Windows 10: List filenames that don't contain a specific character, File Explorer Search queries.

TagSpace adds string names inside of brackets that are used as tags. Eg: report[jane pending].pdf. "jane" and “pending” are used as tags to find the file report.pdf. When using Win10 File Explorer to list the files in the folder containing report[jane pending].pdf, is there a syntax that can be used in the search box that will exclude listing any file with “[“ in the file name. "NOT [“ doesn't seem to work.

:)

 

Searching for a string within a filename in File Explorer

I want to search a folder for filenames that contain the word "Committee". When in File Explorer, I type "Committee" into the Search field and hit enter. It finds (highlights in yellow) files that start with "Committee" but not the ones where "Committee"
is embedded in the file name. For example:

• "Committee-Mission-Roles-and-Responsibilities" = finds it and highlights "Committee" in yellow
• "19510701ListClubCommitteesReportDirectorsBW" = Lists this file but does not highlight "Committee" in yellow
• "20150526MinutesBoard" = Lists this file because the word "Committee" is in the text of the file.

Is there a way to do a search that lists only filenames that contain the word "Committee"? I don't want files listed if the word "Committee" is not part of the filename.

Moved from ( Windows / Windows 10 / Files, folders, & storage )

 

How do I search for the % character

As the name says, special characters are used for various special purposes, for instance the % sign you mentioned is used to mark environment variables. You can try it yourself to see how it works:

• Type %userprofile% on File Explorer addessbar, hit Enter to open your user folder
• Type %windir% on File Explorer addessbar, hit Enter to open Windows folder
• Type %localappdata% on File Explorer addessbar, hit Enter to open Users\Your_Username\Appdata\Local folder
• Type %appdata% on File Explorer addessbar, hit Enter to open Users\Your_Username\Appdata\Roaming folder

To search files and folders containing these special characters use filename:*X (filename followed by : and * plus the character you are searching) replacing X with actual character. For instance to find all files and folders with % sign in name, search for filename:*%.

To find all files and folders with string &Test in file / folder name search for filename:*&Test.

 

Search syntax for "folders containing specific file types" ??

Thanks Lance. Most of that I know already. I was asking for syntax to specifically find folders containing a certain file type i.e. photos.

For instance a search string that would in effect request: "List all folders on drive D containing photos" or "List all folders on drive D containing videos" and have just the folders containing those files, not the files themselves, listed in the results.