Searching for Files

Captain's Deck offers multiple ways to find files: quick filter, type-ahead search, and full directory search.

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Quick Filter (/)

The fastest way to narrow down the current directory view:

  1. Press / to activate the filter bar
  2. Type your search term
  3. The view instantly filters to show only matching files
  4. Press Escape to clear the filter

Features:

  • Case-insensitive matching
  • Filters both files and folders
  • Matches anywhere in the filename

Type-Ahead Search

Jump directly to a file by typing its name:

  1. Just start typing (no prefix key needed)
  2. The cursor jumps to the first matching file
  3. Continue typing to refine the match

This doesn't filter the view - it navigates to the match within the full listing.

Full Search (Cmd+F)

Search across directories with the search panel:

  1. Press Cmd+F to open the search panel
  2. Enter your search term
  3. Choose search options:
    • Location: Current directory or custom path
    • Include subdirectories: Recursive search
    • Case sensitive: Match exact case
    • Use wildcards: Enable * and ? patterns
  4. Press Enter or click Search

Search Results

Results appear in a list showing:

  • File name
  • Full path
  • Size and date

Working with Results:

  • Double-click: Navigate to file location
  • Enter: Open the selected file
  • Cmd+C: Copy selected files

Wildcard Patterns

When "Use wildcards" is enabled:

*Matches any characters*.txt matches all text files
?Matches single characterfile?.txt matches file1.txt, fileA.txt

Examples:

  • *.jpg - All JPEG images
  • report_202?.* - Reports from 2020-2029
  • *backup* - Files containing "backup"

Go To Path (Cmd+G)

Jump directly to any location:

  1. Press Cmd+G
  2. Enter or paste the full path
  3. Press Enter

Supports:

  • Absolute paths: /Users/name/Documents
  • Home directory: ~/Downloads
  • Path with spaces (no escaping needed)

Deep Search (Pro)

Pro users get enhanced search capabilities:

  • Content search (find text inside files)
  • Regex pattern matching
  • File type filters
  • Date range filters
  • Size filters

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