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I just want to navigate to a root folder, specify the text string to find, specify the file types to search in, and see the results!! Sounds so simple and it used to be!!! But, I am giving up with trying to figure out how to do such a simple friggin operation!! Can someone please enlighten me??

So.. I would have included the version information the first time if it had seemed comprehensible to me.

Version: 1.58.2 (user setup)
Commit: c3f126316369cd610563c75b1b1725e0679adfb3
Date: 2021-07-14T22:10:15.214Z
Electron: 12.0.13
Chrome: 89.0.4389.128
Node.js: 14.16.0
V8: 8.9.255.25-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.19042

What I am trying is selecting the menu command, Edit-> Find in Files. A search pane is shown where it seems like the first field would be the text to search for - of course it doesn't say that and given how screwed up they have made this, maybe not?? The second field is "files to include" and the third field is "files to exclude". As for what is happening? I want to navigate to a folder on my C drive as my root folder and then search that folder and all sub-folders on . for the occurrence of a single string. I can fill in the first field but no ideas on how to work through any others. Thanks..

lejlun
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Ken Riley
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  • Please edit your question and add: 1) version of Visual Studio, 2) steps you're taking to try to search / find, 3) the results you're getting and 4) the results you expect to get – devlin carnate Aug 10 '21 at 21:24
  • have you use the search in the activity bar – rioV8 Aug 10 '21 at 22:25
  • So, that version number makes me think you're using Visual Studio Code, which is [not the same thing as Visual Studio](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30527522/what-are-the-differences-between-visual-studio-code-and-visual-studio/33798601). Here is the [documentation](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/editor/codebasics#_advanced-search-options) for how that "Find in Files" works in VS Code. If this doesn't offer the search capabilities you're looking for, perhaps consider another tool, like Notepad++ ? – devlin carnate Aug 10 '21 at 22:31
  • I had gone through that help already and I guess the real distinction is in the word, workspace. Just seemed like they would not so completely change the nomenclature of such a standard, seemingly obvious function without changing the designation at least in SOME way. Anyways.. I am downloading Visual Studio now because that function just seems so basic and obvious - something I used not only for my development work. We'll see.. I'll comment back with results. Thanks for your info and time. – Ken Riley Aug 11 '21 at 00:57
  • The first field is where the `Search` term goes - it has placeholder text of `Search`. If you are searching in the root folder, you can just put your file types in the `files to include` input, like `*.{js,ts,cpp}` or individually like `*.js, *.ts, *.cpp`. The second field is where the replacement text goes - it has placeholder text of `Replace`. That `Replace` field will be closed if you chose `Find in Files` instead of `Replace in Files`. If so, click the twistie, dropdown on the left of the `Find` input box. – Mark Aug 11 '21 at 01:41
  • Well.. I am only trying to find in files as opposed to any type of search and replace. The 3rd field is labeled as "files to exclude".. And.. The real problem is just not having a way to specify directory structure to search. Nothing.. Nowhere.. Nothing.. As I mentioned above, to label this function as find in files and have it be so different from the find in files feature from previous "worlds" just seems bewildering to me and like they are shooting themselves in the foot. – Ken Riley Aug 11 '21 at 02:36
  • Now I have downloaded Visual Studio and found what I was looking for.. Thanks for the help. I still think it is screwy that they would have a command with the same name that apparently is so completely not the same command in the 2 different studios. But.. Whatever.. I'm moving again.. Thanks again.. – Ken Riley Aug 12 '21 at 00:53

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