Search the current folder within applications

[AdeFowler]

When searching from within an applications Open File dialog box (Cmd-f), the default search location is always 'This Mac'. Is there a way to set this to 'Search the current folder'?

I realise that this option exists in the Finder, but that doesn't seem to have any effect on searches from within applications.

I must do this 100 times a day, opening files and placing images within Indesign. It's driving me crazy.

Thanks for your help

 

[BrianBaughn]

I've yet to find an app that will obey that preference in its open dialog.

The only user preference file I can find that contains "FXDefaultSearchScope" is "com.apple.finder.plist" so there doesn't seem to be any place else to change that.

 

[chabig]

Is there a way to set this to 'Search the current folder'?

I don't understand what you mean by "current folder". All of my open dialogs remember the folder they were last in. It has always been this way. If you're suggesting that the application dialogs should communicate with Finder to discover what folders Finder has open, then no they don't do that. I think it's better that applications always open to their last used folders, as that is where the most recently used documents will probably be.

You probably don't know that you can drag and drop from the Finder to any open dialog and it will to there. So if you want to quickly go to your open Finder window, drag a file or folder from the Finder to the open dialog.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I don't understand what you mean by "current folder". All of my open dialogs remember the folder they were last in. It has always been this way. If you're suggesting that the application dialogs should communicate with Finder to discover what folders Finder has open, then no they don't do that. I think it's better that applications always open to their last used folders, as that is where the most recently used documents will probably be.

You probably don't know that you can drag and drop from the Finder to any open dialog and it will to there. So if you want to quickly go to your open Finder window, drag a file or folder from the Finder to the open dialog.

You didn't understand the question. Using search in the open file dialog window defaults to searching "This Mac" and not the folder that is shown in the dialog window. Changing the pref at Finder>Preferences>Advanced doesn't affect the open dialog window.

 

[chabig]

You didn't understand the question.

Yes. I missed that. Sorry.

 

[AdeFowler]

Thanks everyone for your input. There doesn't seem to be a solution, but at least I know I'm not going mad.

 

[chabig]

OK. I originally answered on my iPad, but now I'm on my Mac running Mojave. When I search, I get two search options at the top of the window, "This Mac" and "[name of current folder]". It's not the default, but it does search where you want.

 

[AdeFowler]

OK. I originally answered on my iPad, but now I'm on my Mac running Mojave. When I search, I get two search options at the top of the window, "This Mac" and "[name of current folder]". It's not the default, but it does search where you want.

Thanks chabig. That’s exactly my issue... I would like the search option to default to [name of current folder]. For example, when I’m updating broken links in Indesign, I don’t want to see every email, song and contact on my computer.

It’s the very definition of a first world problem, but frustrating all the same. For what it’s worth, I’m 100% certain that once upon a time, (perhaps Lion or Tiger), it worked how I want it to.