Add Set Default Search Directory For Finder as a Mac TIL

README.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ working across different projects via [VisualMode](https://www.visualmode.dev/).
 
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-_1832 TILs and counting..._
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@@ -769,6 +769,7 @@ If you've learned something here, support my efforts writing daily TILs by
 - [Run A Hardware Check](mac/run-a-hardware-check.md)
 - [Run AppleScript Commands Inline In The Terminal](mac/run-applescript-commands-inline-in-the-terminal.md)
 - [Set A Window To Its Default Zoom Level](mac/set-a-window-to-its-default-zoom-level.md)
+- [Set Default Search Directory For Finder](mac/set-default-search-directory-for-finder.md)
 - [Specify App When Opening From Command Line](mac/specify-app-when-opening-from-command-line.md)
 - [Start Amphetamine Session With AppleScript](mac/start-amphetamine-session-with-applescript.md)
 - [Uninstall LogiTech G Hub From Mac](mac/uninstall-logitech-g-hub-from-mac.md)

mac/set-default-search-directory-for-finder.md

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Set Default Search Directory For Finder
+
+In MacOS's Finder.app, when I click the Search (magnifying glass) icon and type
+something in, it performs the search across all of "This Mac". This has always
+really bugged me because I'm usually already in the directory that I want to be
+specifically searching in.
+
+A small quality-of-life improvement for me was to update the setting that
+controls this to search in the current directory instead.
+
+This can be done via the Finder.app menu at the bottom of the _Advanced_ section
+in the _Settings_. The three setting options are:
+
+- Search This Mac
+- Search the Current Folder
+- Search the Previous Search Scope
+
+This can also be controlled from the command line using the `defaults write`
+command. The specific setting is called `FXDefaultSearchScope` and the above
+three settings translate to:
+
+- `SCev` (Search This Mac)
+- `SCcf` (Search the Current Folder)
+- `SCsp` (Search the Previous Search Scope)
+
+I can see the current default setting with `defaults read`:
+
+```bash
+❯ defaults read com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope
+SCev
+```
+
+I can then change it to the _Search the Current Folder_ option like so:
+
+```bash
+❯ defaults write com.apple.finder FXDefaultSearchScope -string "SCcf"
+```
+
+All the open Finder windows still hold the original setting. I need to do a
+`killall Finder` to effectively reload them. Now if I try doing a search, it
+should default to the current directory instead of _This Mac_.