Free text editor and file organizer

FileList is a command-line utility that generates a CSV file listing of all the contents of any given directory. It is a portable program that can be run without installation and can be used to more easily filter through larger files on your Windows computer. Starting with Windows 7, FileList is compatible with any current edition of Windows.

Filelist has similar uses to other command-line utility products such as Vim or Emacs. Paste in a path from Windows Explorer and it lists off the files formatted in CSV which clearly display the files’ names, sizes, paths, as well as when the files were created or the last time they were accessed or modified.

List files in CSV format

FileList’s biggest advantage is that it provides exactly and only the relevant metadata of the file system of your application. It accomplishes this by offering a wide variety of filters that can be applied to any directory, enabling you to sift through far more efficiently. For example, by entering in a single command you can single out all files created in Office Suites, or all files from a particular author.

FileList seamlessly integrates with your own scripts, making it an easy way to enhance your chosen applications. As an additional boon, it then lets you process the resulting list into other software like Microsoft Excel. Alternatively, you could import the same list into a database, allowing for a more manual approach to organization. In either scenario, FileList makes the initial sifting faster and more customizable.

Being able to search or sort via a filter is a simple, yet invaluable, way to scan through more packed folders, and, in a way, reduces or even eliminates the need to organize by excessive subfolders. For the more organized Windows user who has taken the extra step of creating subfolders for their projects, it can still be a frustrating experience to remember increasingly convoluted paths. 

Organize with filters

Using FileList eliminates frustration, as it means you can have all your documents in one place, and still be able to sort through them expediently via filters. This is achieved through the multitude of filters that you can choose between, ranging from date, size, and attributes. You can also filter by further optional criteria like file name, extension, size, timestamp, or even directory level. 

For people less familiar with development and IT, understanding FileList will be daunting at first. Being able to create and separate columns by attribute, for example, is a helpful feature, but there are twelve different shortcut keys and they can only be accepted as canonical names to predefined columns. This complexity is a sure turn-off for any novice user.

Beginners and novice tech users will find this program more difficult to operate, but it is still considered an accessible software for all types of users. It enables you to view the file list with all options available at your disposal. It then gives you the option to write everything to make the file that you desire. This ensures unique customization and manual control over your own files, while simultaneously making them easier to find in the future.

FileList vs. Vim

Like FileList, Vim is another text editor that serves as a command-line utility. Its purposes are similarly designed for fast file organization and location. Vim improves on the default vi tool shipped with any UNIX system, and allows you to edit or create files through a terminal. The nature of any command-line utility program is that it takes some experience, patience, and technical background in order to use it effectively right off the bat.

Both Vim and FileList are advanced pieces of software, making them tricky to decipher at first glance. As such, many of the shortcuts for either can be unintuitive. However, this is less the case with FileList, as it’s a newer program and was made with newer features. For this reason, this helps streamline the experience for new users. FileList has a lot to offer and, with some patience and trial-and-error, it can be a very powerful text editor.

Versatile command-line utility

While navigating FileList takes some getting used to, it is an excellent piece of freeware that can dramatically help with business and productivity. Organizing and locating files in larger directories is immensely helpful to any Windows user. FileList can export lists of files from folders or directory trees, creating file lists right on the command line. 

Beginners and tech novices may take longer to learn how to operate FileList, but it’s worth the time investment.

FileList is a command line utility that produces a list of files in CSV format

FileList is a command line utility that produces a list of files of the given path in CSV format, which can be imported into a spreadsheet or database. The list includes the file name, size, path, last access and change date, etc.