Windows utility to find files by date
- WINDOWS UTILITY TO FIND FILES BY DATE PLUS
- WINDOWS UTILITY TO FIND FILES BY DATE FREE
- WINDOWS UTILITY TO FIND FILES BY DATE WINDOWS
Additionally, while spaces and dots can be included in file names, names including only those characters are forbidden.
WINDOWS UTILITY TO FIND FILES BY DATE WINDOWS
Forbidden file names and file name characters: Keep in mind that certain characters (such as *, ", /, \, :,, |, ^, and ?) are forbidden in Windows file names.Jackson Motoworks - 2018 org chart.xlsx.Specht Pharmacy - 2017 depreciation schedule.xlsx.Watson Company - 2018 income statement.docx.Hilda Marie Ltd - 2017 1040 tax return.pdf.For example, the following five file names might make sense for your organization: File name parameters: At a minimum, the parameters you should include in every file name are the client name and file title.You are probably better off limiting file names to about 32 characters or so. Today, file names are generally limited to 255 characters, but using all 255 characters can make file names increasingly more difficult to view.
WINDOWS UTILITY TO FIND FILES BY DATE PLUS
File name lengths: Early versions of DOS limited file names to just nine characters plus a three- letter extension, which meant that Lotus 1- 2- 3 and WordPerfect files were limited to just nine characters as well.Consistency: Whatever file- naming strategy you use, it is probably wise to use it consistently throughout your organization.Thereafter, double-clicking the appropriate file name launches the file.įile - naming conventions: With today's effective file search tools such as the two described above, the specific file- naming protocol you use is not as important as it used to be, but it is still a good idea to follow certain file- naming conventions, as follows: This tool instantly served up 10 data files containing that phrase in the file name. For example, I searched for an expense report from a business trip to Birmingham, Ala., by typing the phrase Birmingham in the search box. Furthermore, Everything works as if all the files on your computer are contained in one gigantic folder, so it searches your entire computer instantly, which means you don't have to second-guess whether a given file is in your My Documents folder, Downloads folder, Desktop, etc. For example, searching for the phrase AICPA using the Windows search tool returned 7,876 files (because the phrase AICPA occurred in either the file name, file path, or contents 7,876 times) whereas searching for the phrase AICPA using Everything returned only 337 files (because the phrase AICPA occurred in the file name only 337 times). That's because, unlike Windows's index search, Everything does not search file content, making it easy to search file names only. I sometimes use this tool instead of the Windows index search tool when I know at least part of the file name I'm seeking.
WINDOWS UTILITY TO FIND FILES BY DATE FREE
The Everything search tool: As mentioned in my August 2013 Technology Q&A item " Everything," I also use a free search utility from Voidtools ( ) called Everything, which enables me to search my computer files by name, type, size, date, and other properties. This way, my data are well backed up locally, off- site, and online.Ģ. This approach not only provides an extra backup, it also enables me to travel seamlessly from one office to the next without having to transfer data files each trip. I also use my annual folder approach to continuously sync the data files on my Atlanta computer to my satellite office computer on Jekyll Island, Ga., using GoToMyPC. This annual folder approach allows me to use an online backup service (Microsoft OneDrive in my case) to more easily back up my current- year data folder automatically (my older data files are manually archived off- site each year end). I tried this on my computer, and in about one-fifth of a second, the search tool returned a list of 1,406 files containing the phrase IRR, as pictured below. For example, if you are looking for a file that contains an IRR calculation, but you can't remember the file name or the year you created that file, you can simply search for the phrase IRR. Windows's index searching: As discussed in my February 2011 Technology Q&A item " Say Goodbye to Wimpy Searches," Windows includes the ability to search files almost instantly based on the file's name, path, and contents. For this reason, a better option might be to employ one or more of today's advanced index search tools - two of which are described below.ġ. However, while adopting a clever new file- naming convention might help you moving forward, it won't do anything to make your previous tens of thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of files easier to find. Finding a specific file on your computer can be a daunting task, so I understand your desire to address this problem. Can you recommend a file- naming strategy that would make files easier to find on my computer - not just for me, but for others in my office in case I get hit by a bus?Ī.