Forums > Help! > Excel, can you copy file names into a spreadsheet?
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1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
Posted:
OK, does anyone know if its possible to copy the file names, but not the files from a folder into a spreadsheet.
If you do then please tell me how and save me much tedium at work!
Thanks!
OK, does anyone know if its possible to copy the file names, but not the files from a folder into a spreadsheet.
If you do then please tell me how and save me much tedium at work!
Thanks!
Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Will carpal your tunnel in a minute.
3,286 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Will carpal your tunnel in a minute.
3,286 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
I'm at work but a brief search on google found me this forum thread. I hope it's of use to you
clicky
I think this bit specifically.
EDITED_BY: Brenn (1190247415)
I'm at work but a brief search on google found me this forum thread. I hope it's of use to you
clicky
I think this bit specifically.
Written by:
From within a Command prompt window, if you navigate to the directory that you want the information on, type the command "dir > filename.txt" and hit enter, where filemane is whatever you want to call the file. This will create a text file in that directory that comprises of the directory contents. Once you have done that, you can then type "exit" and hit enter to close the Command prompt window. You can then using something like WordPad or Notepad, open up that text file to see the results.
From there, you can import that text file into Excel by using the Open command on that file in Excel. This should start up an "import wizard" on the text file where you can convert the text file into an Excel file using fixed width columns.
EDITED_BY: Brenn (1190247415)
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Owner of burningoftheclavey 
Owned by Lost83spy
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Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posted:
You can't copy them so much, but I can tell you how to get a list of files in to excel easily. But this might be a little confusing so yeah let me know if you need help.
This is assuming that you are using windows XP it should be similar for any windows but that is just what I am running on.
These first instructions tell you how to create a list of files in a txt file that you can then import in to excel. Do this part before you open excel.
1. Note the path to the folder where files you want to list are. For example
‘C:\junk\Mp3s\youami’
2. Go to the start menu select 'Run' it should be on the right hand side of the menu, under control panel. (A little window with some buttons and a text box should now pop up)
3. In the text box type CMD then press OK or the enter key.
(This should open the command prompt which looks like a little black window)
4. It will have some characters like this ‘U:\>’ at the beginning of each like (but the ‘U’ may be a different letter) and a blinking cursor. This indicates what drive the prompt is looking in.
5. Now you need to move too the directory that your files are in.
Look at the path you wrote down before
'C:\junk\Mp3s\youami'
The then type the equivalent for your path ( the ‘cd’ part stays the same no mater what your path is)
‘cd C:\junk\Mp3s\youami’
Press Enter
‘C:’
Press Enter
(This changes your working directory, the beginning of your line should now have characters like this ‘C: \junk\Mp3s\youami’ >’)
6. Now we are going to list the contence of the directory in to a txt file.
Now type the following into the CMD prompt
‘dir > file_list.txt’
Press Enter
(If you now look in the same folder as your files there should be a txt file called file_list.txt)
These instructions tell you how to import a txt file in to excel.
1. Open a new spread sheet.
2. Navigate to the ‘Data’ menu in the menu bar then to the ‘Import External Data’
3. Click the option Import Data (This should bring up a little file finder screen)
4. Find the txt file we created earlier then press ok.
5. Press Next Twice
6. Press finish
Now you should have a spread sheet with a bunch of junk and one column that has all of the files from your directory, you can get rid of all of the other junk or you can just copy the column you want on to another spread sheet.
I hope this was not too complicated or too detailed for you. It is not actually as hard as it sounds and is a very useful thing to be able too do.
Please ask questions if that does not make sense and I can get some pictures of what it should look like if that might help. : )
You can't copy them so much, but I can tell you how to get a list of files in to excel easily. But this might be a little confusing so yeah let me know if you need help.
This is assuming that you are using windows XP it should be similar for any windows but that is just what I am running on.
These first instructions tell you how to create a list of files in a txt file that you can then import in to excel. Do this part before you open excel.
1. Note the path to the folder where files you want to list are. For example
‘C:\junk\Mp3s\youami’
2. Go to the start menu select 'Run' it should be on the right hand side of the menu, under control panel. (A little window with some buttons and a text box should now pop up)
3. In the text box type CMD then press OK or the enter key.
(This should open the command prompt which looks like a little black window)
4. It will have some characters like this ‘U:\>’ at the beginning of each like (but the ‘U’ may be a different letter) and a blinking cursor. This indicates what drive the prompt is looking in.
5. Now you need to move too the directory that your files are in.
Look at the path you wrote down before
'C:\junk\Mp3s\youami'
The then type the equivalent for your path ( the ‘cd’ part stays the same no mater what your path is)
‘cd C:\junk\Mp3s\youami’
Press Enter
‘C:’
Press Enter
(This changes your working directory, the beginning of your line should now have characters like this ‘C: \junk\Mp3s\youami’ >’)
6. Now we are going to list the contence of the directory in to a txt file.
Now type the following into the CMD prompt
‘dir > file_list.txt’
Press Enter
(If you now look in the same folder as your files there should be a txt file called file_list.txt)
These instructions tell you how to import a txt file in to excel.
1. Open a new spread sheet.
2. Navigate to the ‘Data’ menu in the menu bar then to the ‘Import External Data’
3. Click the option Import Data (This should bring up a little file finder screen)
4. Find the txt file we created earlier then press ok.
5. Press Next Twice
6. Press finish
Now you should have a spread sheet with a bunch of junk and one column that has all of the files from your directory, you can get rid of all of the other junk or you can just copy the column you want on to another spread sheet.
I hope this was not too complicated or too detailed for you. It is not actually as hard as it sounds and is a very useful thing to be able too do.
Please ask questions if that does not make sense and I can get some pictures of what it should look like if that might help. : )
I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.<br /><br />
GOLD Member
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posted:
Sorry mr Brenn i got a little carryed away and then you bet me :P
no rudeness intended : )
Sorry mr Brenn i got a little carryed away and then you bet me :P
no rudeness intended : )
I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.<br /><br />
PLATINUM Member
Will carpal your tunnel in a minute.
3,286 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Will carpal your tunnel in a minute.
3,286 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
None taken Ms. Berry
It's good to have a concise and detailed solution anyhows!
Written by: Blueberry
Sorry mr Brenn i got a little carryed away and then you bet me :P
no rudeness intended : )
None taken Ms. Berry
It's good to have a concise and detailed solution anyhows!
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Owner of burningoftheclavey
Owned by Lost83spy
SILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
Posted:
Thanks guys, I did have a quick look on google before, but I couldn't get anything to work on my home computer. (windows XP) I haven't tried at work yet, but I will tomorrow. The paperwork we do is truely tedious, there must be a better way to do it!
At work I think we run a very old windows version, it looks a bit like windows 95 or 98 at a push! I think it is something like windows office, but I'm not sure, I'll see if I can check tomorrow. Its seriously outdated and slow, whatever it is anyway!
I'll keep you updated anyway, if anyone else has any other solutions, feel free to let me know also!
Thanks guys, I did have a quick look on google before, but I couldn't get anything to work on my home computer. (windows XP) I haven't tried at work yet, but I will tomorrow. The paperwork we do is truely tedious, there must be a better way to do it!
At work I think we run a very old windows version, it looks a bit like windows 95 or 98 at a push! I think it is something like windows office, but I'm not sure, I'll see if I can check tomorrow. Its seriously outdated and slow, whatever it is anyway!
I'll keep you updated anyway, if anyone else has any other solutions, feel free to let me know also!
Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
GOLD Member
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Now with extra strawberries
810 posts
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posted:
Yup should work fine with either of those systems. It is actually a really handy thing to beable to do. I used this to make a list of my mp3's so people could pick them for a party.
Yup should work fine with either of those systems. It is actually a really handy thing to beable to do. I used this to make a list of my mp3's so people could pick them for a party.
I {Heart} hand me downs and spinning in the snow.<br /><br />
SILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
Posted:
OK, the plan has failed miserably as there is no 'run' option in my windows menu at work. Possibly because I don't have the right priviledges (I'm guessing). Is there any other way of opening the run prompt command?
Also, we're on Windows 2000 professional.
OK, the plan has failed miserably as there is no 'run' option in my windows menu at work. Possibly because I don't have the right priviledges (I'm guessing). Is there any other way of opening the run prompt command?
Also, we're on Windows 2000 professional.
Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
Yep..
Hold down the windows key and press "R".
If that brings up a box, type in "CMD" and hit enter.
If that doesnt work, browse to the windows folder itself (c:\windows\system32\ ??? maybe windows2000, I havent used it much) and find "cmd" and run that.
If those dont work, i'll find a way that will work
(useful generic DOS tips here)
Yep..
Hold down the windows key and press "R".
If that brings up a box, type in "CMD" and hit enter.
If that doesnt work, browse to the windows folder itself (c:\windows\system32\ ??? maybe windows2000, I havent used it much) and find "cmd" and run that.
If those dont work, i'll find a way that will work
(useful generic DOS tips here)
SILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)
Posted:
Thank-you! I shall try that on Monday. Actually, I probably won't as I have training. I shall try it on Tuesday, or at least at the next possible available opportunity.
On Monday I have training all day to teach me how to use the software package that I've been using for the last week. Exciting stuff
Thank-you! I shall try that on Monday. Actually, I probably won't as I have training. I shall try it on Tuesday, or at least at the next possible available opportunity.
On Monday I have training all day to teach me how to use the software package that I've been using for the last week. Exciting stuff
Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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