instead of going to data, you could just copy everything on the path except the file name, select the column ctrl+f to replace the path with nothing & it will erase the extra stuff in the column except the file name. may be faster for you.
@@Keith9534 the whole file path is in the data on each line. for example, in this video every file in the excel file starts with "C:\User\Matt\Desktop\New Folder\" then the file name. just highlight that bit and do a find/replace (ctrl+f), click the replace tab and enter that path in the "find what:" box and click the "replace all" all button. it will replace in this instance ""C:\User\Matt\Desktop\New Folder\" with nothing an there was nothing put in the "replace with" field, leaving only the file name. (i know this is an old post, but figure i'd answer in case no you or future people need this answered still).
Great tip Matt, Just some additions Quick tip-1: Instead splitting the data into columns, copy the filepath from the Windows Explorer and use replace in Excel for the list of file paths and simply replace using Ctrl+H (replace) and you will save a little more time sorting the data. Quick tip-2: You may as well use simply Shift + right click on your mouse to access "Copy as path" option. Quick tip-3: you can create a renamer.xls excel file for yourselves with REN Dos script Or can create a DOS script batch file that can change file names as it has been run each time. Scripts are available on internet for better automation. I often rename 100+ files weekly during my research and work Thank you so much
I have been trying several methods noted online to do this and I must say that this is by FAR the best way and the best-explained way I've found - EXCELLENT! Thank you so much for sharing.
I watched other videos before I found yours. Yours was short and sweet! I totally understood everything and was able to use it right away. Thanks SO much!
This is THE best tutorial I ever saw. I can't thank you enough! I had thousands of files I needed to list and this way was the easiest, the fastest, and the best I've ever tried. A million Thanks!
Thank you! Really needed this, as I had an Excel list of 104 positions, yet only 102 files to cut out detail layouts. So I could either go through the list checking each position to find those two missing numbers or... Worked perfectly!
Thanks for “copy as path”. The other option I’ve been using is Alt+D to go into the address bar, then type CMD to open the DOS command window, then type “dir /b >!files.txt”, which puts a full list of files (without path names) into a file called !files.txt.
this way your talking is a good way to do this if you are able to. unfortunately not everyone has access to command prompt at work (which is were this usually is the most handy). often companies will lock it out, or lock out folder access through command prompt. the technique used in the video is handy in those cases, if you have excel or can get a like program to do this.
"Copy as path" was the tip I needed. My only suggestion for improvement would be to use "Replace" afterwards to simple remove the extra folder location details. It's much faster if you're just wanting the file names and can be done in Excel or Word.
This works with Notepad as well. Sort files (by name, type, size, etc.), select file, hit Ctrl A to select all files, hold Alt + Shift & right-click file, click copy as path, open Notepad, paste, then click Edit then Replace and tidy up the list by replacing the file location data (such as C:\Videos\) with a blank replacement.
Top result in Google searches for "copy name of file to excel" is a video of how to do it using CMD, which worked. But this is a LOT quicker; Ctrl+a then alt+shift then copy. Your video was auto played after the last one. Thanks!
Thank you Matt - tried following instructions in other videos; yours was the only one that was useful and informative, and most importantly understandable - extremely helpful. You did a great job.
Thank you so much, Matt, for solving my problem of printing genealogy file names (most are photo's or scans.) I couldn't figure out how to print the list without the images. This is by far the easiest answer I have found.....and it works!! Thank you again!!
great tips - here is a summary to make a list of files in a folder 1. Select all files 2. Alt shift right click copy as path 3. In Excel not google drive - click data, text to columns, be sure delimited is checked and put a backslash \ in “other” box, hit enter twice 4. Use ctl H to find and replace .docx or other file extension with nothing if you don't want the file extensions
Super helpful! Thanks. I agree with the other comment about using find and replace (ctrl-H) to replace the path with nothing rather than delimiting the text.
Thank you. Very, very useful. Since i'm not an Excel user, what I did was copy path and saved to an empty text file. From there I selected all and replaced "C:/folder name/..." and "... .txt" with an empty space. That erases the unnecessary and leaves me with the file name only.
Very elegant Matt. Thanks. Instead of Excel you can also paste into Word and then do Control-H, search for the path string and replace with nothing. CHeers
Works with google spreadsheets too.. Just pay attention " Data -> Split Text to Columns" and then you will have small option in middle/down on the screen ( hard to notice tho ) option how you want to be separated ( default is detected automaticly ) but you can choose "custom" ( last option ) and add sign and it will automaticly do it for you.. Delete columns and there you go. Thank you so much for this video.
An easy way to clean file names is to paste the list, then use the 'Find and Replace' function to replace your path with nothing. In seconds, you'll have clean file names.
just open cmd pointed at the directory (just type cmd into the bar that has the path at top of explorer) then type the below expression, changing list.txt to whichever name and format you want. type this---> dir /b >list.txt
WOW ! Thanks for sharing the simplest method to get an EXCEL list of files. Far simpler than the cmd dir scenario, that I was never able to master. KUDOS on a great job here
This was helpful. At least now I can have a master list of all of my folders. I wish there was a way to do this so that you could see every sub folder and associated files. Why Microsoft has to make this so hard is beyond me. I appreciate your very clear video! Thank you!
Six years later and this still works. Bravo! Helped me a lot.
instead of going to data, you could just copy everything on the path except the file name, select the column ctrl+f to replace the path with nothing & it will erase the extra stuff in the column except the file name. may be faster for you.
Thank you both. The ctrl+f idea was must faster for larger separate folders.
How can you copy everything on the path except the filename for multiple files? Have I missed something?
Thanks...I worked it out
@@Keith9534 the whole file path is in the data on each line. for example, in this video every file in the excel file starts with "C:\User\Matt\Desktop\New Folder\" then the file name. just highlight that bit and do a find/replace (ctrl+f), click the replace tab and enter that path in the "find what:" box and click the "replace all" all button. it will replace in this instance ""C:\User\Matt\Desktop\New Folder\" with nothing an there was nothing put in the "replace with" field, leaving only the file name.
(i know this is an old post, but figure i'd answer in case no you or future people need this answered still).
This is the easiest of all the solutions (many very convoluted!) on UA-cam.
Thanks, Matt!
8 years later and your video just saved my day. Struggling with a solution fot this a week now! Thank you
Great tip Matt, Just some additions
Quick tip-1: Instead splitting the data into columns, copy the filepath from the Windows Explorer and use replace in Excel for the list of file paths and simply replace using Ctrl+H (replace) and you will save a little more time sorting the data.
Quick tip-2: You may as well use simply Shift + right click on your mouse to access "Copy as path" option.
Quick tip-3: you can create a renamer.xls excel file for yourselves with REN Dos script Or can create a DOS script batch file that can change file names as it has been run each time. Scripts are available on internet for better automation. I often rename 100+ files weekly during my research and work
Thank you so much
How to use ren dos command?
I have been trying several methods noted online to do this and I must say that this is by FAR the best way and the best-explained way I've found - EXCELLENT! Thank you so much for sharing.
I watched other videos before I found yours. Yours was short and sweet! I totally understood everything and was able to use it right away. Thanks SO much!
This is THE best tutorial I ever saw. I can't thank you enough! I had thousands of files I needed to list and this way was the easiest, the fastest, and the best I've ever tried. A million Thanks!
Thank you! Really needed this, as I had an Excel list of 104 positions, yet only 102 files to cut out detail layouts. So I could either go through the list checking each position to find those two missing numbers or... Worked perfectly!
Thanks for “copy as path”. The other option I’ve been using is Alt+D to go into the address bar, then type CMD to open the DOS command window, then type “dir /b >!files.txt”, which puts a full list of files (without path names) into a file called !files.txt.
this way your talking is a good way to do this if you are able to. unfortunately not everyone has access to command prompt at work (which is were this usually is the most handy). often companies will lock it out, or lock out folder access through command prompt. the technique used in the video is handy in those cases, if you have excel or can get a like program to do this.
Thank you very much! I have already created lists for two 250 item folders. This has saved me so much time!
"Copy as path" was the tip I needed. My only suggestion for improvement would be to use "Replace" afterwards to simple remove the extra folder location details. It's much faster if you're just wanting the file names and can be done in Excel or Word.
same copy as path is what i needed i dont have excel or word installed.
was going to write the same. find/replace to blank is much easier then messing with text to columns.
Thank you so much. All the other instructions were complicated and I couldn't get the paths right. This one worked like a charm.
Still is literally the best tutorial ever. SO easy, so quick to figure out. And changes everything. Thanks for making this video :)
I am absolutely thrilled that you made this tut ... appreciate it to the end and back!
This works with Notepad as well.
Sort files (by name, type, size, etc.), select file, hit Ctrl A to select all files, hold Alt + Shift & right-click file, click copy as path, open
Notepad, paste, then click Edit then Replace and tidy up the list by replacing the file location data (such as C:\Videos\) with a blank replacement.
Yes, exactly what I did but in Word. I imagine this technique would work in almost all word processing programs available.
thanks
Thanks dude...
I appreciate this! I tried for a while using command prompts but could never figure it out. This way worked perfectly for me.
Thanks for this. So many videos going into the command prompt, this is so much simpler.
Top result in Google searches for "copy name of file to excel" is a video of how to do it using CMD, which worked. But this is a LOT quicker; Ctrl+a then alt+shift then copy. Your video was auto played after the last one. Thanks!
God bless you! I was trying for so long to find a way to do that. You made two people me and my friend happy today.Thank you!!
This is brilliant - Straight to the point, clear with no waffle! Came across this after 30 mins or so searching this topic and getting no where
Matt, that is awesome. I have tried several instructions, some quite complex without the results I was shooting for. THANKS
Thank you Matt - tried following instructions in other videos; yours was the only one that was useful and informative, and most importantly understandable - extremely helpful. You did a great job.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. That was so easy to follow and you've saved me hours of work.
This is the best solution to this problem I've ever seen. Thank you.
Awesome Matt. You made it quick and simple. Don't get that too often!!!! Thanks....
Thank you so much, Matt, for solving my problem of printing genealogy file names (most are photo's or scans.) I couldn't figure out how to print the list without the images. This is by far the easiest answer I have found.....and it works!! Thank you again!!
Nicely done and you don't waste any time getting to the information. Thanks!
great tips - here is a summary to make a list of files in a folder
1. Select all files
2. Alt shift right click copy as path
3. In Excel not google drive - click data, text to columns, be sure delimited is checked and put a backslash \ in “other” box, hit enter twice
4. Use ctl H to find and replace .docx or other file extension with nothing if you don't want the file extensions
I want to thank you so much for your help and direction on this project. I really appreciate it.
Great, many thanks! I have a lot of folder names to organise, this makes my day a lot easier!
You have no idea for how long I have been looking for something like that! :D Thanks!
Finally, someone who can explain stuff clearly and quickly. Thank you so very much!!!!! Great job!
You just made my job easy! Tutorial after tutorial, command prompt after command prompt! This was so simple! Thanks!
Thank you for the easy to follow tutorial😊 I can now make my recipe book a nice table of contents. Keep up the great work!
This was an awesome video of a lesson. Well done.
still one of the best tips ever, 9 years later in November 2024
Thanks Matt, for taking the time to make this video. It was very helpful.
Great tip. Easier than other tutorials that show how to use cmd. Holding shift on its own works too.
Thank you. This was much faster and easier than other options and even some software that I downloaded.
Thanks, mate, for a solution, for not selling us some software, for being a good person
OH MY GOD!! THANK YOU!!! Life saver. I was worried I would spend half of my day either copying or deleting text.
Thank you Matt!
I’ve been struggling to do this for a long time. Your explanation was perfect 👌🏾
Seriously. Bless you. just saved me about 5 hours of work.
Exactly what I needed and quickly. Super easy! Thank you!
I had almost 500 file names to copy......Dude, I owe you a solid !!!!
Absolutely fantastic! Thank you so much! I've been trying to figure out a way to do this for a loooooooong time. Excellent!!!
Super helpful! Thanks. I agree with the other comment about using find and replace (ctrl-H) to replace the path with nothing rather than delimiting the text.
Dear Matt, a very useful method and thank you...
Thanks! Very helpful. Wished I had searched for it sooner!
Super Amazing! Thanks for explaining the process.
I had a requirement like this just today and Voila!
Thank you. Very, very useful.
Since i'm not an Excel user, what I did was copy path and saved to an empty text file. From there I selected all and replaced "C:/folder name/..." and "... .txt" with an empty space. That erases the unnecessary and leaves me with the file name only.
This was absolutely the BEST! Thanks for all the help.
Love the Alt-Shift-Rt Click tip. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this video! You have saved me HOURS of work!
Very elegant Matt. Thanks. Instead of Excel you can also paste into Word and then do Control-H, search for the path string and replace with nothing. CHeers
Great tip Matt! Exactly what I wanted too do.
Works with google spreadsheets too.. Just pay attention " Data -> Split Text to Columns" and then you will have small option in middle/down on the screen ( hard to notice tho ) option how you want to be separated ( default is detected automaticly ) but you can choose "custom" ( last option ) and add sign and it will automaticly do it for you.. Delete columns and there you go. Thank you so much for this video.
Excellent tip! Saved me hours! Thanks!
Great tip. Thank you for posting it. You totally saved me some frustration!
I've been looking for something like this for ages, thanks for the assistance
Amazing! I was desperate trying to do that. Matt Lanham, you saved my week. 👏 👏 👏
Great been looking for this for years. Crazy it took so long to find.
Thankyou 🎉 this has helped me a lot I'm really happy this saved my time
You rock man! sometimes the best solution is so simple!
YOU HAVE SAVED ME MORE THAN ONCE WITH THIS VIDEO MAN, MASSIVE THANK YOU!!!
Absolutely brilliant. I don't even know what to say. Thank you.
Dear Matt. Your video was excellent . I got exactly what I needed . Thank you so much. I just subscribed to your channel. Good Luck !
You made it so easy. Excellent voiceover, instructions, video. Thank you SOOOOO much!
Thank you so very much. I have been trying to do this for years.
Bruh... no registry or cmd rubbish, this was so easy. Thank you!
Wow....just wow. This is so great, thanks a million for showing this tip!!!
thanks so much for this, it's such a specific thing to need but a huge time saver!
Thank you.... Very Much Matt Lanham.... This tip was useful to me work.
Once again thank you Matt.
Nice one man. You saved me a day of typing up a list of Wav and MP3 files.
Absolutely brilliant, thank you so much Matt
This is awesome! So easy to follow - thank you!
Straight to the point, thanks Matt!
Thank you! Easy to follow, clear instructions.
An easy way to clean file names is to paste the list, then use the 'Find and Replace' function to replace your path with nothing. In seconds, you'll have clean file names.
This is so much easier than other ways that I found on the internet
i have been trying to do this for years, trying to find a program to do it... thank you so much!!
Use power query. It's built into excel. Worth learning. See excelisfun
on youtube. Mike girvin is a guru
Thank you so much. Very useful. Very easy to follow.
This was so easy to understand, and really helpful! Thank you!
Brilliant tip, been trying to do that for ages, Matt taaught me how in 3 minutes
just open cmd pointed at the directory (just type cmd into the bar that has the path at top of explorer) then type the below expression, changing list.txt to whichever name and format you want.
type this---> dir /b >list.txt
Thanks mate, i was searching for this solution for long time. ❤❤❤
Thank you sir. This save me many hours of work!
Thank you very much Matt Much Appreciated Love from Kashmir
WOW ! Thanks for sharing the simplest method to get an EXCEL list of files. Far simpler than the cmd dir scenario, that I was never able to master. KUDOS on a great job here
however, cmd dir can show us the file date and size.
I wish if there is the easier way than cmd dir for getting date&size too, like this video.
Hope this works for folders and subfolders too. Thanks so much!
Dear Matt Many thanks for this video. It was very helpful.
How have I gone this long and not know this. Thanks.
This was helpful. At least now I can have a master list of all of my folders. I wish there was a way to do this so that you could see every sub folder and associated files. Why Microsoft has to make this so hard is beyond me. I appreciate your very clear video! Thank you!
Someone has made a video on how to do just that. I know it's 5 months later, but reply if you would like me to go out and get you the link
@@Anti-socialSocialClub it'd be cool to see how to do that
You saved me hours of work. Thank you!!!
Thank you. You saved me a ton of time
Awesome, saved me a ton of time! Thank you so much
very useful, thank you, I didn't even know I wanted the exel part
Just what I needed! Thank you so much!
Thanks Heaps! Saved me so much time!
thank you Matt! this is so simple and helpful!! :)