in ms windows to search all the .txt files​

In MS Windows, there are several ways to search for all.txt files. 

Using the File Explorer Search Bar

Open File Explorer: You can do this by clicking the File Explorer icon in the taskbar, which usually looks like a folder. Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + E on your keyboard.

Navigate to the Location: Go to the drive or folder where you want to start the search. For example, if you want to search the entire C drive, click on “This PC” and then double-click on the C drive.

Use the Search Bar: In the File Explorer window, there is a search bar at the top right corner. Click on it and type “.txt”. The asterisk () is a wildcard that represents any characters. So, “*.txt” will search for all files with the.txt extension.

Refine the Search: You can further refine your search by adding additional keywords or using advanced search operators. For example, if you want to find all.txt files that contain a specific word, you can type “*.txt [word]” in the search bar, replacing [word] with the actual word you’re looking for. You can also use operators like “size:>” to find.txt files larger than a certain size or “date:>” to find files modified after a certain date.

Using the Command Prompt (CMD)

Open the Command Prompt: You can search for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu or press the Windows key + R, type “cmd”, and press Enter.

Navigate to the Desired Directory: Use the “cd” command to change to the directory where you want to search for.txt files. For example, if you want to search in the “Documents” folder, you can type “cd C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents” (replace “YourUsername” with your actual username).

Use the Dir Command: To search for.txt files, you can use the “dir” command with the appropriate parameters. The basic command is “dir /s /b *.txt”. The “/s” parameter tells the command to search in all subdirectories, and the “/b” parameter displays only the file names without additional information. If you want more detailed information about the files, you can omit the “/b” parameter.

Redirect the Output: If you want to save the search results to a file, you can use the redirect operator “>”. For example, “dir /s /b *.txt > results.txt” will save the list of.txt files to a file called “results.txt” in the current directory.

Using Windows Search in the Start Menu

Open the Start Menu: Click the Windows icon in the bottom left corner of the screen or press the Windows key on your keyboard.

Enter the Search Query: In the search bar at the bottom of the Start Menu, type “*.txt”. Windows will start searching for all.txt files on your computer.

Filter and Navigate the Results: The search results will show a list of.txt files. You can click on a file to open it or use the filters on the right side of the search results window to further narrow down the results. For example, you can filter by date modified, file size, or location.

Using Third-Party Search Tools

Agent Ransack: This is a powerful and free file search tool for Windows. It allows you to search for files by name, content, date, and other attributes. You can download and install Agent Ransack from its official website. After installation, open the tool and enter “*.txt” in the search bar. You can then specify the search location and other options to customize the search.

Total Commander: Total Commander is a file manager that also has a built-in search function. It offers advanced search capabilities and allows you to search for files based on various criteria. You can download Total Commander and install it. Once opened, use the search function (usually accessible through a menu or a shortcut key) and enter “*.txt” to search for all.txt files.

Searching for.txt Files on a Network

Search in a Network Folder: If you have access to a network folder and want to search for.txt files in it, first map the network drive if it’s not already mapped. You can do this by going to File Explorer, clicking “This PC”, and then selecting “Map network drive” in the “Computer” section of the ribbon. Follow the prompts to connect to the network drive. Once mapped, you can use the File Explorer search bar or the Command Prompt methods described above to search for.txt files in the network folder.

Search on a Network Server: Some network servers may have their own search tools or interfaces. Check with your network administrator to see if there is a specific way to search for files on the server. In some cases, you may be able to use a web-based interface to access and search for files on the server.

Tips and Tricks

Use Indexing Options: Windows has an indexing service that can speed up file searches. You can access the Indexing Options by going to Control Panel > Indexing Options. Make sure that the locations where your.txt files are stored are included in the indexed locations. If not, you can add them and let Windows index the files. This will make future searches for.txt files much faster.

Create a Search Folder: In File Explorer, you can create a search folder that will automatically display all.txt files (or files that match any other search criteria you set). To create a search folder, right-click in the left pane of File Explorer where the folders are listed, select “New” > “Search Folder”. In the Create Search Folder dialog box, you can enter the search criteria, such as “*.txt”, and choose a location to save the search folder.