mdfind

mdfind(1)                    General Commands Manual                   mdfind(1)

NAME
     mdfind – finds files matching a given query

SYNOPSIS
     mdfind [-live] [-count] [-onlyin directory] [-name fileName] query

DESCRIPTION
     The mdfind command consults the central metadata store and returns a list
     of files that match the given metadata query. The query can be a string or
     a query expression.

     The following options are available:

     -0          Prints an ASCII NUL character after each result path.  This is
                 useful when used in conjunction with xargs -0.

     -live       Causes the mdfind command to provide live-updates to the number
                 of files matching the query.  When an update causes the query
                 results to change the number of matches is updated.  The find
                 can be cancelled by typing ctrl-C.

     -count      Causes the mdfind command to output the total number of
                 matches, instead of the path to the matching items.

     -onlyin dir
                 Limit the scope of the search to the directory specified.

     -name fileName
                 Searches for matching file names only.

     -literal    Force the provided query string to be taken as a literal query
                 string, without interpretation.

     -interpret  Force the provided query string to be interpreted as if the
                 user had typed the string into the Spotlight menu.  For
                 example, the string "search" would produce the following query
                 string:
                       (* = search* cdw || kMDItemTextContent = search* cdw)

EXAMPLES
     The following examples are shown as given to the shell.

     This returns all files with any metadata attribute value matching the
     string "image":

           mdfind image

     This returns all files that contain "MyFavoriteAuthor" in the kMDItemAuthor
     metadata attribute:

           mdfind "kMDItemAuthors == '*MyFavoriteAuthor*'"

     This returns all files with any metadata attribute value matching the
     string "skateboard".  The find continues to run after gathering the initial
     results, providing a count of the number of files that match the query.

           mdfind -live skateboard

     To get a list of the available attributes for use in constructing queries,
     see mdimport(1), particularly the -X switch.

SEE ALSO
     mdimport(1), mdls(1), mdutil(1), xargs(1)

Mac OS X                          June 10, 2004                         Mac OS X