Finding file

If you have ever used a shell script, you have most likely used pattern matching to locate files. In fact, you have probably used it extensively. If you haven't used it, pattern matching uses special characters to create a pattern and then file names can be compared against that pattern. For example, the following command lists all the files in the current directory that end in. The java. Each file system implementation provides a PathMatcher.

The following code snippet fetches the path matcher for the default file system:. The string argument passed to getPathMatcher specifies the syntax flavor and the pattern to be matched.

This example specifies glob syntax. If you are unfamiliar with glob syntax, see What is a Glob. This article provides basic troubleshooting steps that you can try if you can't find a file or folder in Windows These steps were originally published in the help topic: Find lost files after the update to Windows If you have any feedback about these steps, please leave a comment on this Wiki article.

After updating your PC to Windows 10, you may be having trouble finding your old files. Here are some things to try:. Roaming options are currently unavailable. Note: Be sure to copy anything you worked on since you upgraded to an external drive or it will be deleted when you sign out.

Look for the files using Search. Select the search box on the taskbar and search for your files. In the search box on the taskbar, type indexing and select Indexing Options. Select the Advanced button to view more options, then select the Troubleshoot search and indexing link and follow the steps.

Here are some other things to try:. In the search box, enter Show hidden files and folders. Under Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files, folders, and drives. Then try searching again. Look for all of your files of a certain type. Warning: When you switched to Windows 10, some of your files may have been moved. Check the location of files you find by right-clicking or pressing and holding the file and selecting Open file location. Then copy all of the files there to another location.

Files kept in Windows. In the search box, type Backup and restore. Open Backup and Restore and select Restore my files. Then follow the instructions. Sometimes, you can recover a file by creating a new one with the same name and file type. Re-enable a Windows 7 Administrator account. If this happens to you, don't panic! The file is probably still on your computer, and there are a few simple ways to find it.

In this lesson, we'll show you different techniques you can use to find your files, including searching and looking in common places.

If you're having a difficult time finding a file, there's a good chance you can find it in one of the following places:. Let's say you recently downloaded a few photos that were attached to an email message, but now you're not sure where these files are on your computer.