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Resolved Question

Removal of Search Results Items from Original Folder

Aug 2, 2011 3:07AM PDT

Hello,

I cannot seem to perform a function that I am sure is doable. I have a folder on my computer with over 3,000 files. I performed a search using a key word that rarely appear at the beginning of the file names (that is why I cannot simply select detail view and then sort by name). The search returned 500 results. Now I need to transfer all those files containing that keyword in the file name to a new folder. I can save the search results and paste them to a new folder but then I'm still left with the same files in the original folder. How do I transfer the desired files directly from the original folder. Hope I was clear. Please reply at your earliest.

Thank you.

Discussion is locked

Inquirer18 has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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After Pasting Them To New Folder, Why Not, Delete From Old?
Aug 2, 2011 3:23AM PDT

Right click on the highlighted files listed in Search, choose "Delete".. Make sure to NOT delete those that you've copied and pasted over to the new folder.. (Once you've pasted a copy in the new folder, "Search" should now show both sets of files. Only delete those from the original folder.)

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Removal of Search Results Items from Original Folder
Aug 2, 2011 4:15AM PDT

But how do I select those files in the original folder without manually control-clicking each one, which would take forever?

Thank you

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Control+A
Aug 2, 2011 4:16AM PDT

Why not Select All?

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Yep, "Select All" From The Search Window
Aug 2, 2011 4:19AM PDT

You can then copy, cut, or delete from the same search window list.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Removal of Search Results Items from Original Folder
Aug 2, 2011 5:29AM PDT

Understanding others as well as making myself understood is something I often find challenging. So, please don't be offended. Let me try again. I need to clean up a folder that should never have been created by some coworkers. They either didn't care or didn't realize how, over time, the accumalation of so many diverse files in this folder would render locating files therein a most daunting, if not impossible task. As such, I am attempting to segregate the items in the folder by file name. I imagine that I will have a dozen or so new folders containing exactly what each folder should contain & nothing else, once I'm done. However, manually transfering, one by one will take me forever. So I need a way of telling my computer, "look, you just found all the file names containing the word chocolate. You have displayed copies of those files for me in this search results window - thank you very much! Now take those same files, as they exist in the original mother folder & transfer them to the new folder called chocolate". I will then attempt to do the same for each flavor until the mother folder is empty.

Thank you.

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Same Answer...
Aug 2, 2011 9:21AM PDT

I'm not sure where the problem is here....?

After using the Search utility to find the files you have in mind, click on "Edit" in the upper left (or "Organize" if you happen to be using Windows 7), choose "Select All" to highlight them all, then click on "Edit" again (or "Organize"), choose "Copy", then click on "Edit", choose "Cut".. All the files will now disappear from their original location.

Now navigate to the folder where you want to place those files, RIGHT click directly on the folder of choice, choose "paste". All the files will now be placed in the new folder.

Of course, some folks would rather "paste" first, to be sure the files are fully copied over, then delete the files from their original location afterward, but that's up to you.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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Removal of Search Results Items from Original Folder
Aug 3, 2011 2:19AM PDT

Finally got it! Thank you for not giving up on me! Happy

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Answer
So is this copy and paste versus cut and paste?
Aug 2, 2011 3:24AM PDT

So it sounds like you copied rather than moved.

While I think copy is safer some folk don't want that safety.

Try this next time. Do the search, select all (Control+A) then CUT (Control+X) and finally PASTE (Control+ V).

There are other mouse clicks, menus and key combinations but I'll share the one I use.
Bob