How to save a Windows Explorer file list in an Access Database - 2003 and 2007

If you need to save a list Windows Explorer files and folders in a database table, there are three steps:

1. Create a list of files. The file list can be selected individual files, the files in a folder, or perhaps the result of a file search using filter condition.
2. Save the list to a disk file in XML format for Access 2007 (or CSV or tab format for Access 2003).
3. Import the XML or CSV file list into the Access either as a new table or appended to an an existing table.

This method works for any database, not just Access. DDFileCatcher lets you easily collect files and folders by dragging and droping them from Windows Explorer. It can also search subfolders and entire disks. You can then save the file information to XML files for importing into your database. Try it for free.

Import file properties into an Access table

With DDFileCatcher, you can choose from over 340 file properties to importing into your access tables; from filenames and filepaths and size to music and image file properties.

Save file information into Microsoft Access tables
List over 340 Windows file properties
Simple drag drop functionality for selection of files and folders, including multiple folders
Also puts file lists directly into Microsoft Exel
Lists from 1 to thousands of files

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In this example, we want to put the two files below in a new Access table. We launch DDFileCatcher and drag and drop the files onto it. We select "XML without DTD" from the toolbar, and then save the file information to an XML file, using the "To file..." toolbar button. "Without DTD" means the XML file with not begin extra information (Document Type Definition) about the file's structure. This information would cause extra tables to be created in when imported into Access. This method also works with other databases and applications that can import XML files.

file list for saving to access in XML

With Microsoft Access 2007, use the "XML File" button on the "External Data" tab. You will be led through a procedure to import the XML you saved either into a new table or at the end of an existing table.

Use the "Browse" button to find the XML file containing the file information you saved with DDFileCatcher.

On the next page of the Access XML import wizard, select the import option you want. For a new table, this should be "Structure with Data".

You should only choose "Append Data to Existing Table(s)" if the XML file you saved with DDFileCatcher has the same file properties in the same order as the table to which you want to append the information.

The file information is now in the Access table, and can be filtered, manipulated, and used in any way in the database. This example uses just 2 files and 3 file properties. Over 180 file properties and thousands of files can be listed with DDFileCatcher.

import csv file list into access 2003 wizard For older databases that do not accept XML file import, such as Access 2003, the file list from DDFileCatcher should be saved in either CSV (comma separated variable) or tab delimited format. In Access 2003, click the "New" button on the project window to open the "New Table" form, and import the file.

Select the "Delimited" option, and the file properties will be placed in their respective columns.

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"All the sample files, which are spread out over an number of discs hidden in deep directories, have now been listed and location registered into an Access Database where I can rate them, find them, sort and finally relate each samples to the individual composition projects, which can use many samples. DDFileCatcher has saved me an enormous amount of work and is well worth what I paid for it". Gordon Corbridge, SONAR synthesizer software user