FlashScan

FlashScan is a Windows desktop utility for scanning disks and folders and exporting a detailed file list. Built with Python and a vanilla JavaScript frontend using pywebview, it lets you filter, select, and review files before generating reports in Markdown, JSON, plain text, or a rich self-contained HTML file.

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Windows 10 or later
• Python 3.11+
• Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime — required by pywebview on Windows. Most up-to-date Windows 10/11 systems already have it installed.

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/iamcnl/flashscan.git
   cd flashscan

2. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

This installs one package: pywebview >= 4.4.

3. Run the application:

   python main.py

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Features

• Fast File System Scanning: Scans directories with configurable depth, with options to include hidden and system files.
• Interactive File Tree: A virtualized, high-performance tree view displays the scanned folder structure, capable of handling very large file lists smoothly.
• Advanced Filtering & Selection:
  • Filter files by extension, with pre-defined categories and support for custom extensions.
  • Full-text search for files and folders.
  • Advanced filters for category, file size, and modification date.
  • Bulk actions like select/deselect all, and three-state folder-level management (include all, name only, or skip).
• Multiple Export Formats:

  • HTML: A self-contained, interactive report with collapsible sections, color-coded file types, and a dark/light theme toggle.

    

  • Markdown: A clean, readable document with structured headings and lists.

  • JSON: Structured data ideal for scripting and programmatic use.

  • TXT: A simple plain text file for maximum compatibility.

• Context Menu: Right-click any file or folder for quick actions — Open, Show in Explorer, Copy Path, Copy Name, and Properties. Opening a file that runs code (such as .exe, .bat, .ps1, .lnk) asks for confirmation first.
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Full keyboard navigation for power users (see Keyboard Shortcuts).
• Persistent Settings: Remembers your last used paths, theme, sorting, and scan options between sessions.
• Date Format: The gear icon in the title bar sets how dates appear in the file list and in exports. It follows your system's regional format by default, with dd. mm. yyyy, mm/dd/yyyy and yyyy-mm-dd as alternatives.
• Drive Memory: Remembers folder notes, folder states (name only / skip), excluded files, and expanded folders for each drive, so rescanning a flash drive restores your selection even if its drive letter changes.
• Link Handling: Symlinks and NTFS junctions are never followed, so they can't cause loops or list files twice. They are reported, with their targets, in the scan issues banner.

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User Interface Workflow

The application guides you through a simple three-step process:

1. Scan: Select a folder or disk to scan. Configure scan depth and whether to include hidden or system files. A progress bar shows scan status.
2. Select Files: Browse the interactive file tree. Use the extension sidebar, search bar, or advanced filters to narrow down files. Manage folders with three-state selection (full / name only / skip). The status bar shows a running total of selected files and their combined size.
3. Export: Choose one or more output formats, specify a save location, and generate the report.

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Keyboard Shortcuts

These shortcuts are active in the file tree on Step 2.

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+F	Focus the search bar
Escape	Clear the search bar
Ctrl+A	Select all files
Ctrl+D	Deselect all files
Ctrl+E	Expand all folders
Ctrl+W	Collapse all folders
Tab	Move focus into the file tree
↑ / ↓	Move focus up / down
Home / End	Focus the first / last row
→	Expand the focused folder; if already open, move to its first child
←	Collapse the focused folder; otherwise move to its parent
Space	Toggle file selection; cycle folder state (full → name only → skip)
Enter	Toggle file selection; collapse / expand the focused folder
Shift+Click	Range-select files
Enter (path input)	Start scan

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Troubleshooting

FlashScan writes a rotating log file (up to 4 MB in total). If a scan or export fails, click the file icon in the top-right corner to show it in Explorer and attach flashscan.log to your report.

The log is at %APPDATA%\FlashScan\flashscan.log.

The log contains the scanned folder path, the output folder and paths of unreadable entries, so check it before sharing if those are private.