diff --git a/gui/CMakeLists.txt b/gui/CMakeLists.txt
index f681677..7dba68c 100644
--- a/gui/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gui/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ set( PROGRAM_SRC
 	main.cpp
 	SearchWindow.cpp
 	MultiSelect.cpp
+	helpers.cpp
 )
 
 add_executable( ${PROGRAM_EXE} ${PROGRAM_SRC} )
diff --git a/gui/helpers.cpp b/gui/helpers.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b492b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gui/helpers.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/**
+ * MIT License
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 EOS Sw/eden
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ */
+#include "helpers.h"
+
+QStringList get_files(const QDir& directory) {
+
+	QFileInfoList list;
+	QStringList ret;
+
+	list = directory.entryInfoList(QDir::Files);
+   	for (int i = 0; i < list.size(); ++i) {
+		QFileInfo info = list.at(i);
+		ret << info.fileName();
+   	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
+QStringList get_files(const QString& directory)
+{
+	return get_files(QDir(directory));
+}
diff --git a/gui/helpers.h b/gui/helpers.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ccb5218
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gui/helpers.h
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/**
+ * MIT License
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 EOS Sw/eden
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ */
+#ifndef HELPERS_H
+#define HELPERS_H
+
+#include <QString>
+#include <QStringList>
+#include <QDir>
+
+//
+// Get a list of files for a given directory.
+// NOTE: only filenames are returned. relative to directory.
+//
+QStringList get_files(const QDir& directory);
+QStringList get_files(const QString& directory);
+
+#endif /* HELPERS_H */