# File Search Manager Help

File Search Manager has two main fields:

- **Filter** narrows the file list by name, folder, path, or selected directories.
- **Search** searches file contents inside the currently filtered files.

The result list is designed for keyboard use. When the list has focus, the **Hints** panel shows commands that are currently available for the selection.

## Indexing and Elevation

On startup, File Search Manager loads ready drives and watches for file-system changes. Each drive loads independently, so a slow network drive never delays the others.

By default only NTFS drives are indexed - other file systems (network mounts, FAT sticks) cannot use the fast MFT read, and walking them file by file can dominate the whole load. Use the **💽 Drives…** button in the status bar to choose exactly which drives are indexed; unchecked drives are neither scanned nor watched.

For NTFS drives, the fastest path is reading the NTFS Master File Table. File Search Manager can do that in one of these ways:

- Windows service: no prompt at all. Selected by default in the installer. Running the installer of the version you already have offers **Modify settings**, which adds or removes the service without reinstalling anything else.
- Elevated helper: one UAC prompt per app run. Without the service it is offered at startup, so indexing can begin immediately. With the service it is not offered until the first action that actually needs administrator rights - the `A` key, reading admin-only files, or renaming and changing timestamps on write-protected items. The **🛡** button next to **🌐** asks at launch instead.
- Direct elevated app: run File Search Manager as administrator.

If none of those are available, File Search Manager falls back to walking folders. The app still works, but the initial load may be slower.

The service is read-only for indexing. It exposes MFT data to the desktop app and is named `WinSearchService`.

## Filter Syntax

Filter terms are separated by spaces. Use quotes around terms or paths that contain spaces.

Name matching:

- `report` matches names containing `report`.
- `:report` matches names starting with `report`.
- `report:` matches names ending with `report`.
- `:report:` matches the exact name `report`.
- `.pdf:|.docx:` matches names ending in `.pdf` or `.docx`.
- Multiple terms are ANDed, so `report .pdf:` finds names containing `report` and ending in `.pdf`.

Folder matching:

- `src\` matches items whose immediate parent folder name matches `src`.
- `src\\` matches items with `src` anywhere in the full path.
- Name anchors work per path component, so `:src:\\` matches items with a folder named exactly `src` anywhere in the path.
- `"C:\Work"` matches items directly inside `C:\Work`.
- `"C:\Work\\"` matches items recursively under `C:\Work`.

History:

- `Ctrl+Left` and `Ctrl+Right` move through filter history.
- `Down` opens suggestions.
- `Del` removes the selected suggestion.
- Hold `Ctrl` while opening suggestions to use most-recent history instead of most-used history.

### Pinned Filters

- Click **Pin…** to add an editable tab to the pinned-filter row. Type its name in place and press `Enter`; `Esc` cancels it.
- Click a named filter to restore its saved expression. The active named filter is highlighted.
- Right-click a named filter to update it from the current expression, rename it in place, or unpin it.
- Pinned filters are restored when the application starts.

**Export…** saves all pinned filters and target-basket entries to one JSON settings file. **Import…** validates a settings file and, after confirmation, replaces the current pinned filters and targets with its contents.

## Content Search

Type a term in **Search** and press `Enter`.

Encoding options:

- `UTF-8` searches text encoded as UTF-8.
- `UTF-16` searches text encoded as UTF-16 little-endian.
- `HEX` searches bytes written as space-separated hex, for example `48 65 6C 6C 6F`.

The **Case insensitive** checkbox applies to text searches.

Result colors after a content search:

- Green: the content was found.
- Red: the content was not found.
- Black: the item was not searched or the search was cleared.
- Blue: folder.

Typing anything other than `Enter` in the search field clears the current content-search result state.

## Mouse Actions

- Click, Ctrl+click, or Shift+click results to select individual items or ranges.
- Double-click a file or folder name to filter into that item.
- Double-click the folder column to open File Explorer with the item selected.
- Ctrl + right-click a result to open it with the default Windows action.
- Click a column header to sort by that column.
- Right-click selected items for Open, dynamic Open with, clipboard, rename, archive, and deletion actions.
- **Add to target basket** follows the column that was right-clicked: Name adds the selected items, while Folder adds their parent folders. It is hidden when the corresponding paths are not supported targets or are already in the basket.
- Drag from the Name column to send selected files or directories to another application.
- Drag from the Folder column to send the selected items' parent folders.
- Drop files onto a directory in the Name column or a parent path in the Folder column. Choose copy, move, symbolic link, or hard link.
- Drop files onto an executable Name cell to launch it with the dropped paths as arguments.
- File drops follow Explorer defaults: one folder on the same volume defaults to move, another volume defaults to copy. Hold `Ctrl` for copy, `Shift` for move, or `Alt` for a symbolic link. Multiple destinations default to copy.

## Practical Examples

- **Freeing disk space** — clear **Filter** to show all indexed items. Click the **Size** header (again if necessary) until the largest items are at the top, review the list from the top down, and delete unneeded items with `Shift+Delete` (permanently, without moving them to the Recycle Bin).
- **Watching where an application writes** — clear **Filter** and click the **Changed** header until the most recently changed items are at the top. Then start or use the application you want to observe. Files it is actively writing move to the top as they change, and the **Folder** column shows their location. Enter a path in **Filter** first if you want to watch only part of the file system.
- **Searching text in source files** — for example, use `C:\Projects\\ .cs:` to limit the results to `.cs` files in a project. Enter the desired text in **Search** and press `Enter`.

## Context Menu

The context menu adapts to the current selection:

- **Open with** lists only installed applications compatible with the selection. A configured diff tool is listed first for exactly two files or directories.
- **Open containing folder** opens File Explorer at the item's parent.
- **Copy path** copies the full paths of the selected items.
- **7-Zip** is shown when `7zFM.exe` is installed.
- **Zip** creates a ZIP archive.
- **Create 7z archive** is shown only when `7z.exe` or `7zz.exe` is installed.
- **Unzip** is shown for supported archive selections.
- **Move to Recycle Bin** performs recoverable deletion.

### Deletion and recovery

Deletion first attempts each selected file or folder as one fast operation. If a locked, inaccessible, or otherwise undeletable item prevents a whole folder operation, File Search Manager continues with the largest removable subtrees and then individual files. Items that still cannot be removed—and the parent folders required to contain them—remain in place. Errors are reported after all reachable siblings have been attempted.

`Delete` sends every successfully processed item to the Recycle Bin and preserves its attributes and original location. A partial operation can appear as several Recycle Bin entries because intact subfolders are kept together whenever possible and only blocked parts are split further. Use the Recycle Bin's **Restore** command, rather than manually copying its entries, to return every item to its original path.

`Shift+Delete` uses the same best-effort traversal but deletes permanently. It clears the `ReadOnly` attribute wherever necessary; this behavior is general and is not limited to Git repositories. Files locked against deletion and paths denied by filesystem permissions remain and are included in the final error report.

Directory drops and `Ctrl+V` show an action chooser. Existing-name conflicts offer overwrite, skip, automatic rename, and apply-to-all behavior. Transfers show item progress and can be cancelled between top-level operations.

## Target Basket

The target basket at the bottom keeps reusable drop targets:

- **+ Name** adds selected Name-column items. Folders, supported archives, and executables have target-specific behavior.
- **+ Folder** adds the selected items' parent folders.
- While a drag is in progress the bar shows two large drop zones: **＋ Add as target** and **📤 Send to all (n) target(s)**. They appear as soon as a drag starts in the result list, or when an external drag hovers the bar, and disappear when the drag ends.
- **Add as target** adds exactly the paths produced by the drag. A drag started in the Folder column therefore adds parent folders; a drag started in the Name column adds the named items. Dropping on empty space after the target chips also adds targets.
- **Send to all** uses every available target after showing a summary when needed. Dropping directly on a chip uses only that target instead.
- Folder targets show the copy, move, symbolic-link, and hard-link chooser.
- Archive targets add the sources to the archive. Updating non-ZIP formats requires an installed `7z.exe` or `7zz.exe`.
- Executable targets are started with the source paths as arguments and require confirmation.
- **Send clipboard to all (n)…** is the same operation with the clipboard as the source; it is disabled while no targets are set.
- Double-click a target to open it. Right-click a target to filter to it, open it, remove it, or clear all targets. Right-clicking the bar background also offers **Clear targets**.

The basket is saved automatically between application runs. Missing targets remain in the saved configuration but are skipped until they become available again.

All target and filter commands live under `Alt` and behave the same everywhere in the window: hold `Alt` to see them in the **Hints** panel, then press `N` (add selected Names as targets), `F` (add parent Folders), `V` (send clipboard to all targets - keep holding and add `L`/`H`/`O` for link, hard link, overwrite), `C` (clear targets), `P` (pin the filter), `I`/`E` (import/export pinned filters and targets). Keyboard sequences transfer directly with the chosen action; only the toolbar button and mouse drops open the action chooser dialog.

While a keyboard sequence is active, **Hints** shows only valid next keys. `Esc` is offered only when releasing the held keys would execute an action and `Alt` is not currently held. This also works in an `Alt` sequence after releasing `Alt` while keeping another sequence key held. `Backspace` always returns by one step. Flow controls are separated from the command choices by a line.

Entries ending in `›` have another level of command choices; keep a sequence key held and press that key to show the submenu.

With the result list focused, the `T` key sequences manage targets as well: `T` adds the selected items as targets, `T` `F` adds their parent folders, `T` `V` sends the clipboard to all targets, and `T` `C` clears the targets. `T` `V` takes the same modifier keys as `V`: `L` sends as symbolic links, `H` as hard links, and `O` overwrites existing files.

## Keyboard Commands

Focus the result list and press a key shown in the **Hints** panel. Some commands continue while keys are held and finish when all keys are released.

Common commands:

- `Enter`: filter into selected folders.
- `Delete`: move selected items to the Recycle Bin after confirmation.
- `Shift+Delete`: permanently delete selected items without confirmation.
- `Ctrl+C`: standard shell-compatible copy.
- `Ctrl+X`: standard shell-compatible cut.
- `Ctrl+V`: paste after choosing copy, move, symbolic link, or hard link.
- `C`: copy selected items to the clipboard. Add `V`, `T`, `W`, or `A` to copy the file version, creation time, last write time, or last access time instead; `+` first appends to the clipboard rather than replacing it.
- `X`: cut selected items to the clipboard.
- `D`: compare in the configured diff tool. Available only with exactly two items selected.
- `V`: paste clipboard files into the selected folders or parent folders.
- `O`: open selected items in another app.
- `A`: open selected items as administrator.
- `F2`: rename one physical file or folder directly in its Name cell. With multiple items, use one of the transformation commands below.
- `F3`: view selected items.
- `F4`: edit selected items.
- `N`: copy selected names.
- `P`: copy selected full paths.
- `F`: copy selected folder paths.
- `M`: show an inline bar for creating a directory in the selected folders.
- `S`: selection commands.
- `T`: target commands — add selected as targets; then `F` for parent folders, `V` to send clipboard to all targets (with `L`/`H`/`O` for link, hard link, overwrite), `C` to clear targets.
- `U`: unzip selected archives. Add `NumPad7` to call `7z.exe` instead of the built-in handler.
- `Z`: zip selected items. Add `NumPad7` to call `7z.exe`.
- `F1`: open this help file. Works anywhere in the window.
- `F12`: refresh from NTFS. Works anywhere in the window, no selection needed; each drive refreshes independently, so a slow network drive never delays the others. Both `F1` and `F12` remain visible in **Hints** when the result grid has focus.
- `Right Shift`: move focus back to the filter field.

Commands held under `Ctrl`:

- `Ctrl+A`: select or unselect all.
- `Ctrl+D`: filter into the parent directories of the selected items.
- `Ctrl+F`: filter into the selected folders.
- `Ctrl+N`: create new folders in the selected folders.
- `Ctrl+J`: scroll to the next selected item; `Ctrl+Shift+J` goes to the previous one.

Open targets after `O` or `A`. Each entry appears only when the application was detected:

- `B`: File Explorer.
- `W`: default detected web browser.
- `C`: Chrome.
- `F`: Firefox.
- `E`: Edge.
- `O`: Opera.
- `I`: Internet Explorer.
- `A`: Adobe Reader.
- `T`: text viewer.
- `D`: Visual Studio Code.
- `V`: Visual Studio.
- `Y`: Antigravity.
- `G`: Ghostscript.
- `P`: GhostPCL.
- `X`: GhostXPS.
- `R`: viewer detected for PRN content.
- `S`, then `P`: PowerShell.
- `S` alone: Command Prompt.

`G`, `P`, `X`, and `R` ask for a DPI value before they run.

Selection commands after `S`:

- `A`: select or unselect all.
- `D`: select directories.
- `F`: select files.
- `I`: invert selection.
- `G`: select green rows.
- `R`: select red rows.
- `B`: select black rows.

Rename/change commands after `F2`:

- `V`: take the new path or name from the clipboard.
- `N`: change name.
- `E`: change extension; `E` then `Delete` removes the extension.
- `.`: add extension.
- `Delete`: delete text from the name.
- `F`: add prefix.
- `L`: add postfix.
- `Insert`: insert text at an index.
- `R`: replace text.
- `C`: change creation time, then `V` for the time from the clipboard or `C` for the current time.
- `W`: change last write time, with the same `V` and `C` choices.
- `A`: change last access time, with the same `V` and `C` choices.
- Add `O` first to overwrite existing targets when supported.

Renaming and timestamp changes on write-protected items (anything under `Program Files` or `Windows`, for example) are retried through the elevated helper automatically. If the helper has not been started yet, that is when its UAC prompt appears.

## Data and Troubleshooting

User state is stored under:

```text
%LOCALAPPDATA%\win-search
```

If NTFS loading is slow, install the service from the installer - it is selected by default - or approve the elevation prompt. The status bar reports whether each drive used the service, direct access, admin helper, or folder walk.

If a mapped or external drive is unavailable, File Search Manager skips it after a short readiness check so startup does not stall on unreachable storage.

Items changed since the load from NTFS always show the current **Changed** time and **Size**, even while the writing application still holds the file open - that is what makes watching where an application writes reliable. Explorer can show older values for the same file: NTFS publishes them into the directory only about a second after a write, or not until the file is closed, which for an event log or a database can take days. `F12` reloads everything from NTFS, so such items fall back to the published values until they change again.