- Introduction
- Finding Information Using Spotlight
- Finding Information in the Spotlight Window
- Filtering Spotlight Results
- Grouping and Sorting Spotlight Results
- Working with Spotlight Results
- Setting Spotlight Preferences
- Searching for Files Using the Find Window
- Searching for Hard to Find Information
- Working with Find Window Results
- creating and Using Smart Folders
- Getting Help While You Work
- Getting Help Using Spotlight
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Searching for Files Using the Find Window
Spotlight provides a quick and easy way to search for files, but if you need to perform a more specific search, the Find window can help you search for what you need. The Find window lets you specify where and how you want to search—This Mac, All My Files or "folder or disk name," or Shared—with either file contents or name and make relevant suggestions as you type ( New ! ). You can narrow your search by selecting or typing a specific list of criteria—such as name, location, size, or kind—available in the Find window. For example, you can search for all graphic files with the .jpg extension you created last month that contain web. After you complete a search, a separate results window opens. Unlike the Spotlight, you can change the criteria and perform a new search, and then compare the results.
Search for Files Using the Find Window
Open a Finder window.
Click the File menu, and then click Find.
Timesaver
Press
to open the Find window.
In the Search field, type the text in which you want to search.
On the Search menu, select a suggestion, such as Filename contains "text" to narrow the search as desired. (
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Click the button with the search location you want:
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This Mac. Searches all the disks on your computer.
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All My Files. Searches your Home folder.
- Server, Volume or Folder Name. Searches only the currently opened server, volume, or folder. The item name appears in quotes in the Search bar.
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Shared. Searches shared folders on disks and computer.
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To change the search, click the drop-down button, and then click Filename or Everything.
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Narrow Search for Files Using the Find Window
- Click the File menu, and then click Find.
- In the Search field, type the text in which you want to perform an initial search.
- Click the first Search pop-up, and then select or type the search criteria; options vary depending on the criteria.
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Kind. Finds files that are or aren't a certain kind.
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Last Opened Date. Finds files that you last opened.
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Last Modified Date. Finds files according to the date modified.
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Created Date. Finds files according to the date created.
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Name. Finds all or part of a file name (capitalization doesn't matter); select another option, such as Contains, Starts With, Ends With, or Is.
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Contents. Finds words inside your file; handy if you don't remember the name.
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Other. Finds files based on other selected attributes.
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- Click the second Search pop-up, and then select or type more specific search criteria.
- To add search criteria, click the Add (+) button, and then specify the criteria you want.
- To remove search criteria, click the Remove (-) button.
The search results appear in the window.
To pause or stop a search in progress, click the X button.
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