partial string search in dialogs

[gusset]

we have just moved to Office XP and i notice that this version doesn't have a feature that i found very useful in previous versions. in the open file (etc) dialog box we used to be able to enter part of the file's name and retrieve a list of files matching the description - now i need to enter the whole string.

for example, if i have a folder like this

letter to client 01.12.03.doc
letter to purchaser 01.12.03.doc
letter to client 02.12.03.doc
memo to client 02.12.03.doc

i'm using word files here but the same applies to excel and i've noticed that annoyances tend to propagate across the office suite(!)

i used to be able to put "letter" in the "file name" textbox to retrieve all the letters. or "02.12.03" to retrieve just documents named according to those dates.

Now, if i put "letter", i get nothing at all - i must know the exact name of the file.

surely there must be a way to revert to turn off this "feature" and return to the previous useful way of doing things?

any help gratefully received

gusset

 

[BenRowe]

Have you tried using the wildcard character *. E.g., try letter*.

 

[gusset]

Correct! thanks very much.
i should have thought of that myself

gusset