Where
Updated: April 17, 2012
Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Displays the location of files that match the given search pattern.
For examples of how to use this command, see Examples.
Syntax
where [/r <Dir>] [/q] [/f] [/t] [$<ENV>:|<Path>:]<Pattern>[ ...]
Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
/r <Dir> |
Indicates a recursive search, starting with the specified directory. |
/q |
Returns an exit code (0 for success, 1 for failure) without displaying the list of matched files. |
/f |
Displays the results of the where command in quotation marks. |
/t |
Displays the file size and the last modified date and time of each matched file. |
[$<ENV>:|<Path>:]<Pattern>[ ...] |
Specifies the search pattern for the files to match. At least one pattern is required, and the pattern can include wildcard characters (* and ?). By default, where searches the current directory and the paths that are specified in the PATH environment variable. You can specify a different path to search by using the format $ENV:Pattern (where ENV is an existing environment variable containing one or more paths) or by using the format Path:Pattern (where Path is the directory path you want to search). These optional formats should not be used with the /r command-line option. |
/? |
Displays help at the command prompt. |
Remarks
If you do not specify a file name extension, the extensions listed in the PATHEXT environment variable are appended to the pattern by default.
Where can run recursive searches, display file information such as date or size, and accept environment variables in place of paths on local computers.
Examples
To find all files named Test in drive C of the current computer and its subdirectories, type:
where /r c:\ test
To list all files in the Public directory, type:
where $public:*.*
To find all files named Notepad in drive C of the remote computer, Computer1, and its subdirectories, type:
where /r \\computer1\c notepad.*