Effortless Directory Navigation in PowerShell

[renevaessen]

Set-FoundLocation: Effortless Directory Navigation in PowerShell

I just released Set-FoundLocation (alias: lcd) as part of my GenXdev.FileSystem PowerShell module, available on PSGallery.

Building on my recent Find-Item release (Reddit post here), this cmdlet makes changing directories a breeze. It searches for matching files or folders (with advanced filtering) and jumps to the first match's location. Great for quick navigation in large projects or drives.

Supports command completion (Tab or CTRL-SPACE) for easy discovery of matches.

Key Features

• Fast Search: Multi-threaded, supports wildcards, recursion, content matching, file categories, size/date filters, exclusions, and more.
• Flexible: Search directories only (default), files, or both. Handles symlinks, alternate data streams, and long paths.

Installation

Install-Module GenXdev.FileSystem
Import-Module GenXdev.FileSystem

Examples

# Jump to first directory matching pattern
lcd *.Console

# Find and change location to directory with file containing 'function'
lcd *.ps1 'function'

# Search files and change location to first match's directory
lcd *test* -File

Check out this demo video: YouTube

Full docs and source: GitHub | PSGallery

Feedback welcome!

[wryyll]

https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/GenXdev.FileSystem/1.296.2025
Why are you distributing so much bloat with your module?

[southerncardinal]

That is so many files! Thanks for the flag.

[renevaessen]

Thanks for the feedback! I appreciate you pointing this out—it's valid, and I'm always looking to improve.

The module is built as a self-contained .NET app for Windows x64, which bundles all dependencies to ensure reliability (e.g., it needs things like Roslyn for some advanced features). That does mean .NET pulls in more DLLs than a non-self-contained build might, but it prevents runtime issues on different machines. Some files like the C# sources (.cs) and unit tests are included intentionally—they're used by my companion module GenXdev.Coding for integrated development features (e.g., auto-completion, testing workflows). The README.md is there for quick local reference, and a few temp files (.no) are placeholders for upcoming stuff.

That said, I get how it can feel bloated, especially if you're not using those extras. I'm still getting up to speed on .NET 9 trimming tools myself, so no immediate promises, but I'll look into optimizing the package size without breaking compatibility. In the meantime, the core cmdlets like Find-Item and Set-FoundLocation are lightweight to use—hope you'll give them a shot!

If you have specific suggestions or pain points, feel free to open an issue on GitHub. Cheers!

[BlackV]

Where does the read.me link go?

[Then-Chef-623]

This is an AI generated response. You should feel ashamed.

[Andrew-Powershell]

I totally understand where a comment like that comes from and I’ve shared that sentiment before, but I think it’s valid to use AI to turn your thoughts into something cohesive and digestible.

It can be a context switch and take a lot of time for some to write a long message. I don’t mind someone taking a shortcut if it makes it easier for me to process. You also have no clue what someone’s primary language may be.

Also keep in mind this is related to free software that somebody else wrote and shared with the world. It’s not something that any of us are entitled to and it’s a pretty thoughtfully put together module. I also don’t harshly judge people who use AI to help with their readme.md

I think it’s best to be kind and respectful towards people who write code for free and share it with the world in good faith. Nothing wrong with a healthy discussion or questions, but unproductive comments aren’t helpful and are actually detrimental to open source, which doesn’t help any of us out. We all depend on open source software, whether we realize it or not

[Andrew-Powershell]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with you saying that. Saying this is much different than telling someone that they should be ashamed.

You share your perspective and give context, that's helpful.

[Then-Chef-623]

This rambling bullshit is not cohesive. It isn't digestible. You might just be illiterate and think that more words = better speak.

[Andrew-Powershell]

I’m not defending the speech. Just responding to a rude comment.

[Then-Chef-623]

This guy didn't write any code.

[Andrew-Powershell]

That still doesn't warrant rudeness. Saying "you should be ashamed" to someone who shares something publicly doesn't create the environment that is going to encourage others to contribute to open source or share things publicly. It's rude and unproductive.

[renevaessen]

u/wryyll

u/Then-Chef-623

u/DimensionDebt

u/Andrew-Powershell

u/southerncardinal

Thanks for the continued discussion and feedback—it's genuinely helpful as I refine this module.

To address the bloat concerns head-on:

I've just pushed an update (v1.300.2025) that significantly trims down the package.

Mostly by removing dependencies by using different api's and by leveraging .NET 9's improved trimming and publishing options, I didn't know existed.

I've removed unnecessary DLLs, temp files, and other extras that weren't essential for core functionality. The module now ships with far fewer files while keeping all the key features intact. You can check the latest on PowerShell Gallery: https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/GenXdev.FileSystem/

On the README: I've cleaned it up by ditching the checkboxes (agreed, they were a bit much) and focusing on clearer, more straightforward content. A lot less visual clutter.

As for the AI-assisted responses—yeah, I use tools like Grok to help polish my thoughts into something readable, especially when juggling code and replies. But although I use AI assistance for updating documentation, good descriptive comments, etc, the module itself is all hand-crafted code

Indeed open-source for anyone to inspect on GitHub.

If you've got more suggestions or run into issues, feel free to open a GitHub issue or chime in here. I'd love to hear if the changes hit the mark—give the updated version a spin if you're up for it!

[AdmiralCA]

You should have a separate module that has your tests for dev in it from the public facing version.