Jeff Ericson
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Finder - how to make it show ALL files and folder names without exception in searches?

I love Mac OS.  I HATE finder.  I just want it to show me everything that matches my search string - files, folders, images, etc.  All of them, everywhere on my machine.  I just want it to be simple.  Or point me to a good replacement program for Finder.  I waste so much time trying to find stuff that should take a simple search...  I've looked up all the silly shortcuts, like Shift+Cmd+G, which only finds folders in the directory you're in (why should it be separate anyway?).

 

Thank you

MacBook Pro with Retina display, iOS 8.4.1

Posted on Apr 17, 2016 6:40 PM

by dialabrain,Solvedanswer
dialabrain dialabrain
Level 5 (6,763 points)
Mac App Store
A:

EasyFind will search inside containers. You can find it in the App Store.

Posted on Apr 19, 2016 6:39 PM

Close
Jeff Ericson

Q: Finder - how to make it show ALL files and folder names without exception in searches?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Barney-15E,Helpful

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Apr 19, 2016 10:50 AM in response to Jeff Ericson
    Level 9 (50,793 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 19, 2016 10:50 AM in response to Jeff Ericson

    Cmd-shift-g is not a find function at all. It allows you to type in the path of the folder you'd like to open. What you think is "searching" the current folder is really path completion. If you don't enter any preceding path information, it looks in the current working directory for the folder name you typed into the dialog box.

     

    You can set the default starting search location in the Finder preferences. I have mine set for Current folder. It sounds like you might prefer "Search this Mac."

    Screen Shot 2016-04-17 at 9.24.03 PM.png

    Typing into the search field in Finder will search both content and filename. It will offer search tokens for match types it finds.

    If you just want to search for files and folders, but not file contents, then use cmd-ctrl-shift-f to search by Name (you can adjust that shortcut in Keyboard System Preferences).

     

    If you are not getting results from your searches, then perhaps your Spotlight index is corrupt.

    Spotlight: How to re-index folders or volumes - Apple Support

     

    If that doesn't work for you, try Find Any File or EasyFind

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Apr 17, 2016 7:52 PM in response to Jeff Ericson
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Apr 17, 2016 7:52 PM in response to Jeff Ericson

    I use PathFinder (http://cocoatech.com/pathfinder/) it has a lot of great features including seeing invisible files.

     

    MacPilot (http://www.koingosw.com/products/macpilot/) will allow you to enable a lot of options including showing hidden files in the Finder.

  • by Jeff Ericson,

    Jeff Ericson Jeff Ericson Apr 19, 2016 11:10 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 19, 2016 11:10 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Thank you - I like the Name find - I couldn't figure out how to change the shortcut in Preferences, but I guess I can get used to that.  Here's my test, which the Name Find also failed:Screen Shot 2016-04-19 at 2.04.07 PM.png

    I have hidden files and extensions showing - I've turned off every filter I can find.  Using the Shift-Control-Command-F, if I type in Boudicca (I chose this because it's pretty unique) nothing comes up.  And the file path is so obscure that cleaning out old files is a major event.  Finder should bring this up!

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Apr 20, 2016 10:11 AM in response to Jeff Ericson
    Level 9 (50,793 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 20, 2016 10:11 AM in response to Jeff Ericson

    The Finder and Spotlight will not search in certain system folders. Your user Library is one of those.

    If you start the search in your Library folder, it should find them, but I don't know if it will search the Containers. The Containers are special locations for sandboxed apps.

     

    You can add a criteria to search for System Files. Add a criteria to the search and select Other… Find the System Files attribute and add it to the search criteria.

    Then see if it appears in the list.

  • by dialabrain,Solvedanswer

    dialabrain dialabrain Apr 19, 2016 6:39 PM in response to Jeff Ericson
    Level 5 (6,763 points)
    Mac App Store
    Apr 19, 2016 6:39 PM in response to Jeff Ericson

    EasyFind will search inside containers. You can find it in the App Store.