Smart Folder searches within itself

After upgrading to SL last fall the Smart Folders started to misbehave in the following manner:
The smart folder set to search "This Mac" would after restart search within itself. E.g I have created a Smart Folder finding all Word documents edited within the last week, called "Word last week". But the folder start to search within itself, e.g."Word last week" instead of in "This Mac". I have checked and, after some days, the query delivers different results if I change back to search within "My Mac".
What can I do to force Smart Folders to search the whole harddrive and quit being so self-centered (self-referencing)?

They aren't searching "within themselves" but searching wherever you told them to. If you click a saved search (AKA Smart Folder) and then select the Show Criteria option, you will see the name of the smart search next to the "This Mac"--but it is just the name, it is searching where you told it to when you created it. Evidently the programmers decided something had to occupy that spot in the search criteria, and opted to have it display the name of the Smart Folder.
That said, there is a really bad bug in saved searches that involve date as a criteria. They aren't updating properly because the wrong thing is being added to raw query of the search when you create it. Thus if you want a Smart Folder that finds MS Word docs created in the last 3 days, it won't update. If you use it next week it will continue to search for the created date of files from when you made it. I suspect this bug is what is throwing your results off.
Francine
Francine
Schwieder

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Exclude *All* Subfolders From Smart Folder Search

I know how to make a Smart Folder search two different directories and retrieve results from each (e.g. /Applications and /Developer). I've also seen disscusions here on excluding particular subfolders, but to no avail. So here's a simpler request: is it possible to exclude all subfolders from a Smart Folder query? Suppose I have the following directory structure:
Foo/
A.txt
B.txt
Bar/
C.txt
D.txt
Baz/
E.txt
F.txt
G.txt
Given a search for *.txt files, I'd like the following result:
FooSearch.smartSearch
A.txt
B.txt
G.txt
Possible or no?

I have a similar issue, but want to exclude results that are within Mail.

Can't save smart folder searches

When trying to save a smart folder search the save dialog box quickly slides down and then up without stopping to let me actually save it. Has anyone else experienced this problem and possibly know of a solution? Thanks in advance.

Yes, you can edit them even more easily using Property List Editor, if you have that installed.
I tried making a smart folder with Activity Monitor running to see if I could spot anything interesting. All I noticed was that both Finder and Windowserver were more active as I created and saved a new one (and mds of course as the search was was done). So that wasn't very enlightening. The only other thing that occurs to me is perhaps something has gone wrong with the Saved Searches folder itself (it's in your home Library folder), since that is the default place to save to. I tried copying my folder to another drive, then trashed the original. When I relaunched the Finder and created a new Smart Folder the Finder had created a new Saved Searches folder. If that doesn't work either, you can trash your creation and put the original back.
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Finder smart folder: "Search for:Today" has changed

I noticed today that the smart folder has changed and now only seems to be showing applications and not files also.
I'm not sure what changed it initially, but to try to "fix" it, I went to the finder toolbar and selected "Action>Show Search Criteria". What should the default settings be for this folder as installed by Mac OSX Leopard?

The default criteria for Today and Yesterday, Apple's canned searches, are "Last Opened date is today" or "yesterday" plus "None of the following are true---Kind is Folders." If your are correct and aren't returning what you want, construct your own search that does what you want, then save it as a misnamed "Smart Folder"--be sure to check the box in the Save dialog to have it appear in the Sidebar.
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Excluding items in a given folder from a Smart Folder Search

Hi: Looking for a tip here. I would like to exclude what pops up in a smart folder based on what folder it is. I do NOT want to exclude that folder from my general spotlight search ability, just in that smart folder.
Reason asking: I have a folder in docs that I use everyday, and backup (with a 3rd party utility) to my iDisk folder. This way I have backups on my home computer at virtually all times. (iDisk is good for backups, Dropbox for 'sharing') I have a smart folder that displays all the stuff that i've worked on in the last day. I've used a lot of 'not' tricks to exclude all but the file types I use, but I always get a double copy in that folder. The one in my working folder and the one on my iDisk. What would be perfect is to simply say exclude what is found at the iDisk location, but that doesn't seem to be an option in the search criteria. I could exclude the while iDisk from spotlight in general, but I still want to be able to find things when I type them on the standard search.
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thanks, Michel. it had occurred to me to put a scratch tag on the folder, but I was hoping for an easier way. in future I'll do as you suggest though, because it's easier than what I have been doing.
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Smart Folder search options

When I create a new Smart Folder, the only search options available are "This Mac" & "Documents" (no option for the "Home" folder as described in Help).
This may be OK, except that the smart folders I have created are to find the most recently accessed spreadsheets, Word documents, powerpoints by type (one folder for each). When I set up the Smart Folder they work well if i specify "This Mac" (as not all the relevant docs are in the directory structure, I may have some on my desktop for example).
But, when I reopen the Smart Folder later, I do not see all my recently accessed files, I see some other selection.
So I have to open 'search options'. The options have changed to "This Mac" & "Recent WORD.saved search" (the name I have given the smart folder), with the latter selected. I then have to click on "This Mac" and the search refreshes correctly. Even though i subsequently save again with "This Mac" selected, it reverts to "Recent Word.saved search" when I look the next time.
This used to work the way I wanted and displayed the files I wanted when first opened. The change may be either a) because of changes in Snow Leopard; or b) because I now have shared computers and drives sometimes available and I wonder if these cause the saved search not to like "This Mac" option in case some of the directories are not available...just a thought.
Any ideas if I am doing something wrong or is there a bug?

Phew. I just figured this out. I had the opposite problem that you have. All my searches were restricted to my home folder. The answer is that the default search location when you select "New Smart Folder" is set by the default location for a new Finder window. Yours must be set to "Documents".
You don't have to select "New Smart Folder", though. You can open the folder or drive you want to search and then start typing in the search criteria field in the upper right to start a search restricted to that folder or drive.
Confusing behavior. That top bar for the location of the search should be editable.

Smart Folder search - Exclude sub folders?

When creating a Smart Folder is it possible to exclude sub folders of the folder you're searching, or a particular folder?

There is no way to reference a folder in Spotlight. That item cannot be used in a query.
kMDItemPath
Complete path to the file. This value of this attribute can be retrieved, but can't be used in a query or to sort search results.

Smart folder search with "comments" does not work

I am using Lion (OS 10.7.5), and am unable to define a Smart Folder in which the search criteria is a particular Comment in "Get Info". Nothing appears in the folder. In System Preferences, Spotlight lists under "Search Results" 15 different categories, but "Comments" is not one of them.

Hi,
I haven't tried this, but the auth part is mainly added to support credentials for OpenSearch result sources. It might work for SP as well, but you have to make sure you have enabled basic auth on the web app. Have you done that?
Thanks,
Mikael Svenson
Search Enthusiast - SharePoint MVP/MCT/MCPD - If you find an answer useful, please up-vote it.
http://techmikael.blogspot.com/
Author of Working with FAST Search Server 2010 for SharePoint

Why can't smart folder search by aperture or fnumber?

I have tried to use smart folder to locate some of my images by using some attributes such as aperture and fnumber . But the smart folder returned none.
However I can use it to search by iso speed and exposure time.

Different cameras, at different settings, record different things to the metadata of the file. For instance, my Canon, old Nikon, and a Kodak all have the focal length in their metadata, none have the fnumber, and the Canon and Kodak both have the aperture, but the Nikon doesn't, while the Nikon and Kodak show the ISO while the Canon doesn't. To find out what is available to search with your camera's files, you'll need to either have an mdls utility, or use the mdls command in Terminal. To use it in Terminal:
1. Launch Terminal (it is in your Utilities folder)
2. Type:
mdls
a space, then drag and drop a sample file into the Terminal window and hit return.
3. The result will look something like this:
-bash:~francine$ mdls /Users/francine/Pictures/Summer06/Mustang/IMG_2521.JPG
/Users/francine/Pictures/ Summer06/Mustang/IMG_2521.JPG -------------
kMDItemAcquisitionMake = "Canon"
kMDItemAcquisitionModel = "Canon PowerShot S50"
kMDItemAperture = 2.96875
kMDItemAttributeChangeDate = 2006-08-09 14:22:34 -0700
kMDItemBitsPerSample = 32
kMDItemColorSpace = "RGB"
kMDItemContentCreationDate = 2006-07-26 15:28:47 -0700
kMDItemContentModificationDate = 2006-07-26 15:28:47 -0700
kMDItemContentType = "public.jpeg"
kMDItemContentTypeTree = ("public.jpeg", "public.image", "public.data", "public.item", "public.content")
kMDItemDisplayName = "IMG_2521.JPG"
kMDItemEXIFVersion = "2.2"
kMDItemExposureMode = 0
kMDItemExposureTimeSeconds = 0.00125
kMDItemFinderComment = "width/height: 1600 x 1200 resolution: 180 dpi Canon PowerShot S50"
kMDItemFlashOnOff = 0
kMDItemFocalLength = 7.09375
kMDItemFSContentChangeDate = 2006-07-26 15:28:47 -0700
kMDItemFSCreationDate = 2006-07-26 15:28:47 -0700
kMDItemFSCreatorCode = 0
kMDItemFSFinderFlags = 1024
kMDItemFSInvisible = 0
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden = 0
kMDItemFSLabel = 0
kMDItemFSName = "IMG_2521.JPG"
kMDItemFSNodeCount = 0
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID = 501
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID = 501
kMDItemFSSize = 732201
kMDItemFSTypeCode = 0
kMDItemHasAlphaChannel = 0
kMDItemID = 394378
kMDItemKind = "JPEG Image"
kMDItemLastUsedDate = 2006-08-09 14:22:34 -0700
kMDItemOrientation = 0
kMDItemPixelHeight = 1200
kMDItemPixelWidth = 1600
kMDItemProfileName = "Camera RGB Profile"
kMDItemRedEyeOnOff = 0
kMDItemResolutionHeightDPI = 180
kMDItemResolutionWidthDPI = 180
kMDItemUsedDates = (2006-08-08 22:32:49 -0700, 2006-08-08 17:00:00 -0700)
kMDItemWhiteBalance = 0
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Francine
Francine
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Edit/modify smart folder search

Hi, I am trying to create a bunch of searches which share some of the same search criteria. So I would like to duplicate the smart folder and change just the search field. But how to I edit the smart folder? I have been looking around and some posts say click the 'show search criteria' but i can seem to find that the contextual options or in the finder menus?? Can someone help..
OS X 10.9.5
lister

Where are you trying to do this - Finder, Mail...?

Smart folder - search download folder

I'm trying to create s smart folder that can filter out image files from the download folder, but all I manage to do is exactly what the default "All Images" does.
If there is a way to do this, would it also be possible to set "the result window" to organize by Date Modified?
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Phew. I just figured this out. I had the opposite problem that you have. All my searches were restricted to my home folder. The answer is that the default search location when you select "New Smart Folder" is set by the default location for a new Finder window. Yours must be set to "Documents".
You don't have to select "New Smart Folder", though. You can open the folder or drive you want to search and then start typing in the search criteria field in the upper right to start a search restricted to that folder or drive.
Confusing behavior. That top bar for the location of the search should be editable.

Copying Results of Smart Folder Search to a Static Folder

Hello all,
Over the years my image files have become duplicative and dispersed. I like the fact that I can create a smart folder that pulls all images into one location. However, before I start my cleanup. I'd like to transfer a copy of each found image to an external HD as a back up. The folder contains about 150,000 files, so when I try try 'select all' and drag the contents to a mounted HD, I get the perpetual spinning beach ball and despite holding the mouse click until it disappears, I am not successful.
Anyone know of any way to collect the actual files and back them up to an external HD? Is there an app for that?
Thanks in advance!

P.S. I understand that the contents of the folder are not the actual files,but I am hoping there is an app or some other way to mine out the actual files identified and copy the to the external HD for BU.
Thanks.

Smart Folder - date calculation

Hi,
I was hoping to create a smart folder search to find all podcasts that are older than 2months old (so that I can copy them to an external HD)
The finder interface does not allow me to set a rule such as creation date > 2 months ago. Instead I have to hard code the date.
What is the best way to achieve this?
Cheers,
BM

I played with this a little. You could try the "intuitive" method of setting up a line like this,
creation date is within last 2 months
but I think that would probably "hard-code" the interval starting with the date that the smart folder was created.
If that doesn't create a look-back interval that always starts with the current date, then try the following instead:
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kMDItemContentCreationDate > $time.today(-62)
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Edit:
Ah - I had misread your post, and now see you wanted to find items older than 2 months ago. To do this, use the following line instead of the one above:
kMDItemContentCreationDate < $time.today(-62)
Message was edited by: jsd2

Smart folder filters

I would like to make a smart folder that only searches for JPGs in a specific external drive and no others. I couldn't find a filter that lets me specify a location or source. Is there one?

Smart Folder searches use the Spotlight index which is on the chosen volume. The index can be disabled via the Spotlight privacy preference tab, and occasionally can become corrupted.
So you could try rebuilding the Spotlight index on your external drive:
Go to System Preferences>Spotlight>Privacy tab
If your external volume is on the Privacy list, delete it from the list with the minus button.
If the volume not on the Privacy list, then add it there and then immediately delete it again with the minus button.
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I'm trying to create a smart folder searching for RGB pictures in order to open and then save them as CMYK. It works just fine with .tif, .psd and .jpg but not with .eps (it's the exact same picture saved in four different ways with Photoshop CS 2).
When I open the information window on any of these files I get the following under the header “Further information”:
size
colour (RGB)
profile used
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Jeanny
Mac OS X (10.4.4)

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Francine
Schwieder

Smart Folder searches within itself

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