"All my files" gone, how to tune recents?

[Irrabagon]

Hello everyone.
I have annoying problem in mac os high Sierra.
In finder i have "Recents" instead of "All my files".
The problem is - here s new logic, recents show only files, that was opened, not added, like before in "all my files". That way is completely unusable for me
Is there any option to tune that new feature?
Thank you for answers.

 

[Alrescha]

While looking at a folder you can hit Command-J to bring up its view options.
(you might not want to change Recents, but you can set Finder to open up what you want when you ask for a new window)

A.

 

[Ritsuka]

You can make your own smart folder with the settings you want.

 

[Irrabagon]

You can make your own smart folder with the settings you want.

Can you please give me example how to tune that smart folder?
I tuned it like this

and have some files i don't need to see - suggested contacts, some file named "SC info.sidb". How can i make smart folder without that trash?
[doublepost=1506535506][/doublepost]

While looking at a folder you can hit Command-J to bring up its view options.
(you might not want to change Recents, but you can set Finder to open up what you want when you ask for a new window)

A.

I can't set smart folder as default location for new window in finder.

 

[nxmelvyn]

Can you please give me example how to tune that smart folder?
I tuned it like this
View attachment 721651
and have some files i don't need to see - suggested contacts, some file named "SC info.sidb". How can i make smart folder without that trash?
[doublepost=1506535506][/doublepost]
I can't set smart folder as default location for new window in finder.
View attachment 721652

i have the same problem. tried asking support from apple but i was transferred 4 times. now im searching how to downgrade to sierra because of this.

 

[BrianCowan]

I tried Apple Support. Pathetic! They made it seem it was a fault on my computer. Sent me on a wild goose chase to see if the "feature" happens with a guest login.

I'm really surprised that the absence of "All My Files" was not noticed in any of the reviews of High Sierra (that I have seen).

Can probably use Spotlight or Siri - but I would like to do it the old fashioned way.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Can you please give me example how to tune that smart folder?
I tuned it like this
View attachment 721651
and have some files i don't need to see - suggested contacts, some file named "SC info.sidb". How can i make smart folder without that trash?
[doublepost=1506535506][/doublepost]
I can't set smart folder as default location for new window in finder.
View attachment 721652

This may be of help to you.

 

[Honza1]

Short instructions how to create Smart folder:
In Finder go to "File" and select "New Smart folder", you get Finder with search options.
Select Search "This Mac". Click + on right hand side and
select Kind is Document. Then option Click the right hand button (it now displays ...) and
you get more conditions, Keep "Any"
Change "Contents" to "Last Opened date" and set value to something you like (30 days?)
Click + and add last modified date and set to sensible value, + again..
Select Other and search for Date added, set to sensible value, +... you get the idea now.
Save as Smart Folder and it should do what you wanted... Can be tweaked quite extensively.

 

[jpn]

only "Recents" also showing.
but my question is when did this change make its appearance?
was it with High Sierra?
i wonder if it has to do with the way that apple is pushing users of iCloud to also turn on Optimization which deletes local copies of files that apple thinks you dont need local copies of because you haven't used them in a while.

 

[Infante7]

Can you please give me example how to tune that smart folder?
I tuned it like this
View attachment 721651
and have some files i don't need to see - suggested contacts, some file named "SC info.sidb". How can i make smart folder without that trash?
[doublepost=1506535506][/doublepost]
I can't set smart folder as default location for new window in finder.
View attachment 721652

So, regarding the part you said "I can't set smart folder as default location for new window in finder.", you just need to head to Finder > Finder Preferences > General > New Finder windows show: *select your folder*.

Hope to have helped.

 

[wilzt]

Hello everyone.
I have annoying problem in mac os high Sierra.
In finder i have "Recents" instead of "All my files".
The problem is - here s new logic, recents show only files, that was opened, not added, like before in "all my files". That way is completely unusable for me
Is there any option to tune that new feature?
Thank you for answers.

Hey,

I had the same problem when I had High Sierra installed on my MacBook, hence I also hesitated updating the iMac.

After some fiddling, it's pretty easy to tune it so it shows more files very similar to All My Files previously.

If you click on the new Recents tab on the sidebar, click on the actions icon->Search Criteria

For me, i removed the Raw Query that is default for Recents, and changed mine to:

- Last modified is within 999 years, then click the plus to add another criteria and add:
- Kind is Document

Make sure you click SAVE and it'll prompt you to name the search criteria and it shoul have automatically have ADD to Sidebar ticked, then I just move it to the top of Favourites and it's all good!

That should show all my files like before as far as I know. Tested by saving a pdf file without opening it, and yup, its there!!

Good luck and hope this works for you too

 

[purrydaze]

Hello everyone.
I have annoying problem in mac os high Sierra.
In finder i have "Recents" instead of "All my files".
The problem is - here s new logic, recents show only files, that was opened, not added, like before in "all my files". That way is completely unusable for me
Is there any option to tune that new feature?
Thank you for answers.

Has anyone been able to fix this? I just updated to High Sierra, and all the files I had before I upgraded are gone. Yes I did do a backup first, to my Click free external disk. When I try to re-install them, I get a window saying the folder is not available. What happened here? I want my "all my files" back! I've tried all the "fixes" suggested here in this thread, with no luck...and I'm new to this page and can't find a place to post a new comment! Please help an old lady!!

 

[TimBih]

Hello everyone.
I have annoying problem in mac os high Sierra.
In finder i have "Recents" instead of "All my files".
The problem is - here s new logic, recents show only files, that was opened, not added, like before in "all my files". That way is completely unusable for me
Is there any option to tune that new feature?
Thank you for answers.

I came up with a possible solution. I click on "Recents". In the toolbar I click the Action Tool. It displays a menu and I chose Show Search Criteria.
The criteria shows Raw Query and and in a text entry box (kMDItemLastUsedDate = "*") && . I did a Google search for kMDItemLastUsedDate = "*" and found this link kMDItemLastUsedDate - Core Services | Apple Developer ...

I logged on and again searched for the kMD Item and found additional information. But to make a long story short,

I found this kMD item (kMDItemFSName= "*.*").
So in Find choose File New Smart Folder.
In the Search: Choose This Mac
On the Right side next to Save click + This will bring up the Search Criteria.
On the Left click Kind. In the drop down choose Other... this will open Select a search attribute:
In the SearchBox enter Raw
Click Raw query
Now in the Text Input Box enter the complete bold text (kMDItemFSName= "*.*")
In Finder View menu Select Show Status Bar
The status bar on My Mac displays 280,128 items.
If this search displays what you want then Click the Save Button on the right side to enter a name for your new search.

Note: You can further enhance your search options by clicking the + on the right which will bring up additional Search Criteria.

I hope this works for you, Have fun.

Tim.

 

[mooreth]

Hello everyone.
I have annoying problem in mac os high Sierra.
In finder i have "Recents" instead of "All my files".
The problem is - here s new logic, recents show only files, that was opened, not added, like before in "all my files". That way is completely unusable for me
Is there any option to tune that new feature?
Thank you for answers.

I had just yesterday downloaded High Sierra and encountered the same problem. Did you ever find the solution? I sure would like to know what it is. Command+J adjustments did nothing for me, and I can't make heads or tails out of the "smart folder" advice of the others. In fact, the problem was the very first thing I noticed after loading High Sierra. I can't believe that it survived beta without the developers immediately noticing this problem.

 

[Irrabagon]

Hello. There is no solution atm as far as i know. Sad (

I had just yesterday downloaded High Sierra and encountered the same problem. Did you ever find the solution? I sure would like to know what it is. Command+J adjustments did nothing for me, and I can't make heads or tails out of the "smart folder" advice of the others. In fact, the problem was the very first thing I noticed after loading High Sierra. I can't believe that it survived beta without the developers immediately noticing this problem.

[doublepost=1510753958][/doublepost]

So, regarding the part you said "I can't set smart folder as default location for new window in finder.", you just need to head to Finder > Finder Preferences > General > New Finder windows show: *select your folder*.

Hope to have helped.

As you can see - choose button is disabled, when i trying to choose my smart folder as default.

 

[mooreth]

Hello. There is no solution atm as far as i know. Sad (


[doublepost=1510753958][/doublepost]

As you can see - choose button is disabled, when i trying to choose my smart folder as default.

I guess Spotlight will have to be my workaround for the file names I can remember, and Siri for the names I don't. It's just ridiculous that one should need a workaround at all.

 

[purrydaze]

I guess Spotlight will have to be my workaround for the file names I can remember, and Siri for the names I don't. It's just ridiculous that one should need a workaround at all.

I read somewhere in a post here, that the way to get "all my files" back, is to downgrade back to Sierra. I followed the instructions to do this, but my computer will only go back to El Capitan which is what was in it when I bought it last January. Can anyone advise me, if I go back to El Capitan, can I then UPgrade to Sierra, and get back "all my files"?? LOL...one step forward, two steps back?

 

[U-verse]

Short instructions how to create Smart folder:
In Finder go to "File" and select "New Smart folder", you get Finder with search options.
Select Search "This Mac". Click + on right hand side and
select Kind is Document. Then option Click the right hand button (it now displays ...) and
you get more conditions, Keep "Any"
Change "Contents" to "Last Opened date" and set value to something you like (30 days?)
Click + and add last modified date and set to sensible value, + again..
Select Other and search for Date added, set to sensible value, +... you get the idea now.
Save as Smart Folder and it should do what you wanted... Can be tweaked quite extensively.

[doublepost=1510847404][/doublepost]This was super helpful ! Thanks. Quick and easy fix, and actually so much better than the old setup for All My Files, and definitely better than this useless Recent Files upgrade.

 

[Gregg2]

Can anyone advise me, if I go back to El Capitan, can I then UPgrade to Sierra, and get back "all my files"?? LOL...one step forward, two steps back?

Usually Apple removes the previous OS version from the App Store when the new one is released. I haven't looked, but I suspect that Sierra is gone.

 

[purrydaze]

Usually Apple removes the previous OS version from the App Store when the new one is released. I haven't looked, but I suspect that Sierra is gone.

Yup, you are right, I checked! Thanks for the reply, I guess I get to keep this OS...I find it really slow, I think it's the worst OS Mac has put out. Grrrrrrrrr!
Jenni

 

[Gregg2]

Keep watching for the next update for High Sierra. Maybe it will fix some of your issues. I have stuck with Sierra for the time being. I usually go for it at the .1 update, but I think I'll wait on this one till .3 or even .4!

 

[purrydaze]

Thanks, Gregg2. I appreciate your help!

 

[HansDiag]

same thing here, after the update, the folder is missing. I dont want to do some kind of workaround, i just want my all-my-files-folder back....

 

[mark schneider]

Hey,

I had the same problem when I had High Sierra installed on my MacBook, hence I also hesitated updating the iMac.

After some fiddling, it's pretty easy to tune it so it shows more files very similar to All My Files previously.

If you click on the new Recents tab on the sidebar, click on the actions icon->Search Criteria

For me, i removed the Raw Query that is default for Recents, and changed mine to:

- Last modified is within 999 years, then click the plus to add another criteria and add:
- Kind is Document

Make sure you click SAVE and it'll prompt you to name the search criteria and it shoul have automatically have ADD to Sidebar ticked, then I just move it to the top of Favourites and it's all good!

That should show all my files like before as far as I know. Tested by saving a pdf file without opening it, and yup, its there!!

Good luck and hope this works for you too

Where on earth is actions located? I too am trying this. Recents is nearly useless. I want all files. Been using this for a decade now. All of a sudden Apple decides we dont need it anymore. When I go to search window, it automatically reverts back to my iMac. dumb. really dumb. thanks,

 

[wilzt]

Where on earth is actions located? I too am trying this. Recents is nearly useless. I want all files. Been using this for a decade now. All of a sudden Apple decides we dont need it anymore. When I go to search window, it automatically reverts back to my iMac. dumb. really dumb. thanks,
[doublepost=1513156593][/doublepost]Where on earth is actions located? I too am trying this. Recents is nearly useless. I want all files. Been using this for a decade now. All of a sudden Apple decides we dont need it anymore. When I go to search window, it automatically reverts back to my iMac. dumb. really dumb. thanks,

Hey Mark, Actions is in the Finder window top tab/bar. If it's not there, just right click the top bar, and customise toolbar, and you should be able to drag and add action to the top tab.

Then you should be able to go to the recents tab, and click through actions and customise this All My Files options...

Hope that helps!! After using this for a few months, it's still not quite as good as the original All My Files, but good enough for my dad to day use!

Good Luck!