Visualizing my computers data
February 13, 2011 10:16 AM Subscribe
How can I visualize the file structure of data on my computer?
Are there any tools that enable you to make an image of your folder structure? I need this for a small project which involves several collaborators, but I thought it would also be really useful to have for thinking about how I organize all my files.
I was thinking of viewing them in some sort of tree like structure. I have seen something like this using the command line, but I was hoping for something more aesthetically pleasing. Though maybe this could be done using Latex/Command line; which is an answer that would interest me!
I'm using OSX so ideally would like something that runs on that.
Are there any tools that enable you to make an image of your folder structure? I need this for a small project which involves several collaborators, but I thought it would also be really useful to have for thinking about how I organize all my files.
I was thinking of viewing them in some sort of tree like structure. I have seen something like this using the command line, but I was hoping for something more aesthetically pleasing. Though maybe this could be done using Latex/Command line; which is an answer that would interest me!
I'm using OSX so ideally would like something that runs on that.
I don't mean this snarkily, but on Mac you can use Finder to visualize your file system by taking a screenshot of it with all the directories expanded. On Windows you can do it with Windows Explorer, and on Linux you can do it with whatever shell you like.
I'm guessing that's not what you're looking for, though, so maybe an example image if the kind of diagram you are looking for would get more helpful answers.
Related, but again not-quite-right, you can visualize size of directories:
On Windows: Windirstat
On Linux:Kdristat
On Mac:Disk Inventory X
posted by fake at 10:24 AM on February 13, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm guessing that's not what you're looking for, though, so maybe an example image if the kind of diagram you are looking for would get more helpful answers.
Related, but again not-quite-right, you can visualize size of directories:
On Windows: Windirstat
On Linux:Kdristat
On Mac:Disk Inventory X
posted by fake at 10:24 AM on February 13, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: fake, your point about Finder is true, though I want something that can show all subfolders at the same time. In Finder you can only drill down to one of those subfolders.
I uploaded a quick example of what I would like the visualization to be here:
http://imgur.com/eDke5
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 10:33 AM on February 13, 2011
I uploaded a quick example of what I would like the visualization to be here:
http://imgur.com/eDke5
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 10:33 AM on February 13, 2011
"Just bring up the list view in the Finder and option-click on the disclosure triangle of the folder whose hierarchy you wish to see." - MacWorld comment
posted by PickeringPete at 10:53 AM on February 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by PickeringPete at 10:53 AM on February 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
This answers 1/2 of your question. Download Textwrangler, it's free. Open it up and just drag any folder into the open window and it will give you a directory of all files and subfolders and their contents in text form. So, this gives you the data, the next step would be converting it into the flowchart style you want.
posted by jardinier at 10:57 AM on February 13, 2011
posted by jardinier at 10:57 AM on February 13, 2011
I want something that can show all subfolders at the same time. In Finder you can only drill down to one of those subfolders.
Sounds like you're probably using column view. As PickeringPete said, you can expand as many directories as you like in list view.
posted by ripley_ at 11:02 AM on February 13, 2011
Sounds like you're probably using column view. As PickeringPete said, you can expand as many directories as you like in list view.
posted by ripley_ at 11:02 AM on February 13, 2011
I think with the text app that jardinier mentioned, you could get by with a diagramming package like Dia.
posted by fake at 11:34 AM on February 13, 2011
posted by fake at 11:34 AM on February 13, 2011
So this sort of thing does not solve your problem? This is how you'd represent the data you were trying to represent, just with folders in the finder. I'm really sorry if this isn't what you're after but I wanted to make sure you know what the finder can do in different views.
posted by jessamyn at 11:40 AM on February 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 11:40 AM on February 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
You want to use Graphviz. Your filesystem is a type of directed acyclic graph called a tree. You will want to use a standard unix tool like find to output a list of your filesystem's directories and files like so:
...here the print argument may not be needed, and
posted by axiom at 1:10 PM on February 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
find ./ -print > filesystem.txt...here the print argument may not be needed, and
./ can/should be replaced by the path to the directory you'd like to map. Once you have this file, you'll need to use some scripting to turn it into an input file formatted for Graphviz (see their documentation on DOT), which will then happily draw your picture for you.posted by axiom at 1:10 PM on February 13, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: jessamyn (and others) - it's true that I could use Finder to show the folder structure as I described it. Thanks for the explanation how do it - it's useful.
I was hoping to have something more vector-like and abstract though. I did not realize I could see the folder structure in TextWrangler - that is nifty. If no other options are out there I will try and make something using graphviz or dia (both very interesting in their own right).
Thank you all!
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 1:17 PM on February 13, 2011
I was hoping to have something more vector-like and abstract though. I did not realize I could see the folder structure in TextWrangler - that is nifty. If no other options are out there I will try and make something using graphviz or dia (both very interesting in their own right).
Thank you all!
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 1:17 PM on February 13, 2011
The command line utility tree is available in Darwin ports.
posted by tallus at 7:30 PM on February 13, 2011
posted by tallus at 7:30 PM on February 13, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2011