# Find As You Type: Prioritize shorter file names **URL:** \ **Category:** Help & Support\ **Tags:** feature-request\ **Created:** [January 18, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612 "2017-01-18T17:10:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![motie](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/motie/32/25898_2.png) [@motie](https://resource.dopus.com/u/motie)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/1 "2017-01-18T17:10:45Z")
Match files while typing name: Prioritize (select) shorter file names (better match), not first match in lister, because that depends on sort order. VERSION INFO 12.3.3 Windows 10 FILES Let's say it's two directories in the same location: changer123 changer\ STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. In the directory containing those two file names that are similar, start typing the common part (say, "change"). 2. Observe that both get yellow highlight since they match. Okay. 3. Observe that one of them (whichever is first in the current sort order below whatever file was already selected, it seems) gets selected (blue highlight). For me, that's often not the folder I wanted it DESIRED BEHAVIOR I want to be able to type in, for example, "change" and have it select (blue highlight) the directory with the shorter name ("changer"). Then press {Enter} to go into that folder. I want it to select my preferred matching folder regardless of what my lister is sorted by. It might even be helpful to determine priority from the top of the list, not from the currently selected file, which I think is currently how it works. I often find myself winding up in the wrong folder ("changer123" in this example) because of the sort order (Modified, not Name) of my lister ("changer123" above the folder I want, "changer"). Is there a way to control in Opus which folder gets selected in such a case? Perhaps "shorter name" could have priority? ---
**Author:** ![Jon](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/jon/32/12713_2.png) [@Jon](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Jon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 12:33am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/2 "2017-01-19T00:33:50Z")
We'll add an option for this in the next update. ---
**Author:** ![motie](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/motie/32/25898_2.png) [@motie](https://resource.dopus.com/u/motie)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/3 "2017-01-19T00:53:56Z")
Thank you, Jon. Neat! Two notes: 1. Maybe there's a better way to solve this than "candidate file with least number of characters in its name is the one to select". That is just my idea of how to solve this for me in the case that I run into the most. Maybe there's a better way to solve it though. 2. I think of the other aspect (that which file gets selected next is based on sort order from a currently selected file) as likely its own independent option. (And I didn't try this with multiple files selected, so I don't know how that behaves.) ---
**Author:** ![motie](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/motie/32/25898_2.png) [@motie](https://resource.dopus.com/u/motie)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/4 "2017-01-19T00:56:41Z")
Deleted comment. ---
**Author:** ![motie](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/motie/32/25898_2.png) [@motie](https://resource.dopus.com/u/motie)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/5 "2017-03-28T14:27:58Z")
Dear Jon, Directory Opus version 12.4 beta is released. Did the planned enhancements for this make it into this version? I searched the 12.3 and 12.4 CHM sections for "type", "typi" and "select" but didn't see anything which seemed to be this. And I realize this could have been solved with a chord of different options. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/leo/32/69732_2.png) [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/6 "2017-03-28T14:44:31Z")
3rd (top-level) item in the release notes: > [@Directory Opus 12.4](https://resource.dopus.com/t/directory-opus-12-4/25217): > > [image] Directory Opus 12.4 is now available as a free update for all Directory Opus 12 users. (Do not install this if you are still using Opus 11 or earlier, unless you want to upgrade to Opus 12) Please note: new versions are released on the Reso… ---
**Author:** ![motie](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/motie/32/25898_2.png) [@motie](https://resource.dopus.com/u/motie)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/find-as-you-type-prioritize-shorter-file-names/24612/7 "2017-03-28T14:48:12Z")
Thank you, Leo! For reference, it says: > Added File Displays / FAYT and Filter Bar Options / Prioritize shorter filenames option to Preferences. When enabled, the FAYT will favor shorter matching filenames over longer ones when searching in Find mode, which may be desirable when the list isn't sorted alphabetically.