Searching the database for files with similar names

[DavidOfMA]

Have been unable to figure out how to search the database for files with similar names. I know this is probably simple, but I can't find anything equivalent to the IMatch 3 search for filenames beyond what's in the current file window. For instance, if files with the root name 100349 are scattered through my database, where do I go in IMatch to enter a search string like "Filename contains 100349" and let it know the scope is the whole database?

Thanks. Sorry, again, for what is probably something obvious, but it seems many of the things I did all the time in IMatch 3 are done in a completely different manner in IMatch 5, and reading the Help has not cleared that up.

David

[jch2103]

See the Filter topic in the Help.
"Most filters work with the current scope. The current scope is whatever is displayed in the file window. This can be a folder, a category, a collection, timeline node etc. The scope is also active when the file window is paused."

To search the entire database, you need to include the entire database within the scope. For example, select @All in the Categories tab.

[DavidOfMA]

I figured that would work, but it's fairly time consuming -- I have 126K files and an older machine, so it takes about 15 seconds to display @All, and then another 30 to find the files. Do you know if this can be done more quickly in a script?

[Mario]

where do I go in IMatch to enter a search string like "Filename contains 100349" and let it know the scope is the whole database?

1. Select the Database node in the Media & Folders View.
(The file window switches to pause mode).

2. Click on the button on the right of the search bar (X) to open the menu and check the "search file names only" option.

3. 100349 in the File Window Search Bar to search for all files with names containing 100349.

4. Un-pause the file window as needed.

Thanks. Sorry, again, for what is probably something obvious, but it seems many of the things I did all the time in IMatch 3 are done in a completely different manner in IMatch 5, and reading the Help has not cleared that up.

There are several year between IMatch 3.6 and IMatch 5. Many things have improved or streamlined.
Did you read the For IMatch 3 users topic in the help yet? It explains most of the changes.

[DavidOfMA]

Thanks. I had turned Pause mode off because several of the categories work with have many files and I want to see them, but turning it back on and searching for files the way you suggest is pretty fast, so I'll turn it back on.

I read the migration section of the Help file several times, but because many of the things in IMatch I did via scripts obtained from others and adapted by me for my workflow, there are still several areas I'm having trouble replicating in IMatch 5 as easily as I did them in IMatch 3. However, I have more time now, so I'll dig in and figure it out.

Please don't assume I haven't read the Help. I always read the Help and then try to do something before I post here. I post here only when I still can't get something to work correctly. The Help is an excellent reference manual, but some of us need more of a "How To" as well, and in some cases the "How To" portion of the Help, on any given topic, is not sufficient for me to grasp the process.

Thanks,
David

[sinus]

Please don't assume I haven't read the Help.
Thanks,
David

At least I do "know", that you have read the help. Simply because you are a "long standing IMatch-user" (phew, I hope, I can say so), and I can remember you very good. 

For the most users is guilty, what Richard wrote in the other thread about reading the help and why we do here sometimes encourage users, to read the help.

[Mario]

Please don't assume I haven't read the Help. I always read the Help and then try to do something before I post here. I post here only when I still can't get something to work correctly. The Help is an excellent reference manual, but some of us need more of a "How To" as well, and in some cases the "How To" portion of the Help, on any given topic, is not sufficient for me to grasp the process.

I don't. The help cannot answer all questions, or not in the way a user understands them. That's what this community is for and we try to help as good as we can. There is a big leap between IMatch 3 and IMatch 5, but the community has many members who work with IMatch 5 for six months or even more than one year, so there is plenty of experience available.

[Ferdinand]

I have 126K files and an older machine, so it takes about 15 seconds to display @All, and then another 30 to find the files. Do you know if this can be done more quickly in a script?

I think that the trick is to unpause the thumb window *after* you have executed your search or applied your filter.  Depending on how many results there are, it may unpause itself.  Searching on the entire DB can take a little while using the search bar if it's searching on all or several metadata fields.  You can configure it to just search on file names and this should be much faster.  Certainly I find it quite fast when used like this.

[DavidOfMA]

Thanks. Yes, I tried that and it's much more effective.

[sinus]

Thanks. Yes, I tried that and it's much more effective.

Fine.
BTW: there is a fine script-example, what comes with IMatch, for searching.
At the moment I have not the time, but if I have, I will create a search - script. Why?

Because I can exactly create a box, where I can put my search-values and with some clicks I can then perform the search, a filename-search, a tag-search, over the whole db, and and and...

This I can of course also achieve with the search-function or filtering. But there I must first lookinig, is the search-function for filename, with tags ... and so on.

A script would give me more "security", I can be sure, that I do search the correct thing on the correct source (db or folder or scope...), can have some informations (progress) and so on.

Or, in IM3, I could even select a file, and simply enable in the search-box, "search for images in the same hour, or minutes, or from the same day" and further. Of course (I think) we can do now the same, but FOR ME a "personally script" fits better.

IMatch gives us all the power.

[Ferdinand]

I guess the advantage of a script is that you don't have to change your context.  Worth a try.