Limit search to specified Folders or File Types in Visual Studio?
Yes, in the find/replace window you can:
- specify the file types in the "Look at these file types" option
- and choose the folders in the ... button of the "Look in" option.
I can't believe this issue still exists in VS2015. We have a solution explorer folder tree. Why is "Current Selected Folder" not an option in the drop down. The "..." doesn't default to starting in the solution folder, I have to browse across the network to t the share, then drill down through all the folders to get at a folder that is ALREADY right there and selected in the solution explorer. Dreamweaver has had this functionality for its search for at least a decade (maybe longer).
Fastest folder search in VS:
As said in other answers, there is no immediate way to limit your search to a given folder within the current solution. (There are at least 3 feature requests for this in visualstudio.uservoice.com that have all been closed for lack of upvotes.)
But here is the fastest workaround that I could find.
Works without leaving VS and with keystrokes only (no mouse action required):
- In Solution Explorer select the folder to search within.
- Press
Ctrl-C
(copies folder path to clipboard). - Press
Ctrl-Shift-F
to open "Find in Files". - Enter your search term, then press
Tab
to forward the cursor to the "Look in" field. - Press
Ctrl-V
to paste in the folder path from clipboard.
- Click Find in Files
- Choose search folders three dots button "..."
- Choose desired folder
- Verify folder name and click desired action