📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses difficulties in searching for files with special characters like "[" and "!" in their filenames using Windows 7 search, which tends to ignore such characters. Basher suggests using PowerShell commands as an alternative method, though the original poster finds this approach somewhat complex. Overall, the conversation highlights the challenge of searching for files with certain punctuation in filenames within Windows 7.
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doug23

New Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Messages
4
Thread Author #1
How does one search within a folder for files that include a "[" in their filename? For instance, when I want to search for all files that have "[a" in the filename, Windows 7 search ignores the bracket and instead returns all filenames that contain a word that begins with "A" instead. This has got me totally stumped. :confused:
 

Solution
Basher
Can be done with Power Shell - found this on GeekHead

The -Filter parameter may work better there eg

Get-ChildItem -Filter *[* -Recurse

or with a specified 'start folder'

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\" -Filter "*[*" -Recurse

Your wildcard pattern was bound to the -Path parameter, which as you
described, appears to require its criterion being satisfied every step of
the way.

Make sure you start it with admin rights if you want to search c drive...

Basher
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Basher

Basher

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Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
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#2
Can be done with Power Shell - found this on GeekHead

The -Filter parameter may work better there eg

Get-ChildItem -Filter *[* -Recurse

or with a specified 'start folder'

Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\" -Filter "*[*" -Recurse

Your wildcard pattern was bound to the -Path parameter, which as you
described, appears to require its criterion being satisfied every step of
the way.

Make sure you start it with admin rights if you want to search c drive...

Basher
 

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Solution
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doug23

New Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Messages
4
Thread Author #3
I've been playing around with the Windows 7 search a bit more, and have noticed it doesn't seem to support searching by some other types of punctuation either. When searching for files that include an exclamation-mark in their filename, it ignores all filenames that do, in fact, have an exclamation-mark and instead states "No items match your search."

Thanks for the suggestion, Basher. Unfortunately I'm not a really tech-savy user as the PowerShell is a bit out of my league. I apologize if it sounds like I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but are there any other possible solutions out there? I've spent the past couple of hours searching on Google for a solution and haven't found anything. :(
 

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Basher

Basher

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Joined
Mar 15, 2009
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357
#4
No problem m8 - just takes me back to the days of DOS having to type in a command :-P

Basher
 

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