Instaproofs Multi-file Search Help

1 - Search Files

Type (or paste) a comma separated list of filenames into the textbox. These filenames should be the names of the files that you are trying to find.

You can use exact filenames, or use the * character as a wildcard to represent 0 or more unspecified characters.

You may search for as little one file, or as many as 1000 files.

2 - Search Folders

Click the "Add" button to select one or more folders to search for your files in.

If you no longer wish to search in one of your previously added folders, select the folder in the list and then click the "Remove" button.

Click the "Start" button to have the application start searching for your files.

3 - Search Results

Once you have clicked the "Start" button, the application will begin searching through the folders you selected in the "Search Folders" area for the files you defined in the "Search Files" area.

All matching files will be displayed in the search results area.

You can do any of the following with displayed search result files:

• Sort the results - Click on any of the column headings to sort the results by that column (name, modified date, file size, file location). (Supported on MacOS 10.6 and later.)
• Copy the files - Select the files that you would like to copy, and then either: 1) hold down the [Option] key while dragging your files to a new location, or 2) press Command-C to copy the files to your clipboard. You can paste the files from your clipboard to the new folder using Command-V. (Supported on MacOS 10.6 and later.)
• Move the files - Select the files that you would like to move, and then drag the files to their new location.
• Open a file - Double-click on the file to open it.

Finished

Once you are finished with the search results, you can either close and exit the application or enter new search criteria to begin looking for additional files.

Re-indexing Drives

If in the rare case that a drive no longer searches correctly, there is a chance that the Spotlight indexes are damaged on the drive, and would require forcing a re-index on the drive:

1. Open the Spotlight preference pane within System Preferences.

2. Click on the Privacy tab.

3. Drag the external volume onto the table labeled "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations:".

4. Click on the external drive that just appeared in that table.

5. Click the minus button to remove your newly added external drive.

6. Close System Preferences.

7. The Spotlight icon (magnifying glass) should start animating with a dot in its center, and clicking on that dot will give you an estimate of its progress indexing the drive.

8. Once Spotlight is finished indexing a drive, you will be able to search it and get accurate results.

Adding, then removing the external drive forces your Mac to re-index that drive.