List contents of a folder in Windows PC as text file

Sometimes you want to list and document all the files in a directory to a text file; for example, hundreds of mp3 files, thousands of pdf e-books or android apps apk cluttered in a folder. It is helpful if we need to keep an electronic record or to print and save the document as hard copy.

Linux does it with ls command in bash terminal.

'ls > directory_content_list.txt' will give the content of the directory in a text file 'directory_content_list.txt'

Now I wanted to list a directory in Windows.  An impressive software which would do this and much more is Karen's Directory Printer

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptdirprn.asp

  

If you don't want to install any program, there is one way to do it with DOS commands, but just by a few mouse clicks. The method is explained here very well.

http://www.forwestmedia.com/resources/how-to-guides/text-file-of-a-directory

Simply put, create a text file using notepad with the content below, save it as 'run.bat' file and run (double click) it. A DOS command window will pop up and the files will be created on your desktop, then opened in notepad. Remember to replace 'USER_WINDOWS_LOGIN_NAME' with your windows login name.

dir /a /b /-p /o:gen >C:\Users\USER_WINDOWS_LOGIN_NAME\Desktop\directory_content_list.txt
start notepad C:\Users\USER_WINDOWS_LOGIN_NAME\Desktop\directory_content_list.txt