What is the syntax for wildcard in path and file names?

[smolls]

I am interested to learn the syntax for path and file names when I want to use a wildcard symbol.

I understand that ? means any single character and that * means any string of characters.  But how do I actually use ? and * ?  I would be grateful if someone could answer the following questions.

Can I just say  *\*.ini to mean ANY FILE ENDING IN "INI" IN ANY PATH ON ANY DRIVE or do I need to qualify the drive like this  D:\*\*.ini

Can I use * to mean ANY PATH WITH ANY NUMBER OF FOLDERS ?  For example: if I want to define all files called file001.vko such as C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\EPSON\Smart Panel\file001.vko then can I use *\file001.vks

If I want to represent this C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\EPSON\Smart Panel\*.* then can I use *\Smart panel\*

If I want to refer to any filename with any extension then do I use just * or do I need to use *.*

 

Maybe the last question should ask about should be \* or *.*. Is this question's syntax correct and the last question's syntax incorrect?

Thank you for any help! 

Regards,
Smolls.

[Lisandro]

Any ini file: *.ini
* could be used for any number of folders.
You can use before or after, I mean, *\Smart panel\* is ok.
any file with extension: *.*
any file extensionless included: *

[psw]

* could be used for any number of folders.
You can use before or after, I mean, *\Smart panel\* is ok.

I think that is it wrong. At least command running from the root of my system drive
dir *\system32\*
gives error
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

[Lisandro]

I think that is it wrong. At least command running from the root of my system drive
dir *\system32\*
gives error
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

dir syntax has nothing to do with the avast exclusion list.
avast uses a text string to exclude paths: * means any number of characters.