What Does Nifty File Lists Do?

Updated

Nifty File Lists is a macOS utility from publicspace.net that turns any folder into a document you can archive, print, or hand to someone else. Instead of screenshotting a Finder window or manually typing filenames into a spreadsheet, you point it at a folder and it produces a structured listing. It is currently at version 1.30, and that release adds paginated PDF manifests with provenance stamps, Excel-ready CSV output, print-ready plain-text listings, and compatibility with macOS 27 Golden Gate.

What it produces

The tool's output formats map to three different jobs:

Output format What it's for
Paginated PDF manifest Archival or hand-off documents, with provenance stamps and page breaks
Excel-ready CSV Sorting, filtering, or further processing in a spreadsheet
Print-ready plain-text listing Quick physical printouts without layout overhead

The PDF manifest is the most "document-like" of the three — pagination and provenance stamps suggest it's meant to stand on its own as a record of what was in a folder at a given moment, not just a working file.

Where it fits in the publicspace.net lineup

publicspace.net has been publishing Mac software since 1996, and Nifty File Lists sits alongside file-handling tools like A Better Finder Rename (file renaming with EXIF, MP3, instant preview, multi-step renames, presets, and regex) and A Better Finder Attributes (JPEG/RAW shooting dates, timestamp syncing, file date changes). Nifty File Lists is the one that doesn't modify your files — it only describes them.

That distinction matters when you're choosing: if you need to change filenames or dates, you want the other two tools. If you need a record of what's there, this is the one.

Who it's for

The clearest use case is anyone who has to account for a folder's contents to someone else — a client, an archive, a records process. A photographer delivering a shoot, for example, could generate a PDF manifest of the delivered files rather than leaving the recipient to browse a folder. The CSV path suits anyone who wants to audit or cross-reference a large file collection in a spreadsheet.

Practical notes

  • The product page lists Info, Download, and Buy links, so there is a paid version; the page does not state pricing, so check the site directly before assuming cost or a free tier.
  • Version 1.30 is the current release referenced on the site, and macOS 27 Golden Gate compatibility is called out explicitly — relevant if you're on that OS version.
  • The site's recent news section tracks version changes, so it's worth checking there for anything newer than 1.30.