Working with Search Results

Whether you search for items with a Finder window's search field (Figure 1), the Find command and New Search window (Figure 4), smart folders (Figure 12), or Spotlight (Figure 19), you will eventually wind up with a list of found items. Figures 2, 11, 16, and 21 show examples. Here's what you can do with these lists.

Tip

• In addition to the tasks listed here, you can also use available Finder menu commands on any selected item in a list of found items.

To open a found item

In the list of found items, double-click the item you want to open.

To see where an item resides on disk

In the list of found items, select the item. Its location on disk appears at the bottom of the window (Figure 22).

Figure 22. The path to an item appears in the bottom a Finder search results window when the item is selected in the list.

Tip

• This does not work with a Spotlight window of found items.

To open the folder in which an item resides

1.	In the list of found items, select the item for which you want to open the enclosing folder (Figure 22).
2.	Choose File > Open Enclosing Folder (Figure 23) or press Figure 23. You can use options on the Finder's File menu to work with any selected item. The folder in which the item resides opens.

To get more information about an item

Click the tiny "i" button to the far right of the item you want more information about. The line for that item expands to show additional information (Figures 24 and 25).

Figure 24. Information about an item, including a preview, in a Finder's search results window.

Figure 25. You can also display information about an item in Spotlight's search results window.

Tips

• To collapse the line for the item, click the triangle button to the far right of the item's name.

• You can also use the File menu's Get Info command (Figure 23) or the More info button in a Finder search results window (Figure 24) to display the Info window for any item in a list. I tell you about the Info window in Chapter 4.

To change the way items are listed in a Spotlight window

Click options on the far right side of the Spotlight window (Figure 21):

• Group by determines how search results are grouped.

• Sort Within Group by determines how search results are sorted within each group.

• When narrows down the search results by modification date.

• Where narrows down the search results by item location.