Use the file explorer

What the file explorer is for

The file explorer is the project file browser. Use it to create, open, upload, rename, move, delete, and organize the files that make up a CoCalc project.

Work efficiently

Use folders for related work, descriptive filenames for humans and agents, and the search and new-file controls when a project grows. The explorer is also a good starting point for creating terminals, notebooks, scripts, LaTeX files, slides, whiteboards, and task files.

Find a retained file when its path is unknown

On CoCalc AI, use snapshot or backup search when you remember a name or text but cannot find the file in the current folders. These searches require the corresponding snapshot or backup service and retained data for your project.

1. In a project you can edit, open Find (the magnifying-glass icon) in the activity bar. In Find in, choose Home to start from the project's HOME paths before selecting an archive tab.
2. Choose Snapshots, then Files to search filenames or Contents to search text. To search backup filenames, choose Backups. Backup Contents search is disabled. Use Choose to narrow the search to an ordinary project folder under HOME. Snapshot and backup searches only cover HOME.
3. Before entering your query, set Subdirectories to include nested folders, Hidden to include dotfiles and hidden directories, and Case sensitive when capitalization matters. For snapshot Contents, leave Regexp off for literal text; turn off Git ignore to include ignored files.
4. Enter a filename fragment such as measurements, or a filename glob such as *.csv, then choose Search. For snapshot Contents, enter a distinctive text fragment instead. Check each result's path and retained version.

Filter results narrows the displayed matches; use the main search field to change the filename or contents query. Clear Filter results before interpreting an empty result. Also check the folder, search mode, and options, and read any error. An empty result means no match was displayed for that search, not that the file has never been retained.

Backup search can stop at a result, time, or other limit. Its incomplete-search warning means more matches may exist. Refine the query, select a smaller folder, or turn off Subdirectories and search likely folders individually. Snapshot content search also has output limits; a missing warning does not establish an exhaustive search.

If you already know the file's path, see TimeTravel for inspecting its history. Finding a retained match does not restore or replace the current file.

Files are shared project state

Files opened from the explorer are visible to collaborators and tools in the same project. For credentials, use project secrets instead of ordinary project files.