Posted on 12/13/2024 10:24:58 PM PST by Paul R.
Is there a good way in Windows 10 or 11 to search multiple files for specified text? For example, let's say I've saved multiple ODT or DOC files into a specific folder and then want to go back and find any instances of the text string "Tahoe SSV" residing within those files. Alternately, the string might be a part number such as "283-75589A".
Basically, this is similar to a standard Web search, but for offline content on one's own SSD or whatever drive. I CAN do a Windows file search, specifying "file contents" but while it works for pdf files, it doesn't seem to work for ODT or DOC files, even if the DOC files are saved from MS Word. It also only indicates what file contains the text string -- if said text string is buried in a long document, the location(s) in the document is not found.
The Microsoft Powershell utility which comes installed on your computer will not only enable you to find files with those text strings, it can also make a copy of each of those files and save them to a folder of your choosing.
To quickly locate certain files, you can use the quicksearch filter (CTRL+S) to show only the files containing specific characters. You can toggle the filtering by pressing CTRL+S again. The behavior can be configured in the options, e.g. you can specify if the filename must begin with the typed letters, or if they can appear anywhere in the name.
Agent ransack is the best one I’ve used, but it does have a lot of advanced funtions that can mess you up if you accidentally set them. The tutorial/help files for it are good though.
Agent Ransack
AstroGrep
Everything
In that order is my vote.
How can you identify the pilot in a group of people. Just wait a minute or two; they will tell you.
Agreed. PowerShell capabilities spared my company division massive headaches several times, and you’re right, discovering it all is an ongoing process.
I appreciate it but I am afraid that I am one of those horrible Linux/FreeBSD users. Loved Windows 7 until they started messing with it but I do still miss the xplorer2 file manager and the volume shadow copy service that made making backups while programs were open possible. Used both DocFetcher and Recoll on Windows and just carried them over when I switched.
Yes. Doc files, pdf files, code files etc.
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