# Windows Search Function - How Do I Capture the Results?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-search-function-how-do-i-capture-the-results/189436>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-search-function-how-do-i-capture-the-results/189436 "2003-07-18T18:20:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-search-function-how-do-i-capture-the-results/189436/1 "2003-07-18T18:20:32Z")

</div>

The Windows “Search … for Files or Folders” function produces a list of files that satisfy some user-entered criteria.

How can I capture the list of file names that appears on the right side of the Search window as text? I don’t want the contents of the found files. I just want to get that list of file names into a text file.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Armilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@Armilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Armilla)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-search-function-how-do-i-capture-the-results/189436/2 "2003-07-18T18:40:45Z")

</div>

As far as I know you can’t capture the results of the Windows search box into a file. However, you can do more or less the same thing from DOS if you’re just searching for certain filenames.

If you type

```auto

dir *.exe /b /s

```

it will list all executable files in the current folder and its subfolders. You can direct this output to a file by using the “\>” operator:

```auto

dir *.exe /b /s > FileList.txt

```

If you need to search on the content of the files as well then I think you’re into more difficult territory.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-search-function-how-do-i-capture-the-results/189436/3 "2003-07-18T19:05:15Z")

</div>

DOS is a good way to go, as **Armilla** suggests.

But if you’re more comfortable with Windows, you can use [WinDirLister](http://download.com.com/3000-2248-7706254.html?tag=lst-0-11) or similar software.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-search-function-how-do-i-capture-the-results/189436/4 "2003-07-18T20:23:07Z")

</div>

You can take a screenshot of the window by hitting alt+print screen, then paste it into the Paint program that comes free with any Windows OS. It’s not a text-readable format, but it can be printed out.