# Exporting a List of File Names



## thebindlestick (Mar 2, 2007)

Is there a way in Finder or some other app on OSX to export a list of files in a specific folder to a text file or to the clipboard etc.? I am looking to create a list of file names that I can pass around to my workgroup, so that they know which filenames we're currently working with. Make sense? I have too many files to screenshot them, they do not fit on one screen.


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## Mikuro (Mar 2, 2007)

The Finder actually has this built in. Select the files, and Copy. Then paste the result into any plain text field, and there ya go.

It's worth noting that if you paste it into a rich text file in TextEdit, you'll be pasting the files themselves, not the file names. Mail also works that way. So if you're using TextEdit, be sure to select "Make Plain Text" under the Format menu.


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## mallybristol (Mar 2, 2007)

1) open terminal.app
2) type:

cd directory-you-want-to-go-to; ls > blah.txt

e.g. 

cd ~/Desktop; ls > blah.txt

would put my desktop filenames into blah.txt...


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## thebindlestick (Mar 2, 2007)

Perfect.

How do I change textedit to not be rich text? I canntot find the option to switch it to plain text.

edit: nevermind, I found it!


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## Benway (Feb 14, 2019)

I realize this is an ancient thread , but : 
I would be very curious how to export a text file list of all the contents of all the sub directories (and their subdirectories within subdirectories) ---
using a similar bash command as above.

The bash command above will only print a list of files and folders within a directory, just one level deep. Does not do subdirectories or their contents.


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## nealt (Feb 15, 2019)

There is a program "File List Export 2" tha will do exactly what you want.


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## Benway (Feb 16, 2019)

Awesome ! Thanks nealt. I'll give it a go !
Any other suggestions are welcome.


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