Windows Vista Forums

search syntax
  1. #1


    Vista Newbie Guest

    search syntax

    In Windows XP (and all previous versions of Windows that I can recall going
    back to Win95) one could search for multiple words separated by commas, e.g.
    *.jpg,*.bmp.

    How do I do that in Vista?




      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  2. #2


    Mark L. Ferguson Guest

    Re: search syntax

    Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search.
    Boolean filters let you combine search words using simple logic, as you can
    see in the following table.

    Filter
    Example
    Use this to

    AND
    tropical AND island
    Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island" (even if those
    words are not right next to each other).

    NOT
    tropical NOT island
    Find files that contain the word "tropical," but not "island."

    OR
    tropical OR island
    Find files that contain either of the words "tropical" or "island."

    Quotes
    "tropical island"
    Find files that contain the exact phrase "tropical island."

    Parentheses
    (tropical island)
    Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island," in any order.

    >
    date: >01/05/06
    Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as after
    01/05/06.

    <
    size: < 4 MB
    Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as less
    than 4 MB. You can also specify other sizes, such as KB and GB.



    --
    Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

    "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:81C2789A-F4D0-44D9-9807-E7743E62D412@xxxxxx

    > In Windows XP (and all previous versions of Windows that I can recall
    > going back to Win95) one could search for multiple words separated by
    > commas, e.g. *.jpg,*.bmp.
    >
    > How do I do that in Vista?

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  3. #3


    Vista Newbie Guest

    Re: search syntax

    Thanks. I am familiar with Boolean searches. I'd tried this and I must be
    searching from the wrong place because when I search for "mp3", I get over
    5000 entries. Vista stops at 5000 and requests a user instruction to
    display all results. If I add an operator, e.g. mp3 AND m4a, I get zero
    results. Searching shouldn't be that difficult and counter-intuitive.

    "Mark L. Ferguson" <MarkLFerguson@xxxxxx> wrote in
    message news:E33473F2-0751-4143-80EF-3BFDD84BFE46@xxxxxx

    > Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search.
    > Boolean filters let you combine search words using simple logic, as you
    > can see in the following table.
    >
    > Filter
    > Example
    > Use this to
    >
    > AND
    > tropical AND island
    > Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island" (even if those
    > words are not right next to each other).
    >
    > NOT
    > tropical NOT island
    > Find files that contain the word "tropical," but not "island."
    >
    > OR
    > tropical OR island
    > Find files that contain either of the words "tropical" or "island."
    >
    > Quotes
    > "tropical island"
    > Find files that contain the exact phrase "tropical island."
    >
    > Parentheses
    > (tropical island)
    > Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island," in any order.
    >

    >>
    > date: >01/05/06
    > Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as after
    > 01/05/06.
    >
    > <
    > size: < 4 MB
    > Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as
    > less than 4 MB. You can also specify other sizes, such as KB and GB.
    >
    >
    >
    > --
    > Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    > http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    > Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    > Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    > https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
    >
    > "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    > news:81C2789A-F4D0-44D9-9807-E7743E62D412@xxxxxx

    >> In Windows XP (and all previous versions of Windows that I can recall
    >> going back to Win95) one could search for multiple words separated by
    >> commas, e.g. *.jpg,*.bmp.
    >>
    >> How do I do that in Vista?
    >

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  4. #4


    Mark L. Ferguson Guest

    Re: search syntax

    You would not use AND to find both .mp3 and .m4a files, you would use mp3 OR
    m4a. ( the query states, 'does this file contain either mp3 OR m4a?')
    Boolean logic may not be intuitive, but is logical, by definition.

    --
    Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

    "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:413BA853-6D5A-468D-A06D-1CC86E7B5C52@xxxxxx

    > Thanks. I am familiar with Boolean searches. I'd tried this and I must
    > be searching from the wrong place because when I search for "mp3", I get
    > over 5000 entries. Vista stops at 5000 and requests a user instruction to
    > display all results. If I add an operator, e.g. mp3 AND m4a, I get zero
    > results. Searching shouldn't be that difficult and counter-intuitive.
    >
    > "Mark L. Ferguson" <MarkLFerguson@xxxxxx> wrote in
    > message news:E33473F2-0751-4143-80EF-3BFDD84BFE46@xxxxxx

    >> Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search.
    >> Boolean filters let you combine search words using simple logic, as you
    >> can see in the following table.
    >>
    >> Filter
    >> Example
    >> Use this to
    >>
    >> AND
    >> tropical AND island
    >> Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island" (even if those
    >> words are not right next to each other).
    >>
    >> NOT
    >> tropical NOT island
    >> Find files that contain the word "tropical," but not "island."
    >>
    >> OR
    >> tropical OR island
    >> Find files that contain either of the words "tropical" or "island."
    >>
    >> Quotes
    >> "tropical island"
    >> Find files that contain the exact phrase "tropical island."
    >>
    >> Parentheses
    >> (tropical island)
    >> Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island," in any order.
    >>

    >>>
    >> date: >01/05/06
    >> Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as
    >> after 01/05/06.
    >>
    >> <
    >> size: < 4 MB
    >> Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as
    >> less than 4 MB. You can also specify other sizes, such as KB and GB.
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> --
    >> Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    >> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    >> Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    >> Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    >> https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
    >>
    >> "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >> news:81C2789A-F4D0-44D9-9807-E7743E62D412@xxxxxx

    >>> In Windows XP (and all previous versions of Windows that I can recall
    >>> going back to Win95) one could search for multiple words separated by
    >>> commas, e.g. *.jpg,*.bmp.
    >>>
    >>> How do I do that in Vista?
    >>

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  5. #5


    Vista Newbie Guest

    Re: search syntax

    Obviously, I'm just getting older... not smarter. I can't believe I was
    using the "AND" operator. Thanks, Mark.

    "Mark L. Ferguson" <MarkLFerguson@xxxxxx> wrote in
    message news:u7PIk4c7IHA.2332@xxxxxx

    > You would not use AND to find both .mp3 and .m4a files, you would use mp3
    > OR m4a. ( the query states, 'does this file contain either mp3 OR m4a?')
    > Boolean logic may not be intuitive, but is logical, by definition.
    >
    > --
    > Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    > http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    > Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    > Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    > https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
    >
    > "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    > news:413BA853-6D5A-468D-A06D-1CC86E7B5C52@xxxxxx

    >> Thanks. I am familiar with Boolean searches. I'd tried this and I must
    >> be searching from the wrong place because when I search for "mp3", I get
    >> over 5000 entries. Vista stops at 5000 and requests a user instruction
    >> to display all results. If I add an operator, e.g. mp3 AND m4a, I get
    >> zero results. Searching shouldn't be that difficult and
    >> counter-intuitive.
    >>
    >> "Mark L. Ferguson" <MarkLFerguson@xxxxxx> wrote in
    >> message news:E33473F2-0751-4143-80EF-3BFDD84BFE46@xxxxxx

    >>> Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search.
    >>> Boolean filters let you combine search words using simple logic, as you
    >>> can see in the following table.
    >>>
    >>> Filter
    >>> Example
    >>> Use this to
    >>>
    >>> AND
    >>> tropical AND island
    >>> Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island" (even if
    >>> those words are not right next to each other).
    >>>
    >>> NOT
    >>> tropical NOT island
    >>> Find files that contain the word "tropical," but not "island."
    >>>
    >>> OR
    >>> tropical OR island
    >>> Find files that contain either of the words "tropical" or "island."
    >>>
    >>> Quotes
    >>> "tropical island"
    >>> Find files that contain the exact phrase "tropical island."
    >>>
    >>> Parentheses
    >>> (tropical island)
    >>> Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island," in any
    >>> order.
    >>>
    >>>>
    >>> date: >01/05/06
    >>> Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as
    >>> after 01/05/06.
    >>>
    >>> <
    >>> size: < 4 MB
    >>> Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as
    >>> less than 4 MB. You can also specify other sizes, such as KB and GB.
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>> --
    >>> Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    >>> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    >>> Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    >>> Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    >>> https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
    >>>
    >>> "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >>> news:81C2789A-F4D0-44D9-9807-E7743E62D412@xxxxxx
    >>>> In Windows XP (and all previous versions of Windows that I can recall
    >>>> going back to Win95) one could search for multiple words separated by
    >>>> commas, e.g. *.jpg,*.bmp.
    >>>>
    >>>> How do I do that in Vista?
    >>>

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

  6. #6


    Dave Guest

    Re: search syntax

    You can search for "kindics" or "kindictures" which is quick & easy,
    then sort the results by type.
    Or, search for
    "ext:jpg OR ext:bmp"

    http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro.../advquery.mspx



    --
    Vista Home Premium 32 SP1
    http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview


    "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    news:413BA853-6D5A-468D-A06D-1CC86E7B5C52@xxxxxx

    > Thanks. I am familiar with Boolean searches. I'd tried this and I must
    > be searching from the wrong place because when I search for "mp3", I get
    > over 5000 entries. Vista stops at 5000 and requests a user instruction to
    > display all results. If I add an operator, e.g. mp3 AND m4a, I get zero
    > results. Searching shouldn't be that difficult and counter-intuitive.
    >
    > "Mark L. Ferguson" <MarkLFerguson@xxxxxx> wrote in
    > message news:E33473F2-0751-4143-80EF-3BFDD84BFE46@xxxxxx

    >> Using Boolean filters is another way to perform a more precise search.
    >> Boolean filters let you combine search words using simple logic, as you
    >> can see in the following table.
    >>
    >> Filter
    >> Example
    >> Use this to
    >>
    >> AND
    >> tropical AND island
    >> Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island" (even if those
    >> words are not right next to each other).
    >>
    >> NOT
    >> tropical NOT island
    >> Find files that contain the word "tropical," but not "island."
    >>
    >> OR
    >> tropical OR island
    >> Find files that contain either of the words "tropical" or "island."
    >>
    >> Quotes
    >> "tropical island"
    >> Find files that contain the exact phrase "tropical island."
    >>
    >> Parentheses
    >> (tropical island)
    >> Find files that contain both words "tropical" and "island," in any order.
    >>

    >>>
    >> date: >01/05/06
    >> Find files that are more than or later than a certain value, such as
    >> after 01/05/06.
    >>
    >> <
    >> size: < 4 MB
    >> Find files that are less than or earlier than a certain value, such as
    >> less than 4 MB. You can also specify other sizes, such as KB and GB.
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >> --
    >> Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
    >> http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm
    >> Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
    >> Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
    >> https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson
    >>
    >> "Vista Newbie" <wpla@xxxxxx> wrote in message
    >> news:81C2789A-F4D0-44D9-9807-E7743E62D412@xxxxxx

    >>> In Windows XP (and all previous versions of Windows that I can recall
    >>> going back to Win95) one could search for multiple words separated by
    >>> commas, e.g. *.jpg,*.bmp.
    >>>
    >>> How do I do that in Vista?
    >>

      My System SpecsSystem Spec

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