Find

Finding Files or Text

A search for a file, or files, matching a file mask may be performed by using the Find dialog shown below. Alternatively, the moding may be switched to searching for text in either a string or regular expression mode. The file mask supports the use of any of the filter combinations used in the File Filters dialog.

The Find dialog is one of the many FS/2 dialogs that can have its parent window toggled between the Desktop and FS/2 windows by pressing the F9 key. When the window is a child of the Desktop window, it is forced behind the FS/2 window and added to the task list. When FS/2 is the parent, it is removed from the task list and is always on top of the FS/2 window.

The dialog is sizable in the vertical axis only to increase the viewport size of the Found list. Dialog size and position is saved upon close.

Find Dialog (File Search)

Initiating A Search

To initiate either a Files or Text search, the Find dialog is displayed by selecting:

• The Find option from the Drives, Directories, or Files menus.
  
• the Find item in the Toolbar
  
• Hot keys Alt F.

The Find dialog will appear with most options set as last used. The current search mode is indicated in the dialog titlebar and the information fields immediately below the Found list. If the search mode is not the mode desired, press the Search Mode push button to toggle to the desired mode. Once this button is pushed, the button label will indicate the current search mode but still may be used to toggle to the alternate search mode.

Find Dialog (Text Search)

Search

Set the Search scope with these options:

• Selected files - Limits search to selected files (enabled in text search only).

• Directory - Limits search to directory shown in the Directory field. Search recurses though subdirectories if the Search subdirs option is checked.

• Drive - Limits search to the selected drive(s). The available drives are displayed in a drive list. More than one drive may be selected. An All fixed disks check box is provided to rapidly select all fixed disks.

Entry Fields

• Directory - This field is automatically filled with the current FS/2 directory. Selecting a different directory in FS/2 will update the field to that directory. Manually change the entry if desired.

• File Mask - Enter a filename or wild card mask in the File Mask entry field. See File Filters for supported file masks. The File Filter dialog may be used to enter a filter in this field. If the File Filter dialog is not used and the File Search mode is the current mode, clicking on a file in the FS/2 Files window will set the selected file name in the field. Any entry may be manually edited at any time. This control is a dropdown combination box. The current entry may be saved to the current list by pushing the Save Params button. Saved entries may be recalled for use by selection from the dropdown list.

• Find Match - Enter the text search string in the field opposite the Find Match push button. Note that this button may be used to toggle between normal text and regular expression searches and is labeled Find RexExp in the regular expression search mode. The entry field and pushbutton are disabled in the File Search mode. The current entry may be saved to the current list by pushing the Save Params button. Saved entries may be recalled for use by selection from the dropdown list.

Options

• Case sensitive - This check box is used to set the option for a case sensitive search in the Text Search mode. If unchecked, the search is not case sensitive. The control is disabled in the File Search mode.

• Show all matches - Check this box to show all matches in the Text Search mode. If unchecked, the search stops at the first text match. The control is disabled in the File Search mode.

• Search subdirs - When checked, sets the mode to search all subdirectories. Otherwise only the selected directory will be searched.

• Show line numbers - Toggles the option to show line numbers with any found text in a Text Search mode. The control is disabled in the File Search mode.

• Save found list - This check box may be set to save or append the found files or text to a file named FindList.sav. If enabled, this file will be written to the system TMP directory. The Save found list check box is a 3-state button and the current state is shown immediately below the display of the search results. A new file is created if the check box is checked. If set to the half-tone state, the data are appended to any existing FindList.sav file. This option may be changed during a search. Press the Open Found List button to view the list.

• Show progress - Check this box to show the search progress by either number of files found or the path of each directory as searched. If checked, the search is slowest when displaying the path information. The fastest search is achieved with Show progress unchecked. The Show progress check box is a 3-state button and the current state is shown immediately above the display of the search results. The half-tone state will show only the number of files found/searched. This option may be changed during the search.

Pushbuttons

• User Dir - The User Dir button is used to change the setup to search the directory saved as the User Dir. Use the Save As User Dir button the store the current directory as the User Dir.

• Save As User Dir - The Save As User Dir button is pushed to save the current FS/2 directory as the User Dir directory.

• Save Params - The Save Params button is used to save the data entered in the File Mask and Find Match (or RegExp) entry fields. The saved list contains the last ten entries.

• Open Found List - The Open Found List button is used to open the FindList.sav file in FlexEdit. It may then be saved to a different location if desired.

• Find - Push the Find pushbutton to initiate the search. The Find button morphss into a Stop button which may be used to stop a search.

• Clear - Press the Clear button the clear the Found list. This button is disabled during a search.

Search Results

The results of a search are listed in the Found list as they are found.

At the conclusion of the File search, all files found matching the criteria are displayed in the found list - which includes the path. The total number of matches is also shown. Double clicking on any directory path displayed in the list, even while the search is proceeding, will change the directory of the active file window in FS/2 and stop the search. Double clicking on any file will run the FS/2 associated action on the file.

At the end of a Text Search, the user may easily change to the directory containing the found text by double clicking the desired directory in the found list or may double click, or keyboard Enter, on a found line of text (ASCII file only!) to load the file in FlexEdit with the text line centered and selected in the FlexEdit window.