FlexTk provides powerful and flexible file search capabilities allowing one to search files using multiple
search criteria including the file name, file type, file size, access/modification/creation times, text or
binary patterns, JPEG EXIF tags, etc. The user is provided with the ability to define composite search queries using multiple
search rules and apply the AND/OR logical operators. Frequently used search operations may be saved as
user-defined search commands and executed in a single mouse click. FlexTk allows one to perform numerous operations
with search results including open/execute, copy, move or delete. In addition, the user is provided with the
ability to export search results into a number of standard formats such as HTML, Excel CSV and ASCII text.
Finally, FlexTk Professional and FlexTk Ultimate provide advanced computer users and IT professionals with a
command line tool
capable of executing advanced search queries and user-defined file search commands defined in an open
XML-Based format.
To start a search operation, select one or more disks, directories or files and press the 'Search' button
located on the main toolbar. In the simplest case, enter all or a part of the file name on the search dialog
and press the 'Search' button. FlexTk will find all the files matching the entered file name pattern and located
in the selected disks or directories.
Press the 'Advanced Options' button to see more search options. The advanced search dialog allows one to
add multiple search rules and apply the AND/OR logical operators. To add an advanced search rule press the
'Add' button. FlexTk will display the search rules dialog and the user will be provided with the ability
to select the search rule type and enter required search parameters.
One of the most powerful and unique FlexTk's search capabilities is the integration with the FlexTk's file
classification engine. FlexTk search allows one to find files that are categorized to a specific file category.
The user may select a file class or class group from one of the installed file classification plug-ins.
This feature is especially useful when someone needs to match a broader group of files.
For example, if someone needs to find all documents that were modified today, it is very simply done by
creating a search query with the following two search rules: the first one that matches files
categorized as 'Documents' and the second one that matches files that were modified today.
Different types of documents have different extensions and not everyone knows what extensions
are associated with specific document types. Using category-based search significantly simplifies
the task and allows anyone to easily search files using very flexible search queries.
FlexTk provides two sets of file matching rules (absolute rules and relative rules) allowing one to search files or perform
file management operations on files that were created, last modified or last accessed on specific dates. The essential
difference between the two sets of date matching rules is that the first set is matching files using absolute dates or date
ranges while the second set is using relative time periods.
Relative date matching rules are required in order to deliver consistent results when there is a need to search files or perform
file management operations continuously over time with the constantly changing current date. For example, a relative file matching
rule configured to match all files that were modified during the last week or during the last 3 months will deliver correct results
today, tomorrow, next month and there will be no need to continuously correct time periods as the time passes on. On the second hand,
absolute date matching rules provide the user with the ability to search files or perform file management operations on files that
were created, last modified or last accessed on a specific date or during a range of dates.
FlexTk provides JPEG EXIF file matching rules allowing one to search JPEG images or perform file management operations on JPEG images
with designated EXIF tags set to specific values. In addition, FlexTk Ultimate allows one to define custom EXIF tags and search JPEG
images or perform file management operations on JPEG images with user-custom EXIF tags.
The FlexTk's file search engine provides a large number of search rule types allowing one to create very
focused and sophisticated search queries. There are rules for finding files by the file name, file category,
file size, creation time, last access time, last modification time, text patterns and binary patterns inside
the file. The user is provided with the ability to add an unlimited number of search rules into a single search query.
Sometimes, it may be necessary to search files according to multiple criteria with nested logical operations.
For example, it may be required to find all documents and image files that were modified during the last month.
In this case, we need to define a composite rules list where the top level list will contain a rule matching
files that were modified during the last month and a nested rules list containing rules matching documents
and image files. In order to match all the specified file categories, the nested rule list should be set to
the logic 'OR', while the top level rule list should be set to the logic 'AND'.
In order to add a nested rule list to a search operation, press the right mouse button over the rule list and
select the 'Add Rule List' menu item. The nested rule list dialog provides exactly the same features as the regular
search rule list and allows one to construct a hierarchy of multi-level search rules with an unlimited depth and
complexity. In order to edit a nested rule list, just double-click on a rule list item in the rules view. In order
to delete a nested rule list, select the list item in the rules view and press the 'Delete' button.
The search results dialog displays the current search status, the number of files that have been found and
the list of search results. The user is provided with the ability to perform various operations with the
results including open/execute, copy, move or delete. To open or execute a file just double click on the
file in the search results view. Select one or more files and press an appropriate button to copy, move or
delete search results. In addition, FlexTk allows one to export search results into a number
of standard formats such as HTML, Excel CSV or text.
Frequently used file search operations may be customized for user-specific needs, pre-configured as
user-defined commands and executed in a single mouse click using FlexTk's main GUI application or direct
desktop shortcuts. In addition, FlexTk Professional and FlexTk Ultimate provide a command line tool allowing
one to execute user-defined file search commands from batch files and shell scripts or schedule
periodic file search operations using a general purpose command scheduler. For more details about
user-defined commands refer to the User-Defined Commands page.
