How to Use FileLocater.net

1. Browser Compatibility Check

Before you begin, ensure you're using a compatible browser:

• ✅ Google Chrome (version 86+)
• ✅ Microsoft Edge (version 86+)
• ✅ Opera (version 72+)
• ❌ Firefox (not yet supported)
• ❌ Safari (not yet supported)

2. Launching the Application

1. Navigate to FileLocater.net/app.html
2. The application loads directly in your browser
3. No installation or downloads required!

3. Granting Folder Access

For security, your browser requires permission to access folders:

1. Click the "Select Folder" button in the sidebar
2. A file picker dialog will appear
3. Navigate to the folder you want to search
4. Click "Select" to grant access
5. The folder will appear in your selected folders list

Simple Filename Search

The easiest way to find files:

1. Type part of the filename in the search box
2. Press Enter or click "Search"
3. View results in the table below

Using Wildcards

Use wildcards for flexible pattern matching:

• * - Matches any number of characters
• ? - Matches exactly one character

Case Sensitivity

By default, searches are case-insensitive. To enable case-sensitive search:

1. Check the "Case Sensitive" option in the sidebar
2. Now "Report" and "report" will be treated differently

Regular Expressions

For power users, regex provides ultimate flexibility:

1. Select "Regular Expression" from the Search Mode dropdown
2. Enter your regex pattern
3. Click Search

Boolean Operators

Combine search terms with logical operators:

• AND: Both terms must be present
• OR: Either term can be present
• NOT: Exclude files with this term

Content Search

Search inside file contents, not just names:

1. Check "Search Inside Files" in the sidebar
2. Enter your search term
3. FileLocater will scan file contents

File Type Filters

Narrow results by file type:

• Documents: PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, RTF
• Images: JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG, BMP
• Media: MP3, MP4, AVI, MOV
• Code: JS, PY, HTML, CSS, JSON
• Custom: Define your own extensions

Date Filters

Find files based on when they were modified or created:

1. Select "Modified Date" or "Created Date"
2. Choose a time range:
   • Today
   • This Week
   • This Month
   • This Year
   • Custom Range (specify exact dates)

Size Filters

Filter by file size:

1. Set minimum size (optional)
2. Set maximum size (optional)
3. Choose unit: B, KB, MB, or GB

Sorting Results

Click column headers to sort:

• Name (alphabetical)
• Path (alphabetical)
• Size (smallest to largest)
• Modified (newest to oldest)
• Type (by extension)

Click again to reverse sort order.

Previewing Files

View file contents without opening them:

1. Click on a file in the results
2. Preview appears in the right panel
3. Supported: Text, images, PDFs, and more

Context Menu Actions

Right-click on any result for quick actions:

• Open File
• Open File Location
• Copy File Name
• Copy Full Path
• Preview File
• View Properties

Exporting Results

Save your search results:

1. Click "Export" button above results
2. Choose format:
   • CSV: Open in Excel or Google Sheets
   • JSON: For developers and automation
   • TXT: Simple list of file paths
3. Select all results or only selected items
4. Click "Export" to download

Keyboard Shortcuts

Performance Optimization

• Be specific: More specific searches are faster
• Use filters: Reduce the search scope
• Limit folders: Search specific folders instead of entire drives
• Disable content search: If you only need filename matches
• Close other tabs: Free up browser resources

Saving Searches

Save frequently used searches:

1. Set up your search criteria and filters
2. Click "Save Current Search" in the sidebar
3. Give your search a name
4. Access saved searches anytime from the sidebar