Properly organized search in the operating system allows you to better navigate in the hard disk files and easily find the necessary information in a short time. To do this, in Windows 7 there is a sufficient number of settings that we will also tell me further.
SETTING SETTING WINDOWS 7
In this article we will talk about how to properly and competently configure the search capabilities of the system. If you encountered a problem in which the search through the Start menu refuses to work, read the other of our article on the link below.Read more: Search does not work in Windows 7
Settings indexing
Indexing is the function of the operating system, which significantly speeds up the search within the operating system, making up a "database" of files based on their contents and / or properties. Due to this, when a search query is set in the "Start" menu or in the "Explorer" field, the system refers to indexing and faster provides you with the desired information. Indexing monitors all files on the computer, adding and deleting positions from its base when you manage. By default, this process is already enabled in the system, but it works selectively (that is, it is distributed only to some directories of the directory with Windows), for example, a quick search is missing on other logical sections (D, E, etc.) and in system folders with large The number of content type system "Windows" (C: \ Windows). In view of the above indexing, it makes sense to customize only in two cases:
- You store files not in standard system folders, such as "My Documents", etc., and create manually directory and logical partitions on the hard disk;
- HDD is installed in the computer - to include indexing on SSD does not make sense, because it works in itself quickly and holders of solid-state drives it is generally better deactivated.
Quick search program in "Start"
Often, a lot of programs scattered throughout the hard disk are installed on the user's computer. Because of this, it is not always possible to find them through the "Start", and the addition of a large number of shortcuts on the desktop does not like everyone. To fix it, it is enough to put the shortcuts of all installed and portable (portable) programs, games in a specific place of Windows.
- Go along the path: C: \ Users \ user_name \ APPDATA \ Roaming \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Start Menu \ Programs. If you do not see the AppData folder, turn on the display of hidden files and folders in the system. After completing this action, it can be turned off again.
Read more: How to show hidden files and folders in Windows 7
- Add here the labels of those programs and games that would like to find through the "Start". To do this, click right-click on the EXE file and click "Create a shortcut". It can also be renamed at its discretion.
- The result can be checked through the search.
Unfortunately, on this capabilities of the setting of the "Start" ends - in the "seven" there are practically no settings of this menu that could be optimized to facilitate the search. Nevertheless, it is possible to search inside folders through a standard system "conductor".
Search settings in folders
Often, users refer to the search field inside the "conductor", which can also be designed, and also use some search features.
- First of all, configure the search parameters by opening any folder and clicking on "Sort", and then on the "folder and search parameters".
- Switch to the Search tab and view all available options. The names and descriptions of the settings are intuitive, so it does not make sense to stop on the description. It is worth clarifying the value of the "Use Language Search" function - it allows you to make requests more in a more free format, for example, "Music yesterday", but it is worth being prepared that, depending on the request, you can get at all suitable results.
Now let's turn to the consideration of the search field capabilities.
Using search filters
In this section, we want to tell about the use of search filters operating within the search field.
- By installing the input cursor in the field, you will see filters that simplify the process itself. By default, there are two main filters here:
- "Date of change" is a calendar and several ready-made options (long ago, earlier this year, etc.).
- "Size" suggests the choice of size with sizes.
- You can see more filters by stretching the field. To do this, hover the mouse to the left edge of the field so that the cursor appears as on the screenshot below, clamp the left mouse button and drag the left.
- So additional parameters will appear corresponding to the folder themes.
- For example, the screenshot below shows the filters for the shared folder.
- If you go to the standard "Music" folder, the filter set will change.
- To see thematic filters, you can always assign a specific type with any own folder by clicking on it by PCM and selecting "Properties".
- On the Setup tab, specify the appropriate type of folder.
- Immediately put a tick next to the item "Apply the same template to all subfolders" if there are subfolders inside the folder inside the folder.
- The filter is allowed to ask themselves and independently writing its name and putting a colon. Then this word will light up in blue, meaning that the text entered is not part of the search query, but a filter.
There is a reasonable question - how to find out and where to take the rest of the names of filters that can be prescribed yourself? Most titles can be taken from the columns names to which the folder shares if it has a view of the table (see the screenshot below).
We will say about this just below (in the subsection "Ordering"), and now we want to provide a list of simplified symbolic and alphabet operators:
- "" - accurate phrase.
Example: "Photo" request will find all the files containing the word photo.
- * - any characters.
Example: Request * .png will find all PNG extension files, and the picture of the picture * .png will delete all PNG files, in the names of which there is a word picture.
- And (or +) is the logical operator "and".
Example: Request Picture And Photo + Image will find all the files, in whose names there are these 3 words.
- OR is a logical operator "or".
Example: Request Picture OR PHOTO will find all the files, in whose names there is one or second word.
- Not (either -) - "No" logical operator.
Example: Request the picture Not Photo - Image will find all the files in which there is a picture word, but no words photo and image.
- > - more than.
Example: request> 120MB will find all the files weighing more than 120 megabytes, the widowakra query:> 1024 will find all the video where the width of the frame is more than 1024 pixels.
Example: Similar to Filter>.
- >
Example: Request> 2MB
- = - accurate value.
Example: Query = 200MB will find all files with a volume of only 200 MB, request> = 200MB finds all files with a volume of 200 megabytes and more.
- > = (either ..) - strict value.
Example: Request Year:> = 2000
Despite the fact that the name of any filter should always be prescribed ( Speedpotion:, Widrock: ), filter the size: It is not necessary to enter, so instead of a search query Size: = 200mb You can write simple = 200MB.
Often, users prefer to use the same search terms, for this, their preservation is provided in the system. When you involved some kind of complex search query, you can click on the "Save Search Conditions" button to not recruit it in the future, and use the template.
A saving window will appear where it will be prompted to select the location and file name.
By default, the search is stored in the field of transitions in favorites. From here it will be easy to call the desired search and delete it from the list (PCM saving> "Delete"). Saving can be called from any "Explorer" folder, but it works only for the folder for which this query was created, be careful and better choose a shared folder that contains several invested folders, inside which also need to search.
Organizing and grouping files
One way to simplify the search for files inside the folders is to use the functions of ordering and grouping inside the folder.
Ordering
First, the user should understand the possibilities of ordering, which often accelerates the search for the necessary documents and files among the large list.
- For this correspond to columns that are highlighted in the screenshot below.
- For example, in our folder you can sort by parameter "genre". Clicking on this word, we will see sorted files. Suppose, first there will be all the "Electronic" genre files, then Classical "and at the end of" Jazz ". But since we have only 3 compositions, they simply changed order.
- Right-click on a string with column names, a context menu is called, where there are various column values that can be added.
- If you did not find the desired, click on the "More ..." row.
- A list of available characteristics will appear. There are a lot of them, so you will definitely succeed for yourself. Mark the desired values by checkcoas and click "OK".
- We chose the "authors". This parameter immediately applied and is available for use, now, clicking on it, you can also organize files.
- To the right of each column name when you hover the mouse cursor appears a small button with a triangle. Click on it to see the values available for filtering. Each column is sorted in different ways, consider it!
Almost all the names of these columns can be used as filters for the search field! We talked about this earlier in the section "Using Search Filters" . If in the title a few words, you need to write them without a space, and at the end always puts the colon, for example, to search by the date of creation it is necessary to enter date of creation: And specify the date from the options that appeared automatically.
Grouping
For a convenient orientation in the folder, there is also a grouping function - combining files to the block according to the user specified property. Right-click on the empty space, select "Grouping" and specify the appropriate parameter for this. If you did not find the desired, click on "more ..." and choose it there.
We again chose a grouping by genre. All audio recordings of certain genres became parts of the lists that can be collapsed by pressing the black triangle to the left of the name - this will allow you to hide unnecessary positions and faster among current folder objects.
Now you know more information about the search for searching both through the "Start" menu and inside the "Explorer". All these recommendations will significantly simplify the use of Windows while working with a large number of information divided into files.