14 DAY TRIAL // For almost every task you want to perform in OS X, there are probably multiple ways to achieve it. One of the least publicized ones is how to get or print a list of Finder items.
Sure, you can always take a screenshot, but the picture quality or size may not be the correct one. Or maybe you don't want to play in Photoshop to remove unwanted items from that Screenshot afterwards.
It's good to know that there are at least three ways to Print a list of Finder Items so you can pick and choose the one you really like.
The Classic and Free Way number one: TextEdit to the rescue!
The first thing you want to do is open a Finder window and select the files or folders that you want to Print. Then open TextEdit – the text Editor that comes natively with OS X. You will find it in the Applications Folder.
Grab the selected list of items in Finder and drop them to the TextEdit document you just opened. You will get the list, ready to print. This list comes with the path of every document so make sure to delete any unwanted information.
The fancy and still free way: TextWrangler
There are some text editing apps around the web (or the Mac App Store for that matter) that have file browser capabilities. The best known one and a great text or code editor is Bare Bones Software's TextWrangler.
This app is free and is updated regularly, but you only need it for one purpose this time. Go to FILE – OPEN and choose the Folder you are interested in having printed. You will see that the folder contents will be displayed in the left pane of this app.
Go ahead and hit Command+P or FILE – PRINT and get on your way. This way is a fancy one just because you will also see Folder Icons in the printed result and there's no file path to get rid of.
The paid App way: "Print Window 5"
Now if you really want to have finer controls in what you print, you need to get this app. Print Window does only one thing. You guessed it: it prints windows and it does that really well.
You are first presented with a window with nice, flat buttons that will ask you to select the Finder Folder you are trying to Print. Then you have three main tabs: Layout, File Information and Icons & Headers.
The options and granularity is limited only to your imagination. You get to choose the font name and size, you can leave the folders as they are or expand them. Under "File Information" you can choose what to see in the final Print, work on sorting the folders and items or Print Folders Only.
If that was not enough, you can create your own presets and choose whether you want to print a CD/DVD Cover or you just want to export the list to a Text or Excel File.