# In Windows, getting the list of files found as text? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980 "2004-05-07T11:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/1 "2004-05-07T11:27:44Z")
Win2K, to be exact. When I do a search for a particular type of file, say \*.html, I get a list of all the files that match my search. I want to use this list of files as text: file1.html file2.html … How can I do that? ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/2 "2004-05-07T11:47:26Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > Win2K, to be exact. When I do a search for a particular type of file, say \*.html, I get a list of all the files that match my search. I want to use this list of files as text: > > file1.html > file2.html > … > > How can I do that? Well, you could possibly do this in the command prompt (not too sure if you HAVE a command prompt, but you can try it anyway) dir \*.html \>\> list.txt which will output the contents of the dir into the text file. Of course, you will have to do some editing after that, but I can’t think of any other method off hand that doesn’t require programming. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/3 "2004-05-07T11:47:36Z")
You’re gonna need a console-window/DOS-prompt The command is: \*_DIR .html_ And redirect the output to a file: \*_DIR .html \> FileList.txt_ And open the .txt file in the editor of your choice. If you type **DIR /?** it’ll tell you what the listing options are. ---
**Author:** ![Jdeforrest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@Jdeforrest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jdeforrest)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/4 "2004-05-07T12:23:33Z")
If you want to search the whole computer for files: If your not already in the c: drive you’ll need to type “ **c:** ” to change to that drive Go to the root directory of the c: drive by typing, “\*\*cd\*\*” Then type “\*_dir .html /s \> list.txt_” The **/s** searches all subdirectories. ---
**Author:** ![HugoRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@HugoRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HugoRed)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/5 "2004-05-07T13:01:59Z")
I have 2 freeware programs that do this. They are “Dirlist” and 'JDirPrinter" try googling either because I don’t remember where I got them. With a little practice you can modify their output to different directories. Dirlist must be in the directory you want to print. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/6 "2004-05-07T13:14:35Z")
for a verbose output you should also use the /b switch i.e. \*_dir .html /b /s \> files.txt_ ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/7 "2004-05-07T13:30:03Z")
[Agent Ransack](http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/default.aspx) does what you need - and is a far superior search tool anyway. ---
**Author:** ![HugoRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@HugoRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HugoRed)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-windows-getting-the-list-of-files-found-as-text/243980/8 "2004-05-07T13:57:09Z")
try here [http://www.spadixbd.com/freetools/](http://www.spadixbd.com/freetools/)