Finder/Spotlight - how to have searched for results sorted by Date Modified?

[The Duke]

Each time after successfully searching for a file using Spotlight/Finder, the results are displayed with the sorting options being 'Name', 'Kind' and 'Last Opened'. I was hoping to be able to sort searched for results by 'Date Modified'. Is this possible? It seems to default sort by 'Last Opened' and I can't change this in 'View => Arrange By'

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[irishgrizzly]

Hello Duke!

I found this thread over in the Apple forums;

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1437435

It says the issue has been reported to Apple (back in '06), but nothing has been fixed yet.

One poster recommends CocoaTech's Path Finder (http://www.cocoatech.com/) which has a sort by modification date in the find window.

 

[The Duke]

Thanks irishgrizzly!

It's disappointing that after performing a finder/spotlight search, the searched for files can only be sorted by, name, kind and last opened.

I saw in the link you posted that the OP 'CSL' submitted a bug report about it to Apple in March 08 and he wrote that in 10.4 you could sort searched results by date modified. To check this I searched out my old PB, which has Tiger, and he's right. For some reason the ability to sort searched results by date modified was removed from Finder in 10.5.
Hopefully it'll return with Snow Leopard.

 

[irishgrizzly]

I downloaded CocoaTech's Path Finder to test. Does the job and has a trial of 30 days.

 

[The Duke]

Just downloaded CocoaTech's Path Finder. I was hoping to like it but unfortunately I'm not a fan. On one occasion it identified some very old files, which I've neither opened or modified in quite a few months, as being modified on 10/05/09! Maybe that was just a one-off glitch but it doesn't fill me with confidence. My main issue with it though is the price tag of $40, it just seems a little too much for what seems like (and I feel should be) a core OS Finder function.

Guess I'll have to wait for Snow Leopard.

 

[sammich]

I downloaded CocoaTech's Path Finder to test. Does the job and has a trial of 30 days.

There is a small 'bug' in PathFinder. Every update resets the 30 day trial. They release point updates pretty often, so I've had the 'trial' for at least 8 months I think.

 

[lopoz]

Try HoudahSpot or EasyFind

Personally, I love HoudahSpot

 

[The Duke]

Thanks Lopoz.

HoudahSpot is sweet! Just tried out a few searches and it performed beautifully.