dir - Search for files
Searching for files is very useful when working with the command prompt or batch files.
In this article, we will show you how to search for files using the dir command.
Basics of the dir command
The dir command is used to list the files and folders in a directory.
You can find specific files by specifying search conditions or options.
Basic usage in the command prompt
This command lists the files and folders in the current directory.
Basic usage in a batch file
@echo off
setlocal
dir
endlocal
exit
When you run this batch file, the files and folders in the current directory are displayed.
Searching for Files
You can use the dir command to search for specific files and folders by specifying search conditions.
Searching by File Name
This command lists all text files (.txt) in the current directory.
Searching by Folder
This command lists all text files (.txt) in the current directory and all subdirectories.
Options for the dir command
The dir command has several options. Here are some of the main options:
/a: Search by attribute
The /a option allows you to search by file or folder attribute.
For example, to search for hidden files, use the following command:
/b: Simple display
The /b option allows you to display results in a simple format.
This displays only the file or folder names.
/o: Sort options
The /o option allows you to sort search results by specific criteria.
For example, to sort by file name in ascending order, use the following command:
There are several sorting criteria available with the /o option. Here are some of the main ones:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| /o:n | Sort by file name (ascending) |
| /o:-n | Sort by file name (descending) |
| /o:s | Sort by file size (ascending) |
| /o:-s | Sort by file size (descending) |
| /o:d | Sort by date and time (ascending) |
| /o:-d | Sort by date and time (descending) |
Summary
In this article, we showed you how to search for files using the dir command.
The dir command is used to list the files and folders in a directory, and you can find specific files by specifying search conditions or options.
Be sure to take advantage of this command when working with the command prompt or batch files.