15.2.1.1 Plain Directory searches

A Plain Directory search is used to search for a particular regexp in all files whose names match a particular pattern. Enter the regexp in the Regexp Search String box and enter a set of filename patterns in the Filenames pattern box. You can press Up or Down in the Filenames pattern box to complete physical directory components, as described in Completion.

The filename pattern should be a complete filename and can use the following syntax to make it match more than one file:

• Use * within the pattern to match any sequence of characters in a directory or file name.
• Use ** within the the directory part of the pattern to match any number of subdirectories.

Here are some examples of filename patterns:

*.*

Matches all files in the root directory.

subdir/*.txt

Matches all txt files in root /subdir .

examples/**/*.lisp

Matches all lisp files in root /examples and its subdirectories. This is similar to the pattern shown in The Search Files tool.

**/*zork*/*.bmp

Matches all bmp files in any directory under the root directory that contains zork in its name

See also the Match flat file-namestring option in Search Parameters for additional information.

If a filename pattern is a directory then all files in that directory are searched.

Check Case sensitive to make the search match only the case of letters exactly as entered.

Check All files to ignore any list of File Types in the Preferences.