Find Any File: A Comprehensive Search Tool for Your Mac

Are you tired of using Spotlight for your file searching needs? Look no further than Find Any File, a powerful and efficient tool that can help you locate any file on your Mac. In this article, we'll explore the features and benefits of Find Any File and why it's an essential addition to your digital toolkit.

Save Searches to Files

One of the most useful features of Find Any File is its ability to save your searches to files (with a '.faf' extension). This means you can easily recall previous searches and repeat them as needed. However, please note that this feature only works on local disks, not network mounts.

Administrator Password and Root Permissions

If you click the search results button while holding down the Option key (alt), Find Any File will restart with root permissions. This allows you to access files in other users' home directories, something that Spotlight cannot do.

Hierarchical View for Results

When you search for files using Find Any File, you can switch to a hierarchical view by holding down the Option key and clicking the 'Find All' button. This view allows you to browse through your results in a more organized manner, making it easier to find what you're looking for.

Better Results with Alternative Hierarchical View

Find Any File offers an alternative hierarchical view for searching files, which can be accessed by switching between Command-2 and the right little icon at the top of the results window. This feature provides better results when searching for large numbers of files.

Gems That Set Find Any File Apart

What sets Find Any File apart from other search tools is its unique features, such as saving searches to files and restarting with root permissions. These gems make it an essential tool for anyone looking to take their file searching capabilities to the next level.

Tips and Tricks

When using Find Any File, there are a few things to keep in mind. For example, if you want to search just a folder and its contents, don't let FAF search that folder specifically, as this may be slower than searching the entire volume. Additionally, if you're searching network volumes, be aware that this will only be fairly fast if you can mount the server via the AFP protocol.

In conclusion, Find Any File is a powerful and efficient tool that complements Spotlight's capabilities perfectly. With its unique features and ability to search for files in other users' home directories, it's an essential addition to any Mac user's digital toolkit. So why not give it a try? You can be sure that everything available will be found, and you'll never have to worry about missing out on important files again.

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