mdfind(1) BSD General Commands Manual mdfind(1)

NAME
     mmddffiinndd - finds files matching a given query

SYNOPSIS
     mmddffiinndd [-lliivvee] [-ccoouunntt] [-oonnllyyiinn directory] query

DESCRIPTION
     The mmddffiinndd command consults the central metadata store and returns a list
     of files that match the given metadata query. The query can be a string
     or a query expression.

     The following options are available:

     -00          Prints an ASCII NUL character after each result path.  This
                 is useful when used in conjunction with xargs -0.

     -lliivvee       Causes the mdfind command to provide live-updates to the num-
                 ber of files matching the query.  When an update causes the
                 query results to change the number of matches is updated.
                 The find can be cancelled by typing ctrl-C.

     -ccoouunntt      Causes the mdfind command to output the total number of
                 matches, instead of the path to the matching items.

     -oonnllyyiinn dir
                 Limit the scope of the search to the directory specified.

     -lliitteerraall    Force the provided query string to be taken as a literal
                 query string, without interpretation.

     -iinntteerrpprreett  Force the provided query string to be interpreted as if the
                 user had typed the string into the Spotlight menu.  For exam-
                 ple, the string "search" would produce the following query
                 string:
                       (* = search* cdw || kMDItemTextContent = search* cdw)

EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS
     The following examples are shown as given to the shell.

     This returns all files with any metadata attribute value matching the
     string "image":

           mdfind image

     This returns all files that contain "MyFavoriteAuthor" in the kMDItemAu-
     thor metadata attribute:

           mdfind "kMDItemAuthor == '*MyFavoriteAuthor*'"

     This returns all files with any metadata attribute value matching the
     string "skateboard".  The find continues to run after gathering the ini-
     tial results, providing a count of the number of files that match the
     query.

           mdfind -live skateboard

     To get a list of the available attributes for use in constructing
     queries, see mdimport(1), particularly the -XX switch.

SEE ALSO
     mdimport(1), mdls(1), mdutil(1), xargs(1)

Mac OS X                         June 10, 2004                        Mac OS X