Selection File Edit

Selection File Edit gathers files that are scattered across many subfolders and brings them together into a single destination. Open it from the Selection File Edit button in the main toolbar.

A classic use: you have one parent folder with dozens of subfolders, each holding a few files, and you want all those files side by side in one place.

The workflow

1. Choose the source (parent) folder and a destination folder. Paths can be pasted directly.
2. Choose Copy or Move.
3. Choose what to transfer (see below).
4. Set the Levels (see below).
5. Optionally filter by a word so only matching items are included.
6. Scan to preview the count and total size, or Show Conflicts to list name clashes.
7. Start. A progress bar and log keep you informed, and Stop ends the process safely.

Transfer modes

Mode	Result
Files only	Every file is placed flat, next to each other, in the destination. The folder structure is discarded.
Folders only	Only the folder structure is recreated in the destination, no files.
Both	Files and folders together, keeping the original structure.

Levels (depth)

The Levels field controls how deep the collection reaches:

Value	Meaning
1	Only items directly in the source folder (default).
0	All levels, down to the deepest subfolder.
2	The source folder plus its direct subfolders.
3, 4, …	That many levels deep.

Filter by word

Enter a word to include only items whose name contains it. In Both mode, the parent folders of matching files are still created so the structure stays valid.

Name conflicts

Before anything is moved or copied, ANE lists every name conflict, files whose name already exists in the destination, or several source files that share one name (which would collide when flattened). You then choose how each is handled:

Choice	Behaviour
Rename	Automatically add a numeric suffix (file_1, file_2, …).
Skip	Leave the existing file and skip the incoming one.
Overwrite	Replace the existing file.

Use Show Conflicts for a quick conflicts-only check without running anything.

Cleanup after a move

When moving files, you can optionally have ANE delete subfolders that became empty afterwards, leaving the source tidy.

Scan preview

Scan reports how many items would be affected and their total size, plus the active filter, all without changing anything. It is the safe way to check scope before you start.

See also

• Live Search: for finding individual items rather than bulk collecting.
• Examples and Use Cases: collecting every invoice into one folder.
• Warnings and Safety: conflict handling and the Stop button.