circumstances?

    Also, why am I supposed to look up some idiotic syntax rules to even attempt the most basic search possible? I thought Win7 aimed at being a fully integrated experience, and I find myself unable to get clues on how to search the simplest things without searching for help online.

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