How to Add Files for Printing

Print Conductor enables you to add files for batch printing using various methods. You can do it manually or via loading lists. The program supports importing lists in TXT, FLIST, XLSX, XLS, and CSV format as well as adding files contained in ZIP, RAR, or 7ZIP archives. Loading a previously saved list can be done either by clicking the Import button or by double-clicking the FLIST file or drag-dropping it onto the Print Conductor main window. Let's look into more features related to adding files.

This article describes Print Conductor 7.0 (or newer version). Please refer to the article How to Print Files in a Sorted Order if you're using an earlier version.

Learn how to:

First off, select a printer that you want to send your list of files to. Then add your files into Print Conductor using one of the methods described below.

Drag files and drop them to the list

To add files to Print Conductor, select one or several files and drag them to the main window of the program, then release the mouse button. You can quickly add all files contained in a folder, too. Just open a folder, press Ctrl + A, drag the selected items and drop them onto Print Conductor main window:

Add files to the list using drag-drop

Alternatively, you can import files by clicking the Add Documents button. This button opens a window where you can browse for files. Here you can select between all supported file formats or only certain ones. Add Folder button allows importing an entire folder of files.

Import a list using Add documents and Add folder buttons

You can customize which folder opens when you click either of these buttons. To configure it, find the Initial folder for "Add folder" and Initial folder for "Add documents" settings in the Advanced Settings and change them. By default, the initial folder is the last opened folder. 

Set initial folder for Add Documents and Add Folder buttons

How to exclude certain files by mask

You can exclude certain types of files from being added to the program's list. For example, you have BAK, EMF, WMF, CFG, and XML files in the source folder or archive, but they are not wanted in the List of Documents. To rule them out, go to the Advanced settings and find Exclude files by mask feature. Then add required file extensions you wish to exclude from processing:

Exclude files by mask

You can add any file extension this way. File extensions should be added like so:

*.[file extension]

Add documents from a ZIP, RAR, or 7ZIP archive

You can also add documents from an archive without extracting them beforehand. Just drag a ZIP file (or another type of archive) and drop it onto the Print Conductor main window. All files in this archive will be automatically added to the list.

   Import archives

Import a list of files from a TXT file

You can also import a list if you already have file paths listed (e.g., a list of file destinations created by another software). On the main window, click the Import List button to import it into Print Conductor.

Import a list for batch printing

The TXT file must contain full file paths (with or without double quotation marks), each on a separate line. 

Using wildcards in a TXT file list

When importing a list of files from a text file, it is possible to use commonly used system wildcard characters. For example:

  • Asterisk (star, *). The asterisk is the wildcard character which stands for any string of characters (including no characters at all).
  • Question mark (?). The question mark matches one single character. It stands for any random character.

Using wildcards to import files via FLIST file

Importing a list of web pages (URLs)

If you have URLs of web pages that you want to print, simply save them as a TXT file (each web address on a separate line). Then, load the file list to Print Conductor using the Import List button. The web pages will be automatically converted to HTML and ready for printing.

Import a list of web pages (URLs) to be printed with Print Conductor

Did you know?

Using only Notepad, you can easily select files and create a TXT with their names and destinations. Each file path will appear on a separate line (see the screenshot below). Here's a step-by-step instruction:

  1. Open a folder and select all files by pressing Ctrl + A on your keyboard;
  2. While holding Shift, right-click the files and select Copy as path;
  3. Now all file paths are saved in the clipboard and can be pasted into Notepad;
  4. Create a new TXT file in Notepad;
  5. Paste the file paths into Notepad using Ctrl + V;
  6. Save the resultant TXT file.

Add files listed in a plain text file

If you have any difficulty creating a text file listing of the folder contents, check out our video How to get a list of files in a folder and print them.

Then you can simply import this TXT file to Print Conductor using the Import List button.

Import a list of documents from an Excel file (XLS, XLSX, CSV)

If you have Microsoft Excel installed, you can upload a list of document file paths contained within an XLS, XLSX, or CSV file. You'll need a basic spreadsheet with file paths. The header of the first column should be named #file. File paths should be added to this column.

Import an Excel file to Print Conductor as a list of files

#file is a must, and it should include a full path to the file and the filename. The remaining columns are optional. You can add optional parameters for each file. To do it, add the following columns with headings:

  • #copies (set the number of copies to be printed. For example 3)
  • #pages (set the page range, e.g., 1,3,10-25)
  • #papersize (set paper format, e.g., Letter; see instruction below)
  • #duplex (set duplex mode: Long-edge binding, Short-edge binding, As in printer, Simplex)
  • #orientation (set page orientation: Portrait, Landscape, As in document, As in printer)
  • #color (set color mode: Color or Grayscale)
  • #customtext (enter user-specified text for custom sorting or advanced watermarking)
  • #trayname (select a printer tray as described below)

To check available paper sizes and tray names for the current printer, click the Print Conductor logo and select Printer info...

Check printer info

Once you have added all necessary files to Print Conductor's List of Documents, you can click Start Printing.

How to show Custom text columns in Print Conductor

To view the Custom text, Custom text 1, Custom text 2, etc. columns in the Print Conductor interface:

  1. Right-click the white space on Print Conductor List of Documents window → Show/hide columns → Custom text columns;
  2. Click on Custom text to enable it;
  3. Select Add new, it will be named "Custom text 1". Click again to add Custom text 2, etc. How to show Custom text columns in Print Conductor

By the way…

You can save a current list for future use by clicking the Export list button.

Export a saved list for future use

This way, your list of documents will be saved as a FLIST file with all the settings and file order that you've set.

Load a list from Print Conductor's FLIST file

When you have a saved list that was previously exported from the program's interface, you can load it anytime you need to print the documents. Simply double-click the FLIST file or do it by clicking the Import button.

Import a previously saved FLIST file

Setting the printer to be selected automatically when importing FLIST file

If you have your List of Documents as a FLIST or TXT file, you can edit it using a text editor such as Notepad (right-click the file, click Open with… and select Notepad).

This way, you can insert the printer's name in that FLIST file – just add a line PrinterName="[printer name]" in the beginning of the file, on a separate line (see screenshot below). As a result, the desired printer will be selected automatically when this FLIST file is loaded in Print Conductor. 

Set printer name in the list of imported files (FLIST file)

Load files from selected folders at program start

Suppose you have all the necessary files for printing located in a folder (or several folders). In that case, you can get them instantly added to the program. Print Conductor will automatically scan them and import all files into the List of Documents when the program starts.

To use this feature, find Load files from folders in the Advanced Settings and specify a path to one or more folders:

Import files from selected folders at Print Conductor start

How to add files that have a non-standard file extension

If you have files in supported format but with a non-standard file extension, Print Conductor won't let you import these files. Still, there is a way to add and print them.

As an example, your software generates [filename].invoice files, which are structurally PDF. Print Conductor does not process files with ".invoice" extension. However, with the help of the File extension aliases tab, it is possible to import and print them – just associate your .invoice files with PDF format. Then your files will be processed the same way as PDF, which is one of the supported file types.

File associations in Print Conductor

To process files with custom extension:

  1. Open the File extension aliases tab in the Settings;
  2. Place a cursor next to a file type you want to associate your files with;
  3. Enter your custom file extension;
  4. (optional) input several file extensions (type a new one after pressing Enter).

This way, you will be able to add your files without any extra effort. If you are not sure whether Print Conductor can or cannot process your specific files, please contact us.

Add the same files to the List more than once (Unique content in file list)

Print Conductor doesn't let you add the same file to the List of Documents more than once with the Unique content in file list setting enabled by default. It helps you avoid a situation when a document is added to the list and printed several times by mistake. 

To add the same file to the List of Documents more than once, switch off this option by unchecking the Unique content in file list option:

Enable/disable unique list

Disabling this setting can help if you want to print the same document several times. You may need to print a complex set of documents in a specific order in which one or more documents are included in the list twice or several times, for example, like so:

  • Document A
  • Document B
  • Document C
  • Document A
  • Document D
  • Document E

Turning off this setting can also help you print the same document with different print settings. Just add the same document as many times as needed and apply individual settings to each item using Item settings… from the contextual menu.

Note

If this was a one-time task, we recommend reverting Unique content in file list to the default setting (checked). You can do it by checking the box next to this setting again or clicking the Reset to default button.

To allow adding the same file more than once:

  1. Go to Settings > Advanced;
  2. Find the Unique content in file list setting (start typing "unique" in the search bar) and uncheck it;
  3. Click OK;
  4. Add files to the List of Documents;
  5. (optional) Apply individual settings to list items;
  6. Click OK.

Quickly send files to Print Conductor using the right mouse click (Add to Windows Explorer context menu)

Print Conductor offers a convenient feature that allows you to easily add selected files to the program with just a few clicks. You can simply select a group of files in your Windows system, right-click them, and choose Send to Print Conductor. The files will be instantly added to the List of Documents. This can be done with:

  • one or several files
  • a folder
  • an archive (ZIP, RAR, 7ZIP)

Send files quickly to Print Conductor from the Windows context menu

Please note that this feature is activated during the installation of Print Conductor. Make sure to have the Add to Windows Explorer context menu option enabled on this installation wizard's dialog screen:

Turn on "Add to Windows explorer context menu" in Print Conductor

If you have Print Conductor installed without enabling the Add to Windows Explorer context menu option, there's no problem. Simply reinstall the program and check the checkbox mentioned above to activate this feature. Install the program, activate it again using your license key, and you'll be able to use the context menu option.

Now that you know how to add files and create lists in Print Conductor, you can easily print the same documents again without any effort.

See also:

How To
Get other useful guides on using Print Conductor and see many other useful how-tos, solutions, tips & tricks on effective batch printing. You'll find out how to import & export files, manage print lists, configure document and page settings, set up service pages, and so much more.