findstr ms-dos command won't search sub directories

Question

I had to switch off my windows search indexing in Windows 7 as the old hard disk was constantly making noise with indexing switched on!

Now I want to use Windows command prompt to search for a specific text term within all files located within the current directory and sub directories

How do I use the Windiows command findstr to search subdirectories?

Currently, when I open a command prompt and change directory to C:\Users\Damien\Documents\Research\2012July and run the command findstr "thesis" *.tex /S, I get the following error :

FINDSTR: Cannot open /s

This command will search the current directory if I remove /S, but I want to be able to search for text within subfolders also.

Posting as comment, since I know this isn't the answer you want, but: install Cygwin (www.cygwin.org) and you'll have a full set of consistent, functional, well-documented command-line tools that always just work. The UNIX `find` command is infinitely more flexible and powerful -- and of course can do what you want here. — Ernest Friedman-Hill, Feb 01 '12 at 14:04

score 29 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 08 '16 at 10:42

29

You need to put /S at the beginning, i.e.:

findstr /S "thesis" *.tex

From the built in help:

C:\>findstr /?
Searches for strings in files.

FINDSTR [/B] [/E] [/L] [/R] [/S] [/I] [/X] [/V] [/N] [/M] [/O] [/P] [/F:file]
        [/C:string] [/G:file] [/D:dir list] [/A:color attributes] [/OFF[LINE]]
        strings [[drive:][path]filename[ ...]]

Your modifiers/switches, whatever they are called, need to come before your pattern/string

edited Jun 08 '16 at 10:42

StackzOfZtuff

2,534
1
28
25

answered Feb 01 '12 at 14:07

jon

5,986
5
28
35

@Jon How would I structure the syntax if I also want to indicate the path (i.e. findstr /S "some_string" *.txt PATH?) where and how would I indicate the path for the folder with the sub-folders I want to search. Thank you – IberoMedia Oct 16 '13 at 06:14

score 8 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 08 '16 at 11:06

8

You have your arguments in the wrong order, try this:

findstr /S "thesis" *.tex

edited Jun 08 '16 at 11:06

StackzOfZtuff

2,534
1
28
25

answered Feb 01 '12 at 14:07

PowerApp101

1,798
1
18
25

findstr ms-dos command won't search sub directories

2 Answers2

Linked