Find: "C*.pdf" finds more than that? I'm confused

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 03 Apr 2006 05:13

Maybe it's just me again...but I was looking for all PDF files that begin with a "C"...so in Win Expl, using C*.pdf, I find what I want...but in XY, I had to check "Exact match" to get that...without E-M, I get any PDF file with an embedded "C", which is NOT what I want.

However, in the Help, I read that "If any wildcards are in pattern, the checkbox is ignored"...so why then DOES it matter in this case?

(I'm on ver .60)

Gandolf · Post by **Gandolf** » 03 Apr 2006 05:28

Confirmed.
C*.pdf without any boxes checked appears to be like *C*.pdf i.e. a "C" anywhere in the name. It appears that with no boxes checked a * is pre- and post- fixed to the name. I haven't checked the documentation to confirm this.

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 03 Apr 2006 05:46

And in an Admin post from 2004:
http://www.xyplorer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161

The exact functionality is like this: IF "Exact Match" is unchecked AND "Fuzzy" is unchecked AND no wildcards are present in the search pattern THEN * is internally added to both ends of the pattern resp. of each pattern in a Boolean Expression

I've emphasized the key words...because in my string, I believe I do have a wildcard...the "*"...thus, shouldn't that disable the pre/suffixing?

BTW, I have Fuzzy OFF.

Post by **admin** » 03 Apr 2006 12:08

It's a feature:

Code: Select all

v3.60.0152 - 27.03.05 12:50
    * Find Files, Name pattern: slight change to the conditions of 
      internal "auto-asterisking" (active when "Exact Match" is 
      unchecked).
      Before:
        *ab*, ab*, *ab, a*b remain unchanged
        ab  -> *ab*
      Now:
        *ab*, ab*, *ab      remain unchanged
        ab  -> *ab*
        a*b -> *a*b*
      Same with "?", e.g. a?b -> *a?b*, etc.

But if you tell me the results are irritating when entering C*.pdf I must agree! Why did I do this in the first place? Strange...

Post by **j_c_hallgren** » 03 Apr 2006 16:04

Ok...so how does that match up with the prior post plus help which appears to say that ANY wildcard in a user pattern would block the "*" pre/suffix?

Plus...anyone who is used to Win Expl, would really wonder (I believe) why a nice simple pattern would result in such different results here.

Doing this type of search is likely my second most common pattern, as I usually put some sort of prefix on my files to group them, but I do know what type (pdf/jpg/etc) that I'm after. And based on description of Exact-Match, I don't see how this would really apply in this case...

I can agree with a pre/suffix when no wildcard within it, however.

Post by **admin** » 03 Apr 2006 16:10

j_c_hallgren wrote:Ok...so how does that match up with the prior post plus help which appears to say that ANY wildcard in a user pattern would block the "*" pre/suffix?

Simple: the ANY-statement is much older! Things progress, man... in this case into the wrong direction. I'll remove it until I remember why I did in the first place.