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Implementing Boolean Operators in Searches.

Implementing Boolean Operators in Searches.

Petercard
Helpful | Level 6

Is there any way to use Boolean operators when using the search function in DropBox ?

When I used the search I usually get too many hits, so a simple way of narrowing down the results would be very beneficial.

Latest Update
Walter
Dropbox Staff
This idea has been delivered! 
 
You can find out more about using boolean operators in your searches here.
 
Thank you for your support!
Status changed to: Delivered
67 Comments
Walter
Dropbox Staff

Thank you for your idea, while we can’t take every idea forward we do regularly re-review and will update you if anything changes!

Status changed to: Not for right now
willsacks
Helpful | Level 5

I've been using Dropbox since the beginning. When you guys removed Advanced Search in 2015 it became impossible for me to find many of the files I needed through the web interface because the search returns every file with an extension name for example searching 01.pdf returns every file with 01 or pdf in the filename. This was not a huge problem for me because I had my entire dropbox syced to my mac so I would just use an "exact phrase" search on my mac to find the files I was after. 

 

However, since that time my dropbox has grown and no longer fits on my mac hard drive, so I've unsynced large components of my music library (I run a music studio). Now the lack of an Advanced Search is a major problem. And in fact the current search on Dropbox has a major bug that needs to be fixed. 

 

Just this morning I searched for a file called "3-Audio" and instead of returning the file I'm looking for, the search returned hundreds of files with "3" and "Audio" in the title. The search is broken and needs to be fixed. 

 

What makes this extra frustrating is that: 

 

1. This functionality was previously present but was removed in 2015, and 

2. The current search feature does not work when typing in the exact file name, and 

3. Dropbox seems to be ignoring this issue even though many people are complaining about it

 

Please folks, the search functionality is one of the core features of Dropbox, it should a) work and return the correct file when the filename is entered, and b) provide options for exact phrase search. 

 

I don't understand how this isn't top priority since the functionality, which many people no doubt relied on, was removed previously 

HELP_ME_please
Explorer | Level 4

This is the problem.  I have 10's of  thousands of office and PDF documents.  In windows there are many options for searching in the document as well as  including Date and file type etc.

 

I would like to search my dropbox  files on the web and would like  advanced options for searching.

1.             use Boolean operators in the search

 

3.            Use  search terms? Date:  file type , 

 

The reason this has come up is that I have recently  moved from using indexing in windows to all my files being on the web only.

 

It would be a great improvement to dropbox to have an advanced search within document capability

 

grooveisland
New member | Level 2

I would very much like to see this functionality become a reality. I am regularly searching for batches of files and it takes forever to do one at a time. It would save me a huge amount of time to copy/paste my files, add the word "AND" between each file, and let dropbox pull up all the files I need at once. Please do this!

Robert C.93
Helpful | Level 5

Dear Dropbox, please explain why BOOLEAN SEARCHES are so technically difficult to support. 
Perhaps there could be a single folder that would have this capability for given user so that searches could be made by adding (copying?) files to be searched temporarily into this special folder for the search. 
the user could empty the folder prior to doing a subsequent Boolean search. 

Boolean searching should have high priority for feature development, even if launched in such a limited way. 

Hope Dropbox staff will respond.

thank you, Robert Cohen

wilson_energy
Helpful | Level 5

I'm totally in agreement with those who are expressing frustration that this isn't available. Here's my perspective, which isn't really that different from others.
a) Can't do a desktop search using Windows OS on a large group of files because of smart sync. The content isn't on my computer.

b) The Dropbox desktop app worked pretty well - it was offered when we joined Dropbox about 2 yrs ago but now it has been removed.

c) typing in the search bar just doesn't work when you need to find a document with a particular number (e.g., "AT-423") which returns documents with the word "at" in them, or a particular phrase that includes commonly used words.
d) would be super helpful to be able to exclude documents that meet specific criteria as well.

I'm with those who think Dropbox is just worried about the CPU time and isn't trying to deliver the best possible product.

honkycats
Explorer | Level 3

I have my files organized by date (2022-01-01).  When I search for a date I get results for everything containing 2022, or 01.  I need a search that only gives me the exact phrase or date I'm searching for.  Help!

 

lwoo
New member | Level 2

Huge issue for me too. I need to search for all documents among thousands that contain the word "boarding". At most there will be many 30, but they span about 15 years of organizational history so impossible to look for manually.

 

I type in "boarding" into Dropbox.com, and it shows me EVERY document with the word BOARD in it. Not even "boarding"! It's one thing if I were searching for just "board", and of course "boarding" would come up in the search result. But the other way around makes no sense at all. 

 

Oh and guess what I have hundreds of files about (if not more) in this organizational collection of documents? That's right, every single mention of our Board of Directors. So every memo, agenda, budget, spreadsheet, etc. So I basically can't search for "boarding", which is a common term in my industry. 

FrankGaz
Helpful | Level 6

Dropbox' "full text search" is useless without advanced search features: exact phrases, logical operators, etc.. Sure, you can search the full text of documents. But searching for "Add advanced search features" will result in every document that contains "add" and "advanced" and "search" and "features." What is the point of a "full text search" if in order to find the file you need you have to:

(A) Search for what you want

(B) Individually open every file (most of which are not relevant). 

(C) Read/scan every file to see if it's the one you want. 

 

You would be better off downloading your entire archive and searching it in within your OS or uploading it to a service with useful search features like Google Drive. 

 

Dropbox promotes their "full text search" but it's a dishonest bait and switch. They use their "Full text search" to promote services while knowing that it isn't useful. They know the subtext of "We have full text search" is "You can find the files you need!"  and they know it doesn't help you find anything. That is dishonest. What's worse is it's especially not useful for people that would be the most interested in "full text search" functionality: people with lots of documents. What's even worse than that is Dropbox used to have advanced search features and removed them.

 

It might be time to switch a company that at least has the functionality that they advertise. I expect a big corporation to lie to me, but not in such an obvious "ha ha we tricked you, tough crap" kind of way. 

FrankGaz
Helpful | Level 6

Dropbox' "full text search" is useless without advanced search features: exact phrases, logical operators, etc.. Sure, you can search the full text of documents. But searching for "Add advanced search features" will result in every document that contains "add" and "advanced" and "search" and "features." What is the point of a "full text search" if in order to find the file you need you have to:

(A) Search for what you want

(B) Individually open every file (most of which are not relevant). 

(C) Read/scan every file to see if it's the one you want. 

 

You would be better off downloading your entire archive and searching it in within your OS or uploading it to a service with useful search features.

 

Dropbox promotes their "full text search" but it's a dishonest bait and switch. They use their "Full text search" to promote services while knowing that it isn't useful. They know the subtext of "We have full text search" is "You can find the files you need!"  and they know it doesn't help you find anything. That is dishonest. What's worse is it's especially not useful for people that would be the most interested in "full text search" functionality: people with lots of documents. What's even worse than that is Dropbox used to have advanced search features and removed them.

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