Files - Search (26)

SearchMyFiles is a powerful alternative to the standard Windows search. It allows you to easily find files by wildcard, last modified/created/last accessed time, file attributes, content (text or binary search) and file size. File types available for search includes Microsoft Office and PDF files. The program also be detect duplicate files via the "Search Mode" drop-down box.

Note that the program is non-indexing, meaning it searches the drive directly, which is often slower but more accurate.

Agent Ransack (aka File Locator) Lite looks for files and file contents on your PC or network drives, with filters for dates and size. Includes themes, tabbed search entries, preview window, and search priority. Search types supported include wildcard, boolean, and regex on both filenames and file internals. You can import/export search criteria and export detailed search results.

Finds details inside standard text files, as well as PDF and Office formats. Note that Win7 users will need the Filter Pack (not portable) to search Office files, as described on the website.

A pro version is available with additional features.

Everything is a powerful search tool that locates files and folders by file name instantly, and includes an FTP and Web server interface. It also can search files by their contents. Unlike Windows search, Everything initially displays all files and folders on your computer. You simply type in part of the desired file name to limit what files and folders are displayed instantly. The more you type, the more specific the list becomes.

Note that the instant-search capability only works on NTFS/ReFS-formatted drives and only uses file and folder names in a file index. The program can separately catalog non-NTFS/ReFS and network servers for searching on a schedule.

Listary is an enhancement that allows you to quickly search almost any listing in Windows by simply typing your search terms. The program will pop up a small, semi-transparent window in Explorer windows (including open/save dialogs), Task Manager, Registry Editor and even directly on your desktop. The program works with almost any application with a system-generated list.

Although some programs will automatically jump to the first letter you type (a find-as-you-type feature of Windows Explorer), you must type quickly for more than one letter and cannot see your output. Listary brings a long-time feature of Linux to Windows, letting you enter whole words and type slower with automatic changes. Additionally, it allows wildcards and has the ability to edit your input with immediate results.

Advanced features include hotkeys, autocomplete, blacklists, favorites, a customizable window. Note that the program contains many "pro"-only features, but the program is very functional in its basic version.