List files in flatten structure

[Hans]

I have the following question.
Is it possible to see all files of a folder and all folders below it, for example in a new Finder window in a flat structure without moving files.
(In Total Commander (Windows) the command Tree View (CTRL+B))
The trigger is e.g. right-click and choose a quick task or selecting the folder and a keystroke.

Example:
Folder
Subfolder1
file1
file2
Subfolder2
file1
file3

Result in new Finder window:
Folder
File1
File1
File2
File3

[hello]

if you want to do it from Terminal:

find . -print | sed -e 's;[^/]*/;|____;g;s;____|; |;g'

outputs:

source:

Using a Mac Equivalent of Unix “tree” Command to View Folder Trees at Terminal

[tjluoma]

I don’t know a KM way of doing this, but it seems like you could do a Spotlight search and tell it to just show you documents and not folders and it would give you what you’re looking for.

Unless I’m misunderstanding something.

[JMichaelTX]

@Hans

The trigger is e.g. right-click and choose a quick task or selecting the folder and a keystroke.

Example:
Folder
Subfolder1
file1
file2
Subfolder2
file1
file3

Result in new Finder window:
Folder
File1
File1
File2
File3

It is not clear if you just want a list of file names in your folder hierarchy, or if you actually want a new Finder folder with aliases to all of the files.

Here is an EXAMPLE to will produce just a list of file names in the Parent folder, and all sub-folders. I makes uses of the Bash find Command.

Example Output

Below is just an example written in response to your request. You will need to use as an example and/or change to meet your workflow automation needs.

Please let us know if it meets your needs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MACRO:   Get Simple List of File Names in Parent Folder & Sub-Folders [Example] @Find @Bash

--~~~ VER: 1.0    2020-03-03 ~~~
Requires: KM 8.2.4+   macOS 10.11 (El Capitan)+
(Macro was written & tested using KM 9.0+ on macOS 10.14.5 (Mojave))

DOWNLOAD Macro File:

Get Simple List of File Names in Parent Folder & Sub-Folders [Example] @Find @Bash.kmmacros
Note: This Macro was uploaded in a DISABLED state. You must enable before it can be triggered.

---

ReleaseNotes

Author.@JMichaelTX

PURPOSE:

• Demo Get Simple List of File Names in Parent Folder & Sub-Folders

NOTICE: This macro/script is just an Example

• It is provided only for educational purposes, and may not be suitable for any specific purpose.
• It has had very limited testing.
• You need to test further before using in a production environment.
• It does not have extensive error checking/handling.
• It may not be complete. It is provided as an example to show you one approach to solving a problem.

REQUIRES:

1. KM 8.0.2+
2. macOS 10.12.6+ (Sierra+)
3. Bash find Command Manual

==MACRO SETUP==

• Carefully review the Release Notes and the Macro Actions
  • Make sure you understand what the Macro will do.
  • You are responsible for running the Macro, not me.
    .
• Assign a Trigger to this maro.
• Move this macro to a Macro Group that is only Active when you need this Macro.
• ENABLE this Macro.
  .
• REVIEW/CHANGE THE FOLLOWING MACRO ACTIONS:
  • ALL Actions that are shown in the magenta color
  • CHANGE Path of Parent Folder to be Searched in Bash Script Action

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

• While I have given this limited testing, and to the best of my knowledge it will do no harm, I cannot guarantee it.
• If you have any doubts or questions:
  • Ask first
  • Turn on the KM Debugger from the KM Status Menu, and step through the macro, making sure you understand what it is doing with each Action.

[JMichaelTX]

@tjluoma, you're the shell script expert here. So, if you have the time and interest, I'd appreciate it if you could review the Bash script I used above to see if there are any issues and/or improvements you'd suggest.

#IFS=$'\n'
{ read myFolderToSearch; read myRootFileName; read myFileExt; }

parentFolder=$myFolderToSearch

# --- DEFAULT VALUES If NOT Passed Via stdin ---
myFolderToSearch=${myFolderToSearch:-~/Documents}
myRootFileName=${myRootFileName:-*}
myFileExt=${myFileExt:-*}

# --- Expand Tilde in Path if It Exists ---
myFolderToSearch="${myFolderToSearch/#~/$HOME}"

echo Parent Folder: "$parentFolder" 
echo 

find -s "$myFolderToSearch" -type f  -name "$myRootFileName.$myFileExt" -name "[!.]*"

# --- Additional Parameters Your Can Use ---
# ADD   -name "[!.]*"    to exclude HIDDEN files (begin with a dot)
# ADD   -maxdepth 1      to limit to Parent folder

Thanks.

[tjluoma]

@JMichaelTX

find -s "$myFolderToSearch" -type f -name "$myRootFileName.$myFileExt" -name "[!.]*"

That's close, but the last part is incorrect.

First, I always use -iname with find because macOS is almost always installed case-insensitive.

Second, I recommend using -ipath to match any item which has a / followed by a literal .

To exclude matches to that -ipath you would put a \! in front of it, so the final version would look something like this:

find -s "$myFolderToSearch" -type f \
-iname "$myRootFileName.$myFileExt" \! -ipath '*/\.*'

Note that I broke it into two lines for readability. The \ after -type f tells the shell that the next line continues the command. If you put it all on one line you can (and should) just remove that \ but don't remove the other ones that are not at the end of line.

[JMichaelTX]

@tjluoma

That's close, but the last part is incorrect.

Thanks for the feedback.
I assume you are talking about -name "[!.]*"

What is wrong with it?
I took that term from here:

Exclude hidden files when searching with Unix/Linux find?

It seems to work OK in my testing.

@tjluoma

First, I always use -iname with find because macOS is almost always installed case-insensitive.

Noted. I agree, it makes good sense.

@tjluoma

Second, I recommend using -ipath to match any item which has a / followed by a literal .

I don't think I have that pattern. Where do you see it?

These seem functionally identical to me, with my limited knowledge of Bash:

Mine:
-name "[!.]*"

Yours:
\! -ipath '*/\.*'

How are they different?

[tjluoma]

I wonder if we're seeing a difference between bash and zsh. In zsh I get an error, based on the ! inside of a "

[JMichaelTX]

I have no idea. I don’t even know how to run ZSH.

[NaOH]

Since I, too, am not certain if I'm properly understanding the goal, this may or may not be helpful. There is a built-in Mac command for revealing the contents of folders displayed in a Finder window.

With a Finder window open and set to List View (View > As List), select the desired folders (or all window contents using Command-A), then press Option-[right arrow]. This will expand all folders and their subfolders, thus showing all folder contents. To reverse this—also known as collapsing folders—press Option-[left arrow].

Note, to just expand all selected folders but not subfolders, skip the Option key and use only [right arrow].

[Hans]

First of all, thank you all very much for your answers.
I found a workaround myself: I go to a folder and make a new smart folder. As the search argument I take a point and then I have 99.9% of the files. I miss only the files with a '.'.
This view is what I meant my my perhaps somewhat unfortunate and not fully formulated question.

Now it might be possible to make a solution with KM so that I can toggle between the tree view and the flattened view with a key combination?