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: all jpg and png files (only) that are in e:\images and d:\images and f:\dir\images without recursing into any subdirectories that are larger than 10KB 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?"

"You may have sorted by another column. Sort by "search ranking", and file name matches will be prioritized (if there are any) over any content matches. I'm not suggesting anyone memorize anything. I've never ever had to type a syntaxed query. I click buttons just like in XP. Windows 7 works like a search engine. You type a keyword, you get results. You don't tell Google to only search contents sometimes, do you? " Not really directed at Shawn Keene, but he has brought up some of the issues that are most pertinent: File Search should NOT function like a search engine. I have never in my life needed a file search to behave in that way. With a search engine, I start knowing what kind of information that I am looking for but not where or what form that I might find it: a fuzzy search. If I get too much, or the wrong things, I refine my keywords and retry until I get what I want, which is a previously unknown information source. With a file system search, I want an exact and complete list based on the criteria I put forth. I know the kind of information and I know where and the form I will find it in. It should not be a fuzzy search. Windows 7 search uses keywords with your defined location and then makes some choices on what you will or will not get back based on non-obvious controls. It is a semi-fuzzy search. And worse, how to make it less fuzzy is not clear, obvious or well-documented: - You have to make global changes to include hidden files. - You have to make global changes to toggle searching of subfolders. - You have to know about indexing, update it, and apparently define the extensions you want to search if it is outside what Microsoft defined. If it isn't in a library and have an accepted extension, too bad. But don't index your whole machine. - You have to know or "guess" at the names of filters to get what you could do in XP. Some would think that the non-technical should have *no* problem guessing those even when the technical do. I still haven't guessed what would filter: "A word or phrase in the file", "search system folders", "search hidden files and folders", "search subfolders", or "case sensitive". I could look it up on the msdn list that someone posted, which says that this non-obvious, poorly documented. - You have to search your search. Sure it prioritizes based on what you asked for first. But when you column sort your results it loses those priorities, and all the **** you didn't ask for gets mixed in. Sure if you get 3 million results and it is #3 that is great, but if it is #30,000, not so much. And if you were looking for a group, or a number, or have any reason to column sort, it has no value. These are not things your average user is going to know how to do, and will never figure out. Assuming that people only work at their designated customized machine which they fully understand is not reality. A file search should work the same on every machine, no matter what folder you start in. The two biggest issues I have (providing support) are searching hidden/system areas and getting a complete search. All the extra filters would be nice, but if I can't get the search to be complete, it is a non-starter. And having to go into each system to set it up to search the way I need it to, kind of says that it is broken. I still haven't seen how to (or even heard anyone claim that you can) hidden and system files and folders in a search (without by playing with global settings). I can supposedly see hidden and system files on my own machine, yet I have come across folders I can see from a program's default save location, and from dos, but I can't get explorer to see it until I explicitly type it in the address bar. Do you think search will find it? Nope. Folders on the server occasionally get accidentally moved. Where did they go? Search by folder name, not anymore (at least without going and tweaking something somewhere else in the system). Searching under windows 7, I can search on a file I just created and not find it. I can search on a file I can see and not get it as a result. Why? I'm still trying to figure it out. Despite what the Microsoft engineers think, their code in the search does not know why I am conducting the search, so shouldn't be making changes and assumptions that I do not know about. Am I looking for a file, or seeing how many files are have my criteria? Am I just trying to get a quick idea of how much space is taken up in certain directories by certain types of files? Too bad for me with Windows 7 search. If I say *.doc, I want *.doc, not *.doc*. If I wanted *.docx, I would enter *.doc*. There may be a switch or setting that would turn this off, but why should that be needed? Designing it for someone who has no knowledge (always assuming wildcards) is painful for those who have even a modicum of knowledge. If you are concerned about people not understanding wildcards, put in a link on "how to search" that covers the basics, like wildcards. Just the number of experienced people who raise the issue should say something. And despite what someone on here keeps saying, the answer that "well it really is more powerful, and there are 300 options which I figured out by trial and error, see how smart I am, I did it, and everyone should be exactly like me" is the same sort of horrible logic used to make these changes in the first place. How hard would it have been to have something like the search in XP, either as a button in the search, or just have the XP search as the default with a box where you could put in you 300 filters to your heart's content? And maybe a link to a listing of those 300 filters and what they do. It is like Microsoft has a split personality. Half is dumbed down to those with no knowledge of computers, the other half is made to be semi or fully scripted, with no help, no documentation and only forums to try to ferret out how to use them. The tools are less and less useful for the 98% in the middle. Microsoft is relying more and more on the user community to provide documentation, they barely even try anymore. Most of the time, F1 help searches bounce to the internet to provide answers from here there and everywhere. Yes you can control it, but if you don't, that's where it goes. And if search was the only issue like this with MS products, it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but it is one of many. Ribbons; can't have 4 or more network shortcuts on the desktop; defaulting apps to not have the menu bar; deprecated functions in office, the windows orb instead doesn't say start (yes, this is a real problem when people don't see "start"), etc., etc., etc. I am in an office where we are migrating from XP to W7. I have been hit with more of these kind of obvious productivity killers than I have seen advantages of W7. The only productivity boost the people I support have seen comes from the hardware being better on new machines. They their computers to do their jobs, which is what should be expected. W7 is not designed for them.

Windows 7 (advanced) search pane?

Anonymous

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:

all jpg and png files (only)
that are in e:\images and d:\images and f:\dir\images
without recursing into any subdirectories
that are larger than 10KB
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?"

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

@CmdrKeene 90,631 Volunteer Moderator

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).

Open Folder Options (type 'folder' into the Start menu to find it).
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:

Type 'index' into your Start menu to find the Indexing Options, then click the Advanced button.
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).
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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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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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Answer accepted by question author

@CmdrKeene 90,631 Volunteer Moderator

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)

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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Answer accepted by question author

@CmdrKeene 90,631 Volunteer Moderator

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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219 additional answers

Anonymous

2012-02-09T20:24:07+00:00

"You may have sorted by another column. Sort by "search ranking", and file name matches will be prioritized (if there are any) over any content matches. I'm not suggesting anyone memorize anything. I've never ever had to type a syntaxed query. I click buttons just like in XP. Windows 7 works like a search engine. You type a keyword, you get results. You don't tell Google to only search contents sometimes, do you? "

Not really directed at Shawn Keene, but he has brought up some of the issues that are most pertinent:

File Search should NOT function like a search engine. I have never in my life needed a file search to behave in that way.

With a search engine, I start knowing what kind of information that I am looking for but not where or what form that I might find it: a fuzzy search. If I get too much, or the wrong things, I refine my keywords and retry until I get what I want, which is a previously unknown information source.

With a file system search, I want an exact and complete list based on the criteria I put forth. I know the kind of information and I know where and the form I will find it in. It should not be a fuzzy search.

Windows 7 search uses keywords with your defined location and then makes some choices on what you will or will not get back based on non-obvious controls. It is a semi-fuzzy search. And worse, how to make it less fuzzy is not clear, obvious or well-documented:

- You have to make global changes to include hidden files.

- You have to make global changes to toggle searching of subfolders.

- You have to know about indexing, update it, and apparently define the extensions you want to search if it is outside what Microsoft defined. If it isn't in a library and have an accepted extension, too bad. But don't index your whole machine.

- You have to know or "guess" at the names of filters to get what you could do in XP. Some would think that the non-technical should have *no* problem guessing those even when the technical do. I still haven't guessed what would filter: "A word or phrase in the file", "search system folders", "search hidden files and folders", "search subfolders", or "case sensitive". I could look it up on the msdn list that someone posted, which says that this non-obvious, poorly documented.

- You have to search your search. Sure it prioritizes based on what you asked for first. But when you column sort your results it loses those priorities, and all the **** you didn't ask for gets mixed in. Sure if you get 3 million results and it is #3 that is great, but if it is #30,000, not so much. And if you were looking for a group, or a number, or have any reason to column sort, it has no value.

These are not things your average user is going to know how to do, and will never figure out.

Assuming that people only work at their designated customized machine which they fully understand is not reality. A file search should work the same on every machine, no matter what folder you start in.

The two biggest issues I have (providing support) are searching hidden/system areas and getting a complete search. All the extra filters would be nice, but if I can't get the search to be complete, it is a non-starter. And having to go into each system to set it up to search the way I need it to, kind of says that it is broken.

I still haven't seen how to (or even heard anyone claim that you can) hidden and system files and folders in a search (without by playing with global settings). I can supposedly see hidden and system files on my own machine, yet I have come across folders I can see from a program's default save location, and from dos, but I can't get explorer to see it until I explicitly type it in the address bar. Do you think search will find it? Nope.

Folders on the server occasionally get accidentally moved. Where did they go? Search by folder name, not anymore (at least without going and tweaking something somewhere else in the system). Searching under windows 7, I can search on a file I just created and not find it. I can search on a file I can see and not get it as a result. Why? I'm still trying to figure it out.

Despite what the Microsoft engineers think, their code in the search does not know why I am conducting the search, so shouldn't be making changes and assumptions that I do not know about. Am I looking for a file, or seeing how many files are have my criteria? Am I just trying to get a quick idea of how much space is taken up in certain directories by certain types of files? Too bad for me with Windows 7 search. If I say *.doc, I want *.doc, not *.doc*. If I wanted *.docx, I would enter *.doc*. There may be a switch or setting that would turn this off, but why should that be needed? Designing it for someone who has no knowledge (always assuming wildcards) is painful for those who have even a modicum of knowledge. If you are concerned about people not understanding wildcards, put in a link on "how to search" that covers the basics, like wildcards.

Just the number of experienced people who raise the issue should say something. And despite what someone on here keeps saying, the answer that "well it really is more powerful, and there are 300 options which I figured out by trial and error, see how smart I am, I did it, and everyone should be exactly like me" is the same sort of horrible logic used to make these changes in the first place. How hard would it have been to have something like the search in XP, either as a button in the search, or just have the XP search as the default with a box where you could put in you 300 filters to your heart's content? And maybe a link to a listing of those 300 filters and what they do. It is like Microsoft has a split personality. Half is dumbed down to those with no knowledge of computers, the other half is made to be semi or fully scripted, with no help, no documentation and only forums to try to ferret out how to use them. The tools are less and less useful for the 98% in the middle.

Microsoft is relying more and more on the user community to provide documentation, they barely even try anymore. Most of the time, F1 help searches bounce to the internet to provide answers from here there and everywhere. Yes you can control it, but if you don't, that's where it goes. And if search was the only issue like this with MS products, it probably wouldn't be a big deal, but it is one of many. Ribbons; can't have 4 or more network shortcuts on the desktop; defaulting apps to not have the menu bar; deprecated functions in office, the windows orb instead doesn't say start (yes, this is a real problem when people don't see "start"), etc., etc., etc. I am in an office where we are migrating from XP to W7. I have been hit with more of these kind of obvious productivity killers than I have seen advantages of W7. The only productivity boost the people I support have seen comes from the hardware being better on new machines. They their computers to do their jobs, which is what should be expected. W7 is not designed for them.
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