Vista "Search Folders"
Originally referred to as "Virtual Folders", it would seem the preferred term has changed from to "Search Folders" (or simply “Searches”). This terminology will help in the long run as virtualization becomes more commonplace (in this context a virtual folder would be one temporarily layered on top of a “real” folder which is not at all the same thing). So what is so cool about a search folder? Well now you can save searches and quickly access the results in the future-- just as you would a folder.
To use this, just search for something and then click “Save Search” when you are viewing the results. By default, your local files searches are saved in your profile with a “.search-ms” file extension. To view them you just select it from your searches folder (C:\Users\
This is very handy when you think of wanting to locate file types that you intentionally keep in separate folder structures. I personally keep script files all over the computer and with this feature I can locate them in one place.
Moving beyond a simple search for one item is just a little confusing. For example, to search for:
files named *.vbs, *.kix, *.ps, *.bat, or *.aut
You must phrase the search like this:
name:(*.vbs OR *.kix OR *.ps OR *.bat OR *.aut)
If you use the advanced search options you can make it a bit easier. In the name field you can type just “*.vbs OR *.kix OR *.ps OR *.bat OR *.aut” and the “name:” and parentheses are added for you. Keep in mind that the OR is indeed case sensitive. This syntax for searching is referred to as AQS (Advanced Query Syntax) and a good reference may be found here at Microsoft's website.
Save it with a descriptive name and your scripts files will [virtually] be all in one place!
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Comments
Just found out about the virtual folder stuff. Now here's a noob question. On my vista in my personal folder there's the standard music folder. Since it's blue i'm assuming it is a virtual, or search folder. When i copied music from my old xp machine to my new vista machine in the blue music folder. Where do the files acctually go? since the music folder is just opening a search for all my music files. Or is it both a real and a virtual folder? Just wondering.
Posted by: arjen de vries | March 23, 2007 5:39 AM
Actually, the Music folder is a "real" folder. It is "special" in that it has an icon assigned to it, but you can actually do this for yourself if you like. Right click on the folder and choose "Properties" and you'll see that the default location is a physical one (for me, C:\Users\bkelly\Music). Click around in there and you'll see you can verify where it is pointed now, and can even specify another location if you like. So the files you put there are really there (a concept previously common in the form of "redirected folders" where admins can redirect folders (like the desktop) to another location (like a network share)). In fact (as you might expect) you cannot copy files to a search folder.
Posted by: Bob | March 25, 2007 7:28 PM