File Explorer - How to use - It has potential


  1. Posts : 87
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
       #1

    File Explorer - How to use - It has potential


    I have info on smoke detectors in various places on my C: drive, that I would like to consolidate.

    File Explorer gives you default columns to look at . . . It would be good if I could select to see the Path, is that possible? Yes, but you run into some issues.

    What should I change here . . .

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    PUT COLUMNS IN THIS ORDER

    Name . . . you don't really need "Name", as it's in "Path", but you can't un-check it, and it is useful to view sorted on it most of the time, so, have that as the default

    Path

    Date modified

    Date created

    Size

    Folder . . . Not very useful, un-check it
    Type . . . Not really necessary, since you can see the extension in Path, un-check it

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    View / Options / View / Apply to folders / Yes / Ok

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    Then when you search:

    Specify the Column / colon / space / quotes around the word(s)
    . . . name: "smoke" . . . or . . . name: "smoke det" . . . or . . . name: "smoke detectors"
    . . . path: "smoke" . . . or . . . path: "smoke det" . . . or . . . path: "smoke detectors"

    Put quotes around the word, or string of words you want, for an exact match.

    How do you make it search for:
    a.) "contains" your text (not exact match) . . . *smoke*
    b.) your text starts the file name . . . smoke*
    c.) your text is after the beginning . . . *smoke

    It's not case sensitive . . . How do you make it case sensitive?

    Then, click to sort on the "Path" column header, and consolidate based on what you see.

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    ISSUES

    1.) Click on the file and go back, and it gets rid of the "Path" column, and gives me back "Folder"

    2.) Click to Search, and it gives you the "Content" view (you want "Details")

    3.) Want to get the "Path" column back? It is _very_ far down the list

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    How do you get File Explorer to retain what you want, when you clicked "Apply to folders" ?

    Can I make a BAT file that sets this up every time, and then launches File Explorer? Where do you specify these settings?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 71,644
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #2

    Hello,

    If you wanted to apply this folder view to all folders, then you could use the method in the tutorial below.

    Set Default Folder View for all Folders in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

    The tutorial below can help show you how to backup and restore your folder view settings.

    Backup and Restore Folder View Settings in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 44,954
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #3

    How do you make it search for:
    a.) "contains" your text (not exact match) . . . *smoke*
    file:*smoke* is the same as file:*smoke
    b.) your text starts the file name . . . smoke*
    that works
    c.) your text is after the beginning . . . *smoke
    try
    file:*smoke

    and note that ? behaves the same as * - it's not just one character

    It's not case sensitive . . . How do you make it case sensitive?
    - you can't...
    How to search case-sensitive in Win10 file explorer? - Windows 10 Forums


    Advanced Query Syntax | Microsoft Docs

    Learning Windows Search: Use Advanced Query Syntax to Find Everything

    The drop-downs in file explorer's ribbon can help, but search syntax can get arduous, and unfamiliar if not frequently used.
    File Explorer - How to use - It has potential-1.jpg
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 87
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #4

    I'll take a look at the above, thanks!

    It looks like it will take me a few hours to go through it, and set it up.

    It would be good if there were a program that allowed you to set it up, and backup easily, like this one does for fonts:

    Advanced System Font Changer - WinTools.Info

    Advanced System Font Changer is useful for after major Windows Updates, and how it sets everything back to default values.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 44,954
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #5

    Thanks for that, it's relevant to a quite different thread on resetting fonts..

    For interest/curiosity, here's how XYplorer handles search. So many aspects to consider, very precise, ? & * handled as you'd hope, and not find-as-you-type:
    File Explorer - How to use - It has potential-1.jpg
      My Computers


 

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