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

NAME
     mdfind -- finds files matching a given query

SYNOPSIS
     mdfind [-live] [-count] [-onlyin directory] query

DESCRIPTION
     The mdfind 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:

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

     -live       Causes the mdfind command to provide live-updates to the number 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.

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

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

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

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

EXAMPLES
     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 kMDItemAuthor 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 initial 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 -X switch.

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

Mac OS X                         June 10, 2004                        Mac OS X