Convert file names to a usable list?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gary
  • Start date Start date
G

Gary

Is it possible under Windows XP / Vista to create a database or list from the
names of files from within a directory and subdirectorys?

I want to make a list/database of quite a lot of mp3s so i can order and
print them in either access or excel.

The file structure I use is:

C:\...\Music\artist\artist - title.mp3

Many thanks
Gary
 
Gary said:
Is it possible under Windows XP / Vista to create a database or list from
the
names of files from within a directory and subdirectorys?

I want to make a list/database of quite a lot of mp3s so i can order and
print them in either access or excel.

The file structure I use is:

C:\...\Music\artist\artist - title.mp3

Many thanks
Gary
Click to expand...

Open up a cmd prompt window.

use the cd command to get to the directory of interest.
You didn't give the full path so I can't spell it out for you.
To go from the Music directory to the artist directory
the command would be
cd artist

You can go one directory at a time or do it all with one
command. If the directory name has any spaces in it
you must enclose the string in double quotes.
i.e.
cd "Documents and Settings"

Once you get to the directory of interest the command

dir > list.txt

will create the list that you want.

Also try

dir /w > list.txt

to see if you prefer that format.
 
Open up a cmd prompt window.

use the cd command to get to the directory of interest.
You didn't give the full path so I can't spell it out for you.
To go from the Music directory to the artist directory
the command would be
cd artist

You can go one directory at a time or do it all with one
command.  If the directory name has any spaces in it
you must enclose the string in double quotes.
i.e.
cd "Documents and Settings"

Once you get to the directory of interest the command

dir > list.txt

will create the list that you want.

Also try

dir /w > list.txt

to see if you prefer that format.
Click to expand...

See if this link will help:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/321379

Or GOOGLE "print directory list"
 
Is it possible under Windows XP / Vista to create a database or list from
Open up a cmd prompt window.

use the cd command to get to the directory of interest.
You didn't give the full path so I can't spell it out for you.
To go from the Music directory to the artist directory
the command would be
cd artist

You can go one directory at a time or do it all with one
command. If the directory name has any spaces in it
you must enclose the string in double quotes.
i.e.
cd "Documents and Settings"

Once you get to the directory of interest the command

dir > list.txt

will create the list that you want.

Also try

dir /w > list.txt

to see if you prefer that format.
Click to expand...


Thank you, its close to what i need but it doesnt include the subdirectory
of the artist that contains the actual mp3 file - ie. it only lists the
artists.

A typical full path is:

c:\documents and settings\gary\my documents\my music\aerosmith\aerosmith -
love in an elevator.mp3

So you see if I am in the "my music" directory the 'dir > list.txt' command
only lists the artists not the actual music titles. One other problem is that
there maybe cover art, or other file types in some of the directories - is it
possible to only list the .mp3 file types?

Many thanks again
Gary
 
I'm not clear about how you're going to
use your list, but you can do anything like
that easily with script. It's a little more
work than command line but also less tedious
and primitive.
The following will create a list in any folder.
Just paste the text in Notepad, save as lister.vbs,
and drop a folder onto it. It will write a list of all
MP3 files to a file named list.txt inside the folder.
The list will write the full file paths.

You could also make it recursive, select different
file extensions, etc., if you want to delve into editing
the script.

---------------- script starts below here ---------

Dim FSO, Arg, oFol, oFils, oFil, TS, sList
On Error Resume Next
Arg = WScript.Arguments(0)
Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
If FSO.FolderExists(Arg) = False Then
Set FSO = Nothing
WScript.Quit
End If

Set oFol = FSO.GetFolder(Arg)
Set oFils = oFol.Files
For Each oFil in oFils
If UCase(Right(oFil.Name, 3)) = "MP3" Then
sList = sList & oFil.Path & vbCrLf
End If
Next
Set oFils = Nothing
Set oFol = Nothing

Set TS = FSO.CreateTextFile(Arg & "\list.txt", True)
TS.Write sList
TS.Close
Set TS = Nothing

Set FSO = Nothing

MsgBox "List written as " & Arg & "\list.txt"

---------- script ends above here -----------------
 
Gary said:
A typical full path is:

c:\documents and settings\gary\my documents\my
music\aerosmith\aerosmith - love in an elevator.mp3

So you see if I am in the "my music" directory the 'dir > list.txt'
command only lists the artists not the actual music titles. One other
problem is that there maybe cover art, or other file types in some of
the directories - is it possible to only list the .mp3 file types?

Many thanks again
Gary
Click to expand...

Yes: DIR *.MP3 > text.txt /s (the "/s" means parse subdirectories too)
 
Hello Mayayana - thank you so much for the time and effort you have given - I
really didnt expect some to start writing scripts!

I don't think I have been as clear as I should have been.

My goal is to make a list of my '.mp3' only files.
I would like to make an Excel file that lists all my '.mp3' files. Using 2
columns (one for the artist and one for the song title) so I can sort them by
artist and by song title.

The files are all stored in this directory path/file name format:

c:\documents and settings\gary\my documents\my music\artist\artist - title.mp3

All i need in the list is "Artist" and "Title" from the file names, bearing
in mind the mp3 files are in seperate "artist" directories.

I was hoping to use the "-" as the column/field seperator?

I don't know if this is possible?

Thanks again - your help is really appricated.
Gary
 
FYI. This is how I do mine.
download and install free "Agent Ransack"
search for *.mp3 it will give you every Mp3 on your computer.

Save (to clipboard) and drop into platform of choice (comma delineated)

I drop mine into MSworks database
The only irritation is that it saves entire path, the workaround is
"find/replace"

so for yours=c:\documents and settings\gary\my documents\my
music\artist\artist - title.mp3
I would "find" c:\documents and settings\gary\my documents\my music\
and replace with blank
You are left with artist/artist title.

Be careful using Excel as a database, sorting columns/fields
an errant keypress may have you lose database integrity.
 
Gary said:
Is it possible under Windows XP / Vista to create a database or list from the
names of files from within a directory and subdirectorys?

I want to make a list/database of quite a lot of mp3s so i can order and
print them in either access or excel.

The file structure I use is:

C:\...\Music\artist\artist - title.mp3

Many thanks
Gary
Click to expand...


From the command prompt (Start > Run > Cmd.exe), simply change to
the desired directory and type "dir > filelist.txt" or "dir > lpt1,"
just as you used to do in DOS. Any of the switches for the DIR command
(type "dir /?") will work with this command, if you wish to modify the
output. You can then subsequently edit the resulting text file using
NotePad, WordPad, Word, etc.

Alternatively:

HOW TO Add a Print Directory Feature for Folders in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=321379

Directory Lister
http://www.krksoft.com/index.php



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Bruce Chambers

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c:\documents and settings\gary\my documents\my music\artist\artist - title.mp3

All i need in the list is "Artist" and "Title" from the file names, bearing
in mind the mp3 files are in seperate "artist" directories.

I was hoping to use the "-" as the column/field seperator?

I don't know if this is possible?
Click to expand...

Well, this is a bit like Jack Sprat and his wife.
You don't do script and I don't do Excel. :)
What you want is very easy, but I assume you
want a text file list that Excel can digest, and I
don't know anything about Excel.
If you can provide the exact syntax of a line
that's usable to Excel (something like artist, filename
maybe?) I can give you an edited script. It only
takes a minute.
 
Thank you again for your time.... you're right I know nothing about scripts,
but a little about old dos commands and MS Office....

And so, with a little messing around I have managed to achieve what I need.

Maybe I should learn some basic scripting methods as I am sure you way is
the better way to do this sort of thing!

Thanks again
Gary
 
Brings back memories of the old days of 'dos' alright!

Thank you, the part I couldnt remember was '/s' I was sure it could be done
this way. Does mean so messing about the 'find and replace' etc but it did
the job - thankyou.

And thanks to everyone who offered help - grately appriecated.

Many thanks - Gary
 
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