XL: How to Put the Folder Contents into a Spreadsheet

ID: Q147395

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 5.0
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, version 5.0
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SUMMARY

It is possible to print the contents of a folder (directory) to a range of cells in a worksheet with a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro or procedure. This article demonstrates a Sub procedure to do so.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

   Sub Print_Dir_Contents()
       Dim Input_Dir, Print_File As String
       Input_Dir = InputBox("Input the path containing the files you "& _
           "want to list on your worksheet" & Chr(13) & Chr(13) & _
           "i.e.:Windows- C:\EXCEL, Macintosh- Macintosh HD:Excel")
       If Input_Dir = "" Then Exit Sub
       ' If you want only to print a specific file type, you can
       ' substitute the "\*.*" with "*\.xl*"
       ' (for Excel files only) for the directory specified in the
       ' InputBox above.

       ' If you are running Excel for Windows.
       If Application.OperatingSystem Like "*Win*" Then
          Print_File = Dir(Input_Dir) & "\*.*"
       ' You are running Excel for Macintosh.
       Else
          ' If you are running Excel 98.
          If Instr(1, Application.Version, "8") > 0 Then
             Print_File = Dir(Input_Dir & ":", MacID("XLS8"))
          Else
             Print_File = Dir(Input_Dir & ":", MacID("XLS5"))
          End If
       End If
       Range("a1").Select
       Counter = 1
       Do While Len(Print_File) > 0
           Worksheets(ActiveSheet.Name).Cells(Counter, 1).Value = _
               Print_File
           Print_File = Dir()
           Counter = Counter + 1
       Loop
   End Sub

REFERENCES

For additional information on MacID, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q27655
   TITLE     : MXL: File and Creator Types for All Versions

Keywords          : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode PgmHowto KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c.7.0,97; MACINTOSH:5.0,98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999