-File search: Incorrect match with dot ('.')

[Asperamanca]

In a folder tree, I have of files named
a.cpp
b.cpp
c.cpp
and some files named
a.cpp.a9394
b.cpp.b956

I attempt to find the latter by using file search with the following search term:

*.cpp.*

Expected result:
a.cpp.a9394
b.cpp.b956

Actual result:
a.cpp
b.cpp
c.cpp
a.cpp.a9394
b.cpp.b956

Edit: Also observed in version 7.50a

[MVV]

You can use *.cpp.?* (i.e. with at least one character after last dot) for now, but it is interesting why *.cpp.* selects a.cpp.

[karlchen]

Hello, Asperamanca.

I can reproduce your problem.
In the folder ~/Downloads/tmp some files named a.cpp b.cpp c.cpp a.cpp.a9394 b.cpp.b956 were created, content irrelevant.

Next I went to ~/Downloads and pressed <Alt><F7> in Total Commander 8.5.1ß3 and made it search for "*.cpp.*" (without the double quotes).
It found: a.cpp b.cpp c.cpp a.cpp.a9394 b.cpp.b956

Finally I went to ~/Downloads in Gnome Commander and launched Edit => File Search and made it search for "*.cpp.*" (without the double quotes).
Gnome Commander only found: a.cpp.a9394 b.cpp.b956

Testing environment:
Linux Mint 13 32-bit with Wine 1.4.1
Total Commander 8.51ß3 32-bit

Cheers,
Karl

[Asperamanca]

You can use *.cpp.?* (i.e. with at least one character after last dot) for now, but it is interesting why *.cpp.* selects a.cpp.

Thanks for that workaround. Much appreciated!

[white]

It works as designed. What do you expect to find with *.* ? File names with a dot in it? Or file names with any extension, also empty ones (like doing "dir *.*" on the command prompt)?

To find file names with a dot in it you would use: *.*.*.
Or: *.*.?*

As said, in your case you can use: *.cpp.?*
Or you can use: *.cpp.*.

"filename" and "filename." are considered equivalent. Think of it as there is always an optional imaginary dot at the end of a file name.

[karlchen]

Hi, white.

As the behaviour of Gnome Commander suggests the way how T.C. inteprets "*.cpp.*" is not the only way it might be understood.
To express it clearly: It is not what one would expect.

By the way, Krusader handles the search mask [*.cpp.*] in the same way as Gnome Commander and only returns the filenames
+ a.cpp.a9394
+ b.cpp.b956

In order to avoid being told that Linux file-managers might simply behave differently, let me add: Free Commander 2009.02b agrees with Gnome Commander and Krusader.

Knd regards,
Karl

[MVV]

Actually * means empty extension too, and in such case trailing dot is simply removed from filename.

However I don't think that dot should be removed from mask too, every mask character should be in filename. I would expect to get all files with non-empty extensions on *.*, for all files including ones w/o extensions one may use just * (there should be a difference between * and *.*, and it is here).

[ghisler(Author)]

TC always assumes a dot at the end of a name (because files can have multiple dots now), that's why the above also matches empty extensions.

[white]

In order to avoid being told that Linux file-managers might simply behave differently, let me add: Free Commander 2009.02b agrees with Gnome Commander and Krusader.

Well, Unix does not have the extension model. So *.* is similar as *A* on such systems.

I would expect to get all files with non-empty extensions on *.*, for all files including ones w/o extensions one may use just * (there should be a difference between * and *.*, and it is here).

That would break compatibility big time. I don't think users will like it when after updating TC a lot of things don't work as before anymore.

BTW. If I use Windows XP Find and search for *.*, it also finds files without extension.

[HBB]

As a standart user, I understand the *.cpp.* as the words which should include the word .cpp. completely in it (with/without preceding/following characters). This seems to me more logical.

[white]

As a standart user, I understand the *.cpp.* as the words which should include the word .cpp. completely in it (with/without preceding/following characters). This seems to me more logical.

When I use Windows XP find, it does work like this. When I use dir on the command prompt it does not.

[HBB]

When I use Windows XP find, it does work like this. When I use dir on the command prompt it does not.

Why Microsoft changed the search behavior in GUI may be the answer. Note that DOS is older than windows GUI tools.

[ghisler(Author)]

It's a question of definition, but I prefer to keep it this way - otherwise *.* would only find files with at least one dot in them, as on Linux. But on Windows, everyone expects that *.* finds all files, also those without extension.