Search for files in a folder by date range?

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Level 1

45 points

Search for files in a folder by date range?

Trying to sort some photos out in a folder, all muddled up form various phones and cameras, and putting them into Photos for Mac app.

Is there a way to search for specific date range somehow, via an recommended app or something please? I'm busy making albums, e.g. Xmas 2002, Xmas 2003, and so want to find the photo files that are in the range say 20th Dec 2002 to 2nd Jan 2003. They are all in different folders at the moment on a external drive, so scattered all over.

Can anyone help please?

thanks

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), null

Posted on Jul 15, 2016 9:36 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

64,208 points

Jul 15, 2016 10:50 AM in response to QwertyMan11

Or if you want you can easily search using the Finder.

Press command-F and add the relevant criteria. Here is an example to search my Mac for all images created in December 2015 (and it produced the results instantaneously, too). I could search for only jpeg files, or I could search for movie files, etc. I could look for modified date instead of created date. There are many more criteria available. The sky is the limit.

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Answer 2

Jul 15, 2016 10:02 AM in response to QwertyMan11

If you import the pics to the Photo app, they sort themselves by date.

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Answer 3

QwertyMan11 Author

Level 1

45 points

Jul 15, 2016 10:53 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Ah smart folder, didn't know they existed in Finder, thanks! Used them in iPhoto and Photos before, good idea. I'll have a go, I haven't altered any dates so should be ok to find.

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Answer 4

Jul 16, 2016 6:56 AM in response to QwertyMan11

In the Finder (or Spotlight) search bar, enter date:12/20/2002-01/02/2003 AND kind:image. You may need to reorder month and day per your locale.

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Answer 5

QwertyMan11 Author

Level 1

45 points

Jul 17, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Well I'm unsure why but the smart folders aren't working for me. Sometimes on initial setup they show some files, I click on them, get info, and it shows that they are out of the parameters the I've setup for the smart folder.

After if I click on a different folder in the sidebar of finder, click back on the smart folder in the sidebar, nothing is shown?!? I know I have files that are within the setup of the smart folder, so not sure what is going on, can anyone help further please?

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Answer 6

Jul 18, 2016 1:49 AM in response to QwertyMan11

QwertyMan11 wrote:

Well I'm unsure why but the smart folders aren't working for me. Sometimes on initial setup they show some files, I click on them, get info, and it shows that they are out of the parameters the I've setup for the smart folder.

After if I click on a different folder in the sidebar of finder, click back on the smart folder in the sidebar, nothing is shown?!? I know I have files that are within the setup of the smart folder, so not sure what is going on, can anyone help further please?

Try rebuilding the Spotlight database.

Follow the instructions here:

Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support

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