find a file

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Level 1

10 points

find a file

Running an iMac 27, 2009, Sierra. I have some 15,000 midi files from 2000-2003, created from digitizing piano music rolls, scattered within 12 folders. Their file names range from 10 characters to 40 characters. Randomly within the file name is the original catalog number. The catalog number is what I seek.

All Find Files that I have tried all attempt to find "11-107", or catalog numbers similar. within the first few characters of the file name, never finds the file. FileFind utilities that look within a file for this character string don't find it because it is not embedded within the file.

I'm looking for a FileFind utility that will examine every file name looking for a specific character string somewhere within the variable length of a file name.

Thoughts of others

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2), null

Posted on Nov 14, 2017 2:45 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

PN2

Level 4

1,052 points

Nov 14, 2017 4:10 PM in response to terry220

EasyFind is nice for that, since it automatically highlights the search string in each filename shown in the results, which might be helpful in doing what you describe. FaF is very good too, although lacks the highlight, having other benefits. I'd get & keep both, use whichever suits the task in hand.

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Answer 2

terry220 Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 14, 2017 5:44 PM in response to PN2

Thank you PN2, appreciated. Your email arrived first, your link worked, and after a quick download/install, it works like a champ, very nice. And it also allows me to grab what it found and drag where I wish.

I also downloaded/installed FaF, ran both. I like EF with its simple display, its Drag/Drop and Where the file is features.

FaF will also tell me in what drive the file is, but EF gives me the full path. On balance, I prefer EasyFind. I have 5 external drives attached to my iMac, containing tons of files going back many years, many from my days wedded to Windows. EF does not seem to care if the drives are formatted for Windows or Mac. What surprise me was how quickly it found the desired files, as if it inventoried my entire setup when it first woke up.

Once again, a good example of the magic and power of the internet. Really appreciated.

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