How do you quickly search within the current folder you are in File Explorer ?

[christophe]

Hi, I really like Everything search capabilities, but I am annoyed by one thing : I really need to be able to search only in the current folder (and sub-folders) I am currently watching in File Explorer window. With Windows search engine, I just had to type in the search box on the top-right :

Is there a way to search from there using Everything search engine instead of Windows search engine ?
How do you quickly search from the folder you are currently watching in File Explorer ? Regards

[NotNull]

Option 1: Context menu entry in Explorer
- Enable Show Search Everything folder context menu item (Menu:Tools => Options => General)
- Right-click in Explorer and select Search Everything from the context menu.


Option 2: Keyboard shortcut
- Define a global hotkey for Show window Hotkey:, for example CTRL + SHIFT + A
(menu:Tools => Options => General => Keyboard)
- Press that hotkey in Explorer

[christophe]

Thanks for you answer. I have tested Option 1, it works, though it requires more mouse gestures (right-click and then moving to 'Search everything...') than with Windows search engine. For this reason, I really like the idea of having a keyboard shortcut, but when I do what you write for 'Option 2' :

Option 2: Keyboard shortcut
- Define a global hotkey for Show window Hotkey:, for example CTRL + SHIFT + A
(menu:Tools => Options => General => Keyboard)
- Press that hotkey in Explorer

pressing Ctrl+Shift+A only shows up Everything Windows without taking in consideration the current folder location I am currently viewing in File Explorer . Is this normal ?

[NotNull]

- Everything must be running in the background to "catch" the keyboard shortcut (which it is in your case)
- Please try it on a "regular" folder like C:\windows; Everything does not understand "This PC" for example.

[christophe]

- Everything must be running in the background to "catch" the keyboard shortcut (which it is in your case)

I have Everything running in the background. I have Everything in the system tray:

- Please try it on a "regular" folder like C:\windows; Everything does not understand "This PC" for example.

When I use the right-click context menu I have the predefined folder configured:

But when I use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+A), I only have Everything with no predefined folders :

[horst.epp]

The hotkey works here in an Explorer window.
There must be hotkey_explorer_path_search set to 1
Its set on new installation by default.
Just enter the following into the Everything search to see your setting
/hotkey_explorer_path_search

[adamantine]

christophe, i suggest you to start using the xyplorer file manager,

there's the small special code in xy (in my case):

Code: Select all

runq '"D:\Programs\Every-Thing (Portable)\Everything.exe" -s "<curpath>\*"'

which allows me to quickly search within the current folder

(i use a '2 clicks' approach/method,
but any user may customize it to just 1 click, or to just 1 user-defined hot-key)

[christophe]

The hotkey works here in an Explorer window.
There must be hotkey_explorer_path_search set to 1
Its set on new installation by default.
Just enter the following into the Everything search to see your setting
/hotkey_explorer_path_search

How do you enter this ?

• I have tested in Everything window: nothing shows up
  

• and I have tested in PowerShell: nothing shows up
  

[void]

How do you enter this ?

• Copy and paste the following into your Everything search box:
  /hotkey_explorer_path_search=1
• Press ENTER in your Everything search box.
• If successful, hotkey_explorer_path_search=1 is shown in the status bar for a few seconds.

[christophe]

Thank you I have not looked just below in the big result box, not in the taskbar at the very bottom
Now searching from a subfolder of File Explorer, works!

Why is hotkey_explorer_path_search set to 0 by default ?
Do I have to type again /hotkey_explorer_path_search=1 after rebooting my PC ?

[void]

Why is hotkey_explorer_path_search set to 0 by default ?

Setting the path search from the active Explorer window instead of the home search might be undesirable.
I will consider enabling hotkey_explorer_path_search by default.

Do I have to type /hotkey_explorer_path_search=1 after rebooting my PC ?

No.
You only need to change this setting once.

[christophe]

I will consider enabling hotkey_explorer_path_search by default.

The difficulty is that nothing in the settings, let the user know that Show window Hotkey is not enough. It should at least be written: the user also needs to type /hotkey_explorer_path_search=1 in Everything and that once is enough.

[horst.epp]

I will consider enabling hotkey_explorer_path_search by default.

The difficulty is that nothing in the settings, let the user know that Show window Hotkey is not enough. It should at least be written: the user also needs to type /hotkey_explorer_path_search=1 in Everything and that once is enough.

That would be the wrong place for such an info.
I have a hotkey for Show window but never need the hotkey_explorer_path_search.
I'm always use the context menu as the hotkey_explorer_path_search is only available in Explorer.
I'm using several other file managers and never the Explorer.

[christophe]

Then any other place: it just needs to be brought to the knowledge of the end user.

[therube]

(

and never the Explorer

Ditto.
)

[christophe]

(

and never the Explorer

Ditto.
)

What do you mean ? I do not understand (even though I am also a daily user of Ditto).

[horst.epp]

(

and never the Explorer

Ditto.
)

What do you mean ? I do not understand (even though I am also a daily user of Ditto).

I guess they never use Windows Explorer as I said for me.
Ditto means "the same for me"

[NotNull]

From what I vaguely remember from Latin classes:

This stems from idem dito. Where idem = the same and dito = "what has been said" or something like that (your name sounds French, so thiis might help: dire/ je dit).

[ChrisGreaves]

- Define a global hotkey for Show window Hotkey:, for example CTRL + SHIFT + A
(menu:Tools => Options => General => Keyboard)

@Null: Thanks for this. I'm flying!
@christophe: Thanks for raising this topic. I am now flying First Class!
Cheers, Chris

[christophe]

Thank you all for the clarification of Ditto
I am French, I didn't know Ditto was also an English word! I only knew a software with this name (I highly recommend you this tool by the way).

I am surprised you have replaced File Explorer. I guess this is because you haven't used File Explorer since many years ! I urge you to have a look at the newest File Explorer in Windows 11 22H2, it is much better than before :

1. It has now tabs
2. It has a full dark mode
3. OneDrive is perfectly integrated
4. Google Drive in perfectly integrated as well when installing Google Drive

I have tried File Explorer alternatives, that are reported as being the best of their class and they ALL completely failed to deliver an experience better than the product they are supposed to supersede :

• Directory Opus:
  B. Only partial Dark mode (preferences are fully light, even the find panel which is always opened in real life scenario)
  C. OneDrive folders does not have sync status icon overlay, only files.
  D. Google Drive, does not have sync status icon overlay

• Total Commander:
  D. It does not even have Google Drive sync file status, so impossible to use Google Drive with this tool.

• XYplorer:
  C. It does not even have OneDrive status icon online/offline/synchronized . So it is impossible to use OneDrive with it, as this is essential to have this info.

Which tool do you use to replace Explorer ?

[horst.epp]

Which tool do you use to replace Explorer ?

I use Total Commander and it has all I need and much more than Windows Explorer.
I guess you know much less of Total Commander as I about Explorer

I know all the features of Explorer, even the newest version on Windows 11
but it can't beat Total Commander or XYplorer.

Only some of the missing features compared to Total Commander:
- No Everything integration
- No archive handling with the exception of old format zip files
- No dual pane mode (tabs are no replacement for this)

I use Google Drive and OneDrive, but I don't use any of their tools to sync files.
I use TC plugins to store or fetch files from both services,
so this files can never be reached from a local virus or ransom ware.

Btw. the status icons of OneDrive are supported by Total Commander using the right config.

[NotNull]

It has a full dark mode

Not here:

• Browse to This PC ("Ce PC"), click the ... toolbar option and select Cleanup
• Browse to This PC ("Ce PC"), click the ... toolbar option and select Optimize
• Browse to This PC ("Ce PC"), click the ... toolbar option and select Options
• Browse to C:\, select Windows and press DELETE
• Browse to C:\Windows, select SYSTEM.ini and activate the preview pane
• Browse to C:\Windows, select SYSTEM.ini and press 'ALT + ENTER'
• Browse to C:\Windows\Fonts

To name a few ...


BTW: Did you already try Q-Dir? (portable version available).
I'm curious how it handles the "cloud" overlay icons.
(I read somewhere that Windows limits the showing of overlay icons in programs installed outside of the Windows folder)

[christophe]

I use Total Commander and it has all I need and much more than Windows Explorer.
I guess you know much less of Total Commander as I about Explorer

I definitely agree. I have tried to test all of them, but it takes a lots of time and effort (eg. attempting to have Directory Opus in full dark mode took a lot of time, this task is instant in Total Commander but is very complex in DO) to make sure you test them properly. And then this multiplies by the number of software to test (so here x3)

Only some of the missing features compared to Total Commander:
- No Everything integration
- No archive handling with the exception of old format zip files
- No dual pane mode (tabs are no replacement for this)

I do agree with this, tabs will never replace dual mode. Total Commander integration of Everything is Excellent and it has a great Dark mode. What has stopped me is the lack of sync status for cloud storage like OneDrive and Google Drive.

I use Google Drive and OneDrive, but I don't use any of their tools to sync files.
I use TC plugins to store or fetch files from both services,
so this files can never be reached from a local virus or ransom ware.

Is it the Cloud plugin for Total Commander https://www.ghisler.com/cloudplugin.htm ?

Btw. the status icons of OneDrive are supported by Total Commander using the right config.

I am very interested to know how you configure it right.

• in Total Commander: the sync icon offline/synching/available is Missing
  

• in Windows File Explorer: the sync icon offline/synching/available is displayed
  

[horst.epp]

Yes, its the Cloud plugin.

For the OneDrive status overlay icon you have to set the following entry in the config section of the Wincmd.ini
IconOverlaysOneDrive=1

Example for a file only online available

Screenshot - 29.03.2023 , 19_03_41.png (41.01 KiB) Viewed 16650 times

If its available offline it has the normal type releated icon without the overlay

Screenshot - 29.03.2023 , 19_04_24.png (40.73 KiB) Viewed 16650 times

[christophe]

Wow ! exactly what I want. Do we need the cloud plug to get this ?


I have added IconOverlaysOneDrive=1 in my wincmd.ini :

but I do not have the OneDrive status icon overlay.I have the latest version 10.52

[horst.epp]

Wow ! exactly what I want. Do we need the cloud plug to get this ?

No, the ini file setting is all you need.
You have to define it if its not there.

[christophe]

No, the ini file setting is all you need.
You have to define it if its not there.

So it should have worked, because I do not have the Cloud plugin installed as well.
I have restarted the application and the pc, but I still have no sync overlay icons.

The wincmd.ini file to modify is at this path, isn't ?


Did you also placed IconOverlaysOneDrive=1 just below [Configuration] like on my screenshot in my previous post?

[horst.epp]

No, the ini file setting is all you need.
You have to define it if its not there.

So it should have worked, because I do not the Cloud plugin installed as well.
I have restarted the application and the pc, but I still have no sync overlay icons.

The wincmd.ini file to modify is at this path, isn't ?


Did you also placed IconOverlaysOneDrive=1 just below [Configuration] like on my screenshot in my previous post?

After the [Configuration] header is ok.
You must also have enabled the following line
IconOverlays=1

Check that you have both lines only once in the ini file.

If this doesn't help check if your are changing the wrong ini file.
Help / About
shows you the path of your ini file.

[christophe]

Thank you, I now have the sync icon overlay for OneDrive files only available in the cloud.
Do you also have the icon overlay on OneDrive folders that are only available in the cloud ?

Windows is displaying also an icon overlay icon on OneDrive files that are available locally. In you TC, do you have an overlay icon for OneDrive files that are locally available?

[horst.epp]

Thank you, I now have the sync icon overlay for OneDrive files only available in the cloud.
Do you also have the icon overlay on OneDrive folders that are only available in the cloud ?

Windows is displaying also an icon overlay icon on OneDrive files that are available locally. In you TC, do you have an overlay icon for OneDrive files that are locally available?

No overlay for folders.

What should an overlay say for files that are available localy.
This files are show with their normal associated file type icon.
As there only 2 states of a file, the overlay for only on the cloud is enough info.

[christophe]

What should an overlay say for files that are available localy.
This files are show with their normal associated file type icon.
As there only 2 states of a file, the overlay for only on the cloud is enough info.

I fully agree with you, it is a local like any other file, so does not need a special icon overlay. I wanted to know if we had the same in TC, as in File Explorer there is an icon overlay for OneDrive locally stored files:

I also have a Google Drive account, when looking at my Google Drive files in TC, I do not see a sync icon overlay on Google Drive cloud only files. Do you have a sync icon overlay on Google Drive cloud only files?
In File Explorer, I have a sync icon overlay for them:

[horst.epp]

Here is some info more about setting the OneDrive overlay.
If you like set it to 2, I never used it.

Code: Select all

IconOverlaysOneDrive=3 Enable/disable icon overlays for OneDrive files.
Sum of:
	1: Files which aren't available offline (cloud icon)
	2: Marked for always being available offline (green circle with checkmark)
	4: In addition to 2: Also in paths of OneDrive for Business

I didn't find anything regarding a Google Drive status overlay.

[christophe]

@horst.epp thank you, sync icon overlay works now: IconOverlaysOneDrive is for some reason not seem to change anything for me, but having IconOverlays=1 does display overlay icons