Windows 10: So there's no way to sort Explorer search results by path now?

I had to search my entire boot drive for a filename containing a particular string. The default search-results view tucked the path of each matching file under the filename, so there was no way to sort by it so I could skip directories in the result list I knew were irrelevant. So I switched to Details view.... which deleted all the results and re-started the entire search.After waiting for that to finish, I clicked on the header of the path column to sort by it... which once again deleted all results and re-executed the entire search.After this third search, I found that the sort order is w

:)

 

Sorting File Explorer Search output by Folder path


Possibly after editing, this may be useful as a tutorial -- but note the problem at the end ...
(sorting in Windows File Explorer may not always work correctly).

I tried to include all of the steps. I did not know how to capture a screen shot of the active
window while the Ribbon was present (to set the View to Details) and
while the context menu was visible (when right-clicking on one of the column headers).

In performing a search, I used the Search Box in File Explorer.
I don't let my PC access OneDrive or Google Docs -- generally,
I do only searches just on my PC or just on the Web.

1. Perform a search.

2. Set the View to Details (if it isn't already).





3. (if the Folder path column is not already present...)
Right-Click on any of the column headers.
A context menu appears.
4. Select More in the context menu.





A Choose Details dialog box appears.

(5. You can uncheck the box next to Folders - to get rid of the Folders column).





6. Check the box next to Folder path - to make the Folder path column appear (you'll have to scroll down to find it).
7. Then, click on the Ok box to dismiss the dialog box and save the changes to the Details View.





8. With the Folder path column now present, click on its column header to sort the listing by Folder path.
(The next picture shows the result after clicking on the Folder path column header.)





It is unfortunate that either Microsoft forces the search to be re-done or it was something they missed on their part.
If you want to sort the output using another column header (or reverse the sort order), each time you click on a column header, the search is re-done. Based on what I have read on doing searches in Windows 10, it's possible that Microsoft is currently placing more emphasis on searching using Cortana -- this may be why local file searches using File Explorer do not appear to work as well as they did in Windows 7.

Finally, if you take a closer look at the picture showing the final result, you'll note that the sorting did not work as expected (or at least as I expected). Thus, it appears that sorting in Windows File Explorer may not always work correctly. I have not thoroughly tested this, but there may be a strong dependence of ordering search results in File Explorer on what one uses to search on.

Eugenio

 

print/save as .txt explorer search results

dmsel,

1. Do the search,
2. Select all the results [Ctrl-A does this quickly],
3. Press the Shift key and, at the same time, right-click,
4. Select Copy as path,
5. Paste into Excel [a very good choice for this sort of task].

Sample results pasted into Excel
Denis

 

Sorting Search Results Changes Date Accessed

When I use the search feature of File Explorer in Windows 10 to generate a list of files that meet a certain criteria (a partial name search or a date accessed range for example) it behaves as expected returning a list of files. If, however, I then click
on the file name column to sort the results of the search by file name, the Date Accessed date and time update to the current date and time.

I have disabled my virus and firewall products and get the same result, I also booted into Safe mode and got the same results.

Is there a way to stop this from happening as there are occasions where I am specifically looking for a date and time accessed and don't want them to update based on me sorting the search results.

Thanks.