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File and Folder Search

Perform Complicated File Searches and Searches via Batch File

SUMMARY: Perform criteria-based file searches, duplicate file searches, search inside files, and even run automated searches via the command line with SearchMyFiles.

SearchMyFiles from NirSoft offers itself as "an alternative to the standard "Search For Files And Folders" module of Windows". The application runs on Windows 2000 and above, allowing you to search for files / folders matching a wide variety of criteria including by name (wildcard), file size, attributes, file creation, modification, and access times. You can exclude folders from the search or use a specific subfolder wildcard. Files can be scanned for specific text or binary, and the searches can be stopped after a user-specified number of files are found. Plus, a "Duplicates Mode" allows you to find duplicate files on your system that match the other search criteria.

Search options can be saved and re-loaded as needed. File information or a file's path can be copied to the clipboard. Search results of one or all files can be saved to a text file in a variety of formats, an XML file, or an HTML file for possible distribution over the web.

Performing a search with SearchMyFiles

Besides performing visual searches, the utility can be run at the command line or placed in a batch file for administrators to monitor files / folders on a system. The batch file can load in a pre-made configuration file or accept configuration options directly as parameters. SearchMyFiles output options include a text file, tab-delimited text file, comma-delimited text file (CSV), tabular text file, XML file, or HTML file.

Results of a search via SearchMyFiles

SearchMyFiles is available in multiple languages including French, Italian, and Japanese. The application comes as a .ZIP file and does not require an installer - just unzip the file to a new folder and run SearchMyFiles.exe:

* SearchMyFiles

This tip was written regarding SearchMyFiles v1.40 running on a Windows XP system. Features, information, and screenshots for other versions /operating systems may vary.