parent: ancestor: and partial paths

[jimspoon]

It seems that full paths must be specified with the parent: and ancestor: functions. If a partial path could be specified, really any string in the parent or ancestor pathname, it would save a lot of typing, plus you wouldn't have to know the whole pathname. Of course the results would contain the child and descendant items of different parents/ancestors, but that could be handled by sorting the results list by path.

[therube]

parent: shows only, limits the search to the specified (full path) directory (contents, no subdirectories, no files in any subdirectories [is that a descendant ?), is that correct?

(I have no idea what ancestor: does. Anyhow.)

If you then end up with results that throw children... into the picture, then how is that different from simply specifying parts of a path as (a start of) your search (that you then refine further)?

[void]

Please try the parent-path:, parent-name: or ancestor-name: search functions.

[jimspoon]

Please try the parent-path:, parent-name: or ancestor-name: search functions.

Thanks so much! You are way ahead of me as always. I have a project to go to Everything School but haven't found the time yet.

[jimspoon]

parent: shows only, limits the search to the specified (full path) directory (contents, no subdirectories, no files in any subdirectories [is that a descendant ?), is that correct?

I think Parent: shows the files and first-level directories in that specified directory. You'd have to add file: or folder: to limit the list accordingly.

(I have no idea what ancestor: does. Anyhow.)

I think Ancestor: lists all the files and directories in and under the specified directory.

If you then end up with results that throw children... into the picture, then how is that different from simply specifying parts of a path as (a start of) your search (that you then refine further)?

Good question! I need to think through it through better.