(OS X High Sierra) How to edit Saved Searches without putting them in the Sidebar?

Dudley Brooks

unread,

Dec 21, 2021, 8:49:02 PM12/21/21

to

I originally kept all my Saved Searches in the Sidebar. But since they
are saved automatically into the Saved Searches folder anyway, I moved
them out of the Sidebar so that the Sidebar would not be so crowded.

But it seems I can only edit them when they're in the Sidebar. In the
Saved Searches folder the only similar option is Get Info, which *shows*
the search criteria, but doesn't let you edit them.

There's also Add to Sidebar, so I can certainly put them back in the
Sidebar and edit them there ... but then the only choices are (1) to
leave the Sidebar crowded, which I would rather not do; or (2) to put a
file into Sidebar, edit it, then move it back out of Sidebar ... which
feels like a bit of a time-waster.

Is there a way to edit Saved Searches when they are only in the Saved
Search folder?

Thanks.

Your Name

unread,

Dec 21, 2021, 11:51:48 PM12/21/21

to

Once you've opend a search / smart folder, you can edit the criteria
using the Action button (the cog icon) in the window's top toolbar -
if it's not there you can add it using the Customise Toolbar options.

Edit a Smart Folder
1. Open the Search / Smart folder you want to edit

2. Click the Action button and then choose Show Search Criteria.

3. Change the search criteria you want to modify.

4. Click Save, using either a new name or reusing the same name.

5. Click the Action button and then choose Hide Search Criteria
(if desired).

Your Name

unread,

Dec 21, 2021, 11:54:04 PM12/21/21

to

Opps, sorry. Step 3 is a mistake. Clicking save automatically reuses
the existing name. If you want t anew name, you'll need to duplicate
the Search Fodler first.

Dudley Brooks

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 12:28:22 AM12/22/21

to

Ah, thanks! My problem was that the Actions cog did *not* give "Show
Search Criteria" ... but that seems to be because I was clicking it
while in the *surrounding* folder ("Saved Searches"), rather than in the
particular Saved Search that I wanted to edit.

BTW, #3 *is* correct for me -- the search criteria *are* what I want to
modify. I had been doing that frequently in the sidebar, and merely did
not know to access that capability in the Saved Searches folder.

Oh! I guess you probably meant #4 is incorrect, right? -- i.e. with
respect to changing the name.

--
Dudley Brooks, Artistic Director
Run For Your Life! ... it's a dance company!
San Francisco

Your Name

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 1:13:41 AM12/22/21

to

I did a quick Googel search for some sort of "saved searches manager /
editor" app, but there doesn't seem to be one, so you're stuck with
using only Finder's features.

> BTW, #3 *is* correct for me -- the search criteria *are* what I want to
> modify. I had been doing that frequently in the sidebar, and merely
> did not know to access that capability in the Saved Searches folder.
>
> Oh! I guess you probably meant #4 is incorrect, right? -- i.e. with
> respect to changing the name.

D'oh! Yep, I meant step 4. :-(
It's been a long hot day and car repair problems ... and still quite a
while before bedtime yet.

Lewis

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 1:14:38 AM12/22/21

to

In message <spu06c$if9$1...@dont-email.me> Dudley Brooks <dbr...@runforyourlife.org> wrote:
> Is there a way to edit Saved Searches when they are only in the Saved
> Search folder?

% bbedit /Users/lewis/Library/Saved\ Searches/PDFs.savedSearch

(or some other editor of your choice, the files are simply xml ASCII
text.)

--
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
"I think so, Brain, but three round meals a day wouldn't be as hard
to swallow."

Dudley Brooks

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 1:40:01 PM12/22/21

to

The Finder method which "Your Name" gives, above, works just fine. I
simply had not previously been able to *find* it, was all.

>> BTW, #3 *is* correct for me -- the search criteria *are* what I want
>> to modify. I had been doing that frequently in the sidebar, and
>> merely did not know to access that capability in the Saved Searches
>> folder.
>>
>> Oh! I guess you probably meant #4 is incorrect, right? -- i.e. with
>> respect to changing the name.
>
> D'oh! Yep, I meant step 4. :-(
> It's been a long hot day and car repair problems ... and still quite a
> while before bedtime yet.

Welcome to the crowd

Dudley Brooks

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 1:47:18 PM12/22/21

to

On 12/21/21 10:14 PM, Lewis wrote:

> In message <spu06c$if9$1...@dont-email.me> Dudley Brooks <dbr...@runforyourlife.org> wrote:
>
>> Is there a way to edit Saved Searches when they are only in the Saved
>> Search folder?
>
> % bbedit /Users/lewis/Library/Saved\ Searches/PDFs.savedSearch
>
> (or some other editor of your choice, the files are simply xml ASCII
> text.)

In another branch of this thread, "Your Name" shows how to do it simply
using the built-in Finder tools. I simply had not previously been
looking in the right place for those tools.

It's great to also be able to edit with a text editor the file which you
mention. Thanks. But the fact that they are XML makes it more tedious
to do. It's easier to let Finder handle it for you.

Lewis

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 3:09:19 PM12/22/21

to

In message <spvrrj$vjr$1...@dont-email.me> Dudley Brooks <dbr...@runforyourlife.org> wrote:
> On 12/21/21 10:14 PM, Lewis wrote:

>> In message <spu06c$if9$1...@dont-email.me> Dudley Brooks <dbr...@runforyourlife.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Is there a way to edit Saved Searches when they are only in the Saved
>>> Search folder?
>>
>> % bbedit /Users/lewis/Library/Saved\ Searches/PDFs.savedSearch
>>
>> (or some other editor of your choice, the files are simply xml ASCII
>> text.)

> In another branch of this thread, "Your Name" shows how to do it simply
> using the built-in Finder tools. I simply had not previously been
> looking in the right place for those tools.

I keep my saved searches in the sidebar, so the alternate method is not
one that I have ever needed to use.

> It's great to also be able to edit with a text editor the file which you
> mention. Thanks. But the fact that they are XML makes it more tedious
> to do. It's easier to let Finder handle it for you.

The real benefit of editing the XML is to get rather complicated search
terms one can use on the command line with mdfind.

(_kMDItemGroupId = 7) && ((kMDItemDisplayName = "mkv*"cdw) ||
(kMDItemDisplayName = "avi*"cdw...

--
"The prize is the more I drink the blurrier you get"

Dudley Brooks

unread,

Dec 22, 2021, 7:53:36 PM12/22/21

to

Ah! Yes, always more things you can do "under the hood". At the
moment, I don't need that. But thanks for the heads-up in case I ever do.