Overview
The File/Folder Detector Application is a lightweight and versatile tool designed to help users scan directories and generate organized text files that describe the folder structure and its contents. Download pathfinder using the link below
What Does It Do?
The program scans a selected directory and provides users with various options to list folders, subfolders, and files. The results are presented in a clean, indented text format that visually represents the hierarchy of folders and files within the specified directory.
Users can choose to:
- List Folders: Displays only the top-level folders within the selected directory.
- List Folders and Subfolders: Recursively lists all folders and subfolders, neatly organized with indentation for better readability
- List Files: Depending on the options selected, this feature can
- Display only the files present in the top-level directory.
- Display all files in each folder and subfolder if combined with the List Folders and Subfolders option.
- Save Output to File: The user can save the output in a .txt file, making it easy to document or share directory structures
Potential Use Cases
This program can be highly useful in various scenarios, including:
- Project Documentation:
- When sharing or organizing codebases, research materials, or project files, having a structured report of all files and folders helps collaborators quickly understand the hierarchy.
- Backup Documentation:
- Before backing up or migrating files, generating a text-based overview of what’s being transferred ensures nothing is accidentally left out.
- Directory Organization Audits:
- When cleaning up cluttered drives or sorting through large collections of files, the program helps you identify directory structures that may need attention.
- Digital Archiving:
- Creating indices of archived documents, images, or datasets for easier retrieval.
- Forensics & Security Audits:
- Quickly generate reports on files and folders to track changes or check for unauthorized additions.
How it Works
- Processing: The program then recursively scans the directory, differentiating between folders and files, and formats them into an indented hierarchy.
- Output Generation: The results can be copied or saved directly to a .txt file for future reference.
Example Output:
MyFolder
SubFolder1
file1.txt
file2.txt
SubFolder2
file3.txt
Limitations & Disclaimer
For now at least, it ONLY works on windows
Always ensure you have read/write permissions to access directories. If a specific directory has permission restrictions this program WILL not work.
The program may slow down when scanning very large directories with thousands of files.
The software is provided “as-is” without warranty of any kind, and the author is not liable for any potential data loss or damage.
Temporary files (e.g., files starting with ~) will be listed if present
This is the first iteration of this program, in the following iteration I plan to apply a more modern sleek gui, file filtering(determine which files to show), file permission fixes, full file details(if selected), tooltip popups, and potentially depth limitations to allow users to specify the depth level for recursive searches.
Software License Agreement
- Acceptance
By downloading, installing, or using this software (“Software”), you agree to be bound by the terms of this license agreement (“Agreement”). If you do not agree to the terms of this Agreement, do not download, install, or use the Software.
- Grant of License
This Agreement is entered into by and between Licensor Name and you, the licensee. Licensor grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
- Copyright Notice
This Software is provided “as-is,” without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. In no event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages, or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort, or otherwise, arising from, out of, or in connection with the Software or the use or other dealings in the Software.
- User Rights
You are permitted to use the Software for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without restriction.
- Redistribution
You may distribute copies of the Software to third parties, provided that this Agreement accompanies the copies and the third parties acknowledge and agree to the terms of this Agreement. The Software must remain freely available and must not be sold or used to restrict others from using the Software for their own purposes.
- Modifications
You are free to modify the Software and distribute your modifications under the same terms as this Agreement. If you distribute the modified software, you must also disclose the source code of the modifications.
- Termination
This license is perpetual unless terminated by Licensor. Your rights under this license will terminate automatically without notice from Licensor if you fail to comply with any term(s) of this license. Upon termination, you shall cease all use of the Software and destroy all copies of the Software in your possession.
- Miscellaneous
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and Licensor relating to the Software and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written communications, proposals, and representations with respect to its subject matter. If any part of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, that part will be construed to reflect the parties’ original intent, and the remaining portions will remain in full force and effect.
- User Responsibilities
You agree to bear all responsibility for the lawful and intended use of the Software. The Licensor shall not be liable for any unlawful use or misuse of the Software under any circumstances. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Licensor against any claims, damages, or costs arising from your use or misuse of the Software.