What is the syntax of Windows 7 file search (wildcards, logical signs...) ?__

Anonymous
2009-11-16T14:40:26+00:00

Hello,

I am looking for it everywhere but I can't find it.

When in Windows search and you are looking for a file, you can type in *.txt to look for a '.txt' file.

But it seems that the syntax of file name to look seems more complex that it looks first.

For instance, the quote character (") and the equal sign (=) seem to have there own significance.

And I think I have heard that it was possible to use 'not' and 'and ' signs.

Please, where can I find the complete syntax of the search paterns?

Thank you a lot

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

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-06-18T01:27:01+00:00

    will this work in Win7 search function as well or just 4.0

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-11-11T00:13:45+00:00

    The unbelievable worthlessness of Windows 7 file search is astounding. I can not think of a better example to show how out of touch Microsoft is with computer users. Windows XP file search worked just fine. Now if you want to find a file and you do not know the exact file name or location --- you actually have to learn a special search syntax!!! If people are going to have to start learning things like this to do something as SIMPLE AS SEARCHING FILES - there is no reason at all they should not just use something like Linux or FreeBSD.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-11-11T01:42:02+00:00

    I have found Win7 Search to be much simpler than explained here.  You don't need any special syntax or search characters.

    For example: I have the Don Henley album, Building The Pefect Beast in my music folder.  There are 11 songs and they all have the album name field filled in with the album title.  If I click on the Windows Start button and immediately start typingbuilding the perfect it list all 11 songs under the music section.  Done.

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-12-16T19:08:37+00:00

    I completely agree with whatever's post...the Win7 search is a serious backward step, since it doesn't enable wildcard searching in filenames.  For example, if I search for "Newegg" to find a copy of a receipt for computer parts, where the receipt file is called something like "20100502_ComputerPartsFromNewegg.pdf," the new search in Windows 7 will not find it, but Windows XP search found it perfectly fine.

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