Add duplicate folder check? All others flawed

[Steve R]

Duplicate Cleaner is quite useful and well done -- but it could be even better if it could check for duplicate folders.
For many types of files, particularly program files any compressed sets (multivolume RARs, etc), you dont' want to delete part of each duplicate folder because then neither will work. Two versions of a program often have some indentical files, but you don't want to delete just that duplicate if you're keeping both versions. Many MS programs have duplicate DLLs, but each needs a copy to work.
And for folders such as pictures or ripped CDs where you might one set transferred more than once, you can elminate one folder copy rather than dozens of individual files. Sometimes, you can eliminate thousands of files as once (such as finding an unneeded backup of My Documents).
As far as I can find, there are no freeware programs than do this and about half a dozen shareware program -- all of which have bad flaws. I haven't even found a commercial program.
I did a quick prototype for one way of doing this using Revolution, so I have a good idea of what's involved (but the Rev version is too slow to be practical).
One strategy is to walk the directory of the disk, then sort by tree height (number of subfolders away from the leaves -- folders with no subdirectories) while keeping an index of files, folders and total length in each folder. Any branches with matching total height, files, folders and total length are then candidates for closer checks.
I have a lot more details about how to do this and why the other programs have problems if anyone is interested in taking it further.

[DV]

Good idea - it would certainly extend the usefulness of the program. No time to implement now in the upcoming version but it's something I'll look at for the future.

Thanks
DV