Find file, limit

[Lars]

Hi group,

How can I make Windows "search" thing list only such files
that have *no other letter* before the ones I enter as
search criteria?

For example I want to find all instances of files name
"sys". I tolerate those called system etc but not those
called mmsystem etc.

I have a vague memory of this being possible in Dos.

Come to think of it, if there is a way to limit trailing
letters I would like to know of that as well.


Lars
Stockholm

 

[Bob I]

use " and . as in

"sys

and

sys.

 

[Lars]

Are you sure of that Bob?

It does not work on my W2k, english version with Swedish
regional options and keyboard.
I have come across things where those with a different
language version must use some other key combination to make
Windows do what you want. But it does not seem likely that "
would be different.

Also the trailling . (dot), is only treated as a sign. The
search results give me a bunch of files that are named stuff
like mdminsys.inf and cdosys.dll.

use " and . as in

"sys

and

sys.

Lars
Stockholm

 

[Bob I]

US english here

"sys

gives me all

sys???????? files

and it looks like the

.. worked for you or isn't

????sys.??? what you wanted?

 

[Lars]

. worked for you or isn't
????sys.??? what you wanted?

No it isn´t.


Lars
Stockholm

 

[Dan Seur]

Usually * is the "anything, however long" symbol. Probably so in Swedish
systems also. Thus:
*system.* finds only "anythingsystem.anything"
system.* finds only "system.anything"
system*.dll" finds only "systemanything.dll"
where "anything" is any character string.
The ? in such a search means any single character only.

 

[Bob I]

I am sorry, I guess I do not understand the problem based on your
description.

 

[Lars]

But Dan,

If you do a search for "system", only the word "system",
nothing before, nothing after. Say in your Windows folder.

Do you then not get also "mmsystem.dll", "Eventsystem.log",
and others that *do* have part of their names *before* the
word "system"?

I do, and that is what I am trying to avoid.

Usually * is the "anything, however long" symbol. Probably so in Swedish
systems also. Thus:
*system.* finds only "anythingsystem.anything"
system.* finds only "system.anything"
system*.dll" finds only "systemanything.dll"
where "anything" is any character string.
The ? in such a search means any single character only.

Lars
Stockholm

 

[Gary Smith]

If you do a search for "system", only the word "system",
nothing before, nothing after. Say in your Windows folder.

Do you then not get also "mmsystem.dll", "Eventsystem.log",
and others that *do* have part of their names *before* the
word "system"?

I do, and that is what I am trying to avoid.

If you put "system*" (without the quotes) into the search box, do you not
get all files and folders whose names begin with the string "system"? I
do.

 

[Lars]

If you put "system*" (without the quotes) into the search box, do you not
get all files and folders whose names begin with the string "system"? I
do.

Of course I do!

My problem is that I also get all the files that do *not*
start with the string "system", but do have that string a
bit further into their name.

I am baffled that I have not been able to make myself
understood here. Is it because the result you guys get is so
different from mine?

If at all possible I would like a straight answer to this
one;

If you do a search for "system", only the word "system",
nothing before, nothing after. Say in your Windows folder.

Do you then not get also "mmsystem.dll", "Eventsystem.log",
and others that *do* have part of their names *before* the
word "system"?

Lars
Stockholm

 

[Gary Smith]

On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 20:51:56 -0800, Gary Smith

Of course I do!

My problem is that I also get all the files that do *not*
start with the string "system", but do have that string a
bit further into their name.

I am baffled that I have not been able to make myself
understood here. Is it because the result you guys get is so
different from mine?

Maybe it's because you're not reading all of the characters in these
messages . I explicitly referred to "system*" -- six letters followed by
an asterisk. That retrieves only file names beginning with the string
"system".

If at all possible I would like a straight answer to this
one;

Yes indeed. The search string "system" is equivalent to "*system*"
(asterisks on both ends). They both retireve mmsystem.dll, among
other entries. "system*" (asterisk on the right end) anchors
the search string on the left. It does not retrieve mmsystem.dll.
"*system" (asterisk on the left) retrievs files whose names, ignoring the
extension, end in the string "system".

 

[Lars]

Maybe it's because you're not reading all of the characters in these
messages . I explicitly referred to "system*" -- six letters followed by
an asterisk. That retrieves only file names beginning with the string
"system".

The search string "system" is equivalent to "*system*"
(asterisks on both ends). They both retireve mmsystem.dll, among
other entries. "system*" (asterisk on the right end) anchors
the search string on the left. It does not retrieve mmsystem.dll.
"*system" (asterisk on the left) retrievs files whose names, ignoring the
extension, end in the string "system".

You are absolutely right Gary! I am sorry I did not see the
asterisk there. Neither in your post nor indeed in Dan´s,
where the whole thing was well answered. It never occurred
to me that an asterisk at the end of the string had that
"anchoring" effect.

Thank you for straightening it out!


Lars
Stockholm

 

[Gary Smith]

You are absolutely right Gary! I am sorry I did not see the
asterisk there. Neither in your post nor indeed in Dan´s,
where the whole thing was well answered. It never occurred
to me that an asterisk at the end of the string had that
"anchoring" effect.

Thank you for straightening it out!

You're welcome. I learned something while investigating your question on
my system, so we've all gained.