Move all files from subdirectories into main directory

Martin Brinkmann
Apr 7, 2008
Updated • Nov 4, 2014
Software, Windows software
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19

When I extract multiple archives at once I use a setting that creates a directory of the same name in the main folder. This isn't such a big problem normally if I decided to keep the extracted files in the new folder but it sometimes becomes a problem when I need all the files in one directory. Lets take the following example. I have downloaded twenty videoclips as archives and extracted them into twenty subdirectories of the download folder on my hard drive.

I used to move each file manually from the subdirectory into the main directory until I could not take it anymore and decided to search for a solution that would automatically move all files in all subdirectories of a selected folder into that folder. I did find Dir Utils, a software that can do that and much more.

Dir Utils adds six entries to the right-click menu, among them is the option called Unify which moves all files from all subdirectories (and their subdirectories..) into the main folder.

Here are the five other options that are available:

  • Extensionize: Categorises files in a folder by their extensions. It is possible to move all video files into one subfolder, all audio files and so on. That's the only option that comes with its own .ini file that can be configured to add file types to groups.
  • Alphabetize: Moves files in a directory automatically into subdirectories beginning with the first char of their name. Chars beginning with a-z will be moved to the subdirectories a-z accordingly, all numbers will be moved to the subdirectory 0, all file s beginning with any other char will be moved to the ! subdirectory. Great for directories with many files in them.
  • Arrange: Automatically creates subdirectories for multi-volume archives. I'm using Extract Now for that purpose.
  • Unzip: Will find all zip files and unzip them into a directory with the same name. I'm using Extract Now for that purpose.
  • New Dir: Reduces the number of clicks needed to create a new subdirectory from 3 to 2.

Update: The developer website is no longer available. You can download the latest release version from our servers by clicking on the following link: (Download Removed)

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Comments

  1. tom said on October 8, 2010 at 7:32 am
    Reply

    I have a backup on my site now that both djnutz and the original site are down.
    http://www.tomschaefer.org/web/wordpress/?p=1623

    1. Martin said on October 8, 2010 at 9:53 am
      Reply

      Thanks Tom!

  2. Ambriel said on March 10, 2010 at 12:12 pm
    Reply

    Excellent! Does just what I need it to do.

    Used the Unify function to collate a library of several thousand photos spread across multiple folders.

    Would have taken hours manually but this utility did it in seconds!

  3. Joel said on May 10, 2009 at 9:45 am
    Reply

    djnutz, Thanks SO MUCH for the link! I freaked out when I couldn’t find this program anywhere. This saved me hours of moving tons of files in a bunch of folders all into one.

  4. David said on December 7, 2008 at 6:44 am
    Reply

    djnutz: Thanks so much for hosting it. You just saved me a ton of time.

  5. Stuart said on May 30, 2008 at 5:47 pm
    Reply

    Thanks very much. I really appreciate it

  6. djnutz said on May 30, 2008 at 8:25 am
    Reply

    Since the creators website is down:

    Posted the link and a Vista work around on my site that I haven’t updated. http://www.djnutz.com. Great program though and found the install file on my desktop. Enjoy.

  7. Stuart said on May 26, 2008 at 5:31 pm
    Reply

    I had this utility and my laptop was stolen. Does anyone know where i can get it. I loved it and would like to get it again. Perhaps if someone already downloaded it they could host it for a few people
    Thanks

  8. GSC said on April 17, 2008 at 11:47 am
    Reply

    Link broken!

  9. Leslie said on April 15, 2008 at 10:26 pm
    Reply

    your link doesn’t work

  10. Roman ShaRP said on April 12, 2008 at 9:11 pm
    Reply

    I do it in very simple way – cut from filemanager search screen, and paste where I need them.

  11. Bryan said on April 9, 2008 at 2:35 am
    Reply

    Awesome app. I’ve already fallen in love with its abilities. This baby from this day forward will save me a ton of time. Oh…if you pair this app with Zipalot then you have a winning combination.

    1. ARGG said on November 15, 2013 at 3:16 am
      Reply

      You needed to learn to use windows “search” !
      With windows SEARCH , I can do all that this can do, and its free

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