How to Index Date by Synology for Shared Network Drive

If you have a Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) device, you can use it to host a shared network drive for your home or office. One useful feature of Synology NAS devices is the ability to index the files on the shared network drive, making it easier to search for and find the files you need. In this article, we will show you how to index the date by Synology for a shared network drive.

What is file indexing?

File indexing is the process of creating a database of all the files on a storage device, along with information about each file such as its name, size, and modification date. This database can be searched much more quickly than the file system itself, making it easier to find specific files. Synology NAS devices have a built-in indexing service called Synology File Station that can index the files on a shared network drive.

Why index the date?

Indexing the date of the files on a shared network drive can be useful for a number of reasons. For example, you may want to find all the files that were modified within the last week, or all the files that were created within the last month. By indexing the date, you can easily search for and find these files without having to manually browse through the entire shared network drive.

How to index the date by Synology

To index the date by Synology for a shared network drive, follow these steps:

1. Open the Synology File Station app on your Synology NAS device. If you have not installed this app, you can find it in the Package Center.
2. In the left-hand menu, click on the shared network drive that you want to index. This will open the shared network drive in the main window.
3. Click on the Action button in the top-right corner of the main window, and then select Properties from the drop-down menu.
4. In the Properties window, click on the Indexing tab. This will open the indexing options for the shared network drive.
5. Check the box next to Enable indexing service to turn on indexing for the shared network drive. This will enable the indexing service and begin indexing all the files on the shared network drive.
6. To index the date, check the box next to Modification time and/or Creation time in the Indexing options section. This will index the modification and/or creation date of the files on the shared network drive.
7. Click Apply to save the changes and begin indexing the shared network drive. The indexing process may take some time, depending on the number and size of the files on the shared network drive.

Searching for files by date

Once you have indexed the date by Synology for a shared network drive, you can easily search for files by date using the Synology File Station app. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Open the Synology File Station app on your Synology NAS device.
2. In the left-hand menu, click on the shared network drive that you want to search.
3. Click on the Search button in the top-right corner of the main window.
4. In the Search window, select the Modification time or Creation time option from the Filter drop-down menu.
5. Select the date range that you want to search for using the From and To fields. You can also use the Before and After fields to search for files that were modified or created before or after a specific date.
6. Click Search to begin the search. The results will be displayed in the main window, showing all the files that match the search criteria.

Indexing the date by Synology for a shared network drive can be a useful way to make it easier to search for and find specific files. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can enable indexing for a shared network drive and index the modification and/or creation date of the files on the shared network drive. This will allow you to quickly and easily search for files by date using the Synology File Station app.

References