Windows Explorer Search – Learn something new every day…

 

I was searching through around 400 folders with thousands of files for all of the files that contained "_files" in their names. Should be easy… open Windows Explorer and type in the search box *_files* and wait… but I got back every file as if I had typed "*".

Is the underline a wildcard?

Not according to the documentation I can find, and it does not otherwise behave like a wildcard. For example, searching for "f_le" or "*f_le*" did not find anything.

Is the underline ignored?

Seems like it. Except… if you include a file type in the search then the underline is treated as an ordinary character or if you use the FileName property.

Two solutions:

Add a filetype wild card:   *_file*.*   

Search using a property name:   filename:*_file*    (but don't add ".*" if you are also looking for folders!)

 

What about good ole DOS?

Works exactly as expected.   DIR *_files* /s   .

 

What about PowerShell

Also works exactly as expected.   dir -Filter *_files* –Recurse

I should have started with PowerShell anyway as the next step was to rename these files!

 

What creates file names that include "_file"?

Internet Explorer when you use File, Save As, Web Page Complete.

 

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Worst license dialog box?

 

Below is the license screen for the .NET Framework 4 Setup. Big, almost empty dialog box, and they only display three and a half lines of the license agreement at a time…  Maybe they added the print and save buttons so you could actually read it.

 

 

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SharePoint: How to find all files of a certain type and then download easily

 

The goal…

To find all .XYZ files in all of my sites, libraries and folders and then easily copy them to a local drive.

Finding them is not too hard, you can use search for “*.xyz” or use a Content Query Web Part to find them, but how do you now download them?

 

Windows Explorer to the rescue…

I need to start by saying that Windows Explorer access to SharePoint can be “finicky”, but this works for me. This process depends on the version of Windows... Vista and Server 2008 (and probably Windows 7), but not Server 2003 has a search box at the top of the Explorer screen that works for SharePoint. Windows Server 2003 does not display the right-click search option when looking at web sources.

 

Steps:

• Go to your top level site of the site collection and pick a document library
• Click Actions, Explorer View
• Click the Folders button in the Windows Explorer toolbar
• In the folder pane click the top node/folder for the site collection    (sitename on servername)
• Click in the Search box at the top of Windows Explorer and type something like *.doc
• Select the files and copy and paste or drag and drop to a local disk drive

Notes:

• As you are selecting all files from all subsites and all libraries you may get files with duplicate names and will need to deal with the duplicates.
• Security is still enforced. You will only see files from sites/libraries/folders that you have rights to)
• Windows Explorer, when used this way, only searches on the file names, not the content.
  

Exam Discounts

This is a note for people who have attended my classes. (Everyone else go see their own MCT!)

If you are thinking about Microsoft certification, check with me before signing up for an exam. I can usually get you a discount on both the exam and on practice exams.

Currently:

• 10% off of the exam
• 40% on any MeasureUp 60 Day Online Practice Test

Not all exams qualify, but most MCP exams do. MeasureUp does not have a practice test of every Microsoft exam.

If you would like a discount voucher, email me at the email address I gave you during class or just call MAX Technical Training.

 

Know any college or tech school students? They can 55% off of exams here:
http://www.prometric.com/microsoft/student

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Misc. Windows Tools

Need to access a ISO disk image as a virtual CD / DVD? Microsoft has an unsupported device driver you can download. After downloading, double-click on the file to extract it and the follow the instructions in the readme file. http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/b/6/7b6abd84-7841-4978-96f5-bd58df02efa2/winxpvirtualcdcontrolpanel_21.exe