Find files

[zematima]

Hi all:
Trying to organize a way of finding files from the database from the Attributes or Title.
The doubts:
Case 1 - How can I find an Attribute from all the files that are in the drive E (where I have my files)
For instance I want to find ALL the files with an attribute called in field1=Algarve , in field2=Alvor and in field3=Joe
I select the drive E and activate the Filter Panel.
Choose my Attributes , apply the filter , nothing happens.
If a choose the directory where the files are it works.
Case 2 - How can I find a Title from all the files that are in the drive E (where I have my files)
For instance I want to find ALL the files with a Title called Alvor
I select the drive E and activate the Filter Panel.
Choose the Value filter Alvor , apply the filter , nothing happens.
If a choose the directory where the files are it works.
How can I search the entire database?
Thanks in advance.
JRosa.

[zematima]

Hi:
Sorry.
I found that if I choose Database instead of the drive E it works.
Thankls.

[Mario]

The Filter panel and the search bar in the file window toolbar work with the current scope - the files which are currently in the file window.
This gives you very precise control about where you search in your database.

When you select a drive node (E:) all files from that drive will be loaded into the file window.
So your first approach should work.

Example: I want to find all files with a specific Title (XMP Metadata).

+ I select the drive to bring all files from that drive into the file window.
+ In the Filter Panel, I make the "Value" filter visible.
+ I select the "Title" metadata tag. After a few seconds, the list list populated with all unique titles. Very helpful.
+ I check the box in front of the titles I'm interested int.

Alternatively you can use the file window search bar (make sure to enable where you want to search in the drop-down menu) or the Metadata Search filter.
Each of these alternatives gives you some extra options, e.g. 'contains' searches or even regular expressions for tough search cases.

[zematima]

Thanks Mario.
Just one question:
I put my file names in this format:
DDMMAAAA-ISO Country-City-Location-Sequencial
For example:
26102004-ESP-Granada-Sierra Nevada-026.jpg
If I put on the file window search (with the option search only file names) 2004-ESP-Granada it finds me all the files taken in Granada, but if I put 2004-Granada it doesn't find anything.
Is there any wildcard I can use instead of the missing fields? For instance 2004-*-Granada (where * is ESP)
Thanks in advance,
JRosa.

[Mario]

When I search for 2004-ESP-Granada using the file window search bar, IMatch finds 26102004-ESP-Granada-Sierra Nevada-026.jpg. No problem.

Is the file you are looking for in the current scope (in the file window)?
Do you perhaps use a filter at the same time which filters out the file?

What have you selected in the Media & Folders View when you run the search? Maybe you need to enable the hierarchical display option?
Remember: By default IMatch does not include files in sub-folders when you select a folder. When the file you are looking for is in a sub-folder thus cannot be found.
By enabling the hierarchical display option you tell the file window to include files in the first, second or all sub-folders, recursively, of the selected folder. Or category.

We would need more info about how you search, what's in your scope etc.

For a list of all options available for the file window search bar, please use the IMatch help. Click into the search bar and press <F1>.

[zematima]

Thanks Mario.
The D drive is where I have the music (mp3)
The E drive the photos.
I select the E drive and put 2004-ESP-Granada in the search file window.(Please see file Search.jpg)
As you can see it returns 208 files which is perfect because as you can see on the left red arrow I have In Fotos 2 / Granada , 208 photos.
The show all levels option is active.The search only file names is active.
Now I put on the file window 2004-Granada (file Search1.jpg)
None of the photos are returned.
In the filters panel none of the filters are active.
Even if I choose the directory Granada (please see file Search2.jpg) none of the photos are returned.
So the question is for the format I choose is there any way of finding all the photos of the year 2004 and Location Garden from the File Window search?
Thanks in advance.
JRosa.



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[zematima]

Hi:
If I choose the E drive and in the file window I put 2004 AND Granada it returns the 208 files.
Thanks.
JRosa.

[Mario]

If you put in

2004-ESP-Granada

IMatch will find all file names which contain this search term, e.g.

2004-ESP-Granada-A
2004-ESP-Granada-TEST
2004-ESP-Granada-BLA

Your screen shots don't show the actual names of your files. Your layout only shows the data (which is not part of the file name) and that the files are of type JPEG.
I cannot say if your file names match your search mask.

The file name you mentioned above (26102004-ESP-Granada-Sierra Nevada-026.jpg) is found when you search for file names in the search bar.

[zematima]

Thanks Mario.
Sorry for this late reply but I was away from home.
So in this example I have 10 files on this directory :
Algarve / Sagres (it has 10 files).
The file names are:
05042002-PT-Sagres-Forte-01.jpg until 10.jpg
The file attached is the 05042002-PT-Sagres-Forte-09.jpg (Sagres1.jpg)
The data IS part of all the file names (05042002).
If I want to search all the files in my database with Forte , I choose the drive E (or Database) and put on the file window search bar the word forte.
It returns 18 files with Forte which is correct because I have the same word in other 8 files. (Portimão-Forte file Portimao1.jpg)
But if I want to search all the Forte in Sagres - I don't want the Forte in Portimão what do I put on the file window search bar?
If I put Sagres and Forte it doesn't work
Sagres Forte neither.
By the way I choose to look only in file names.
If I choose the Filter panel and Filename , I choose the option Contain , I put the word forte and it gives me 18 files. Good the same as above.
But what is strange is if i put the words sagres forte it returns the same 18 files.
So how can i search for 2 or 3 words that are in the file name? (By the filter panel or the file window search bar)
Thanks in advance.
JRosa.






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[Mario]

Did you read about the supported syntax in the file window search bar? Click into it and then press <F1> to open the IMatch help system.
This help topic explains the basics, and then links to the search engine topic, which explains all supported options, Boolean operations like AND, OR and NOT etc.

To find file names which include the word beach but not the word daytona

beach AND NOT daytona

will to the trick.

There are more examples in the help.

It would be even simpler (and more versatile, e.g. for data-driven categories) if this kind of data is stored where it belongs - in the metadata of your files. File names are considered volatile by DAM software like IMatch, and not not the same amount of features is available for mere file names as it is for metadata.