Feature requests

[Myth]

Would it be possible to add the following 2 optional features for the Selection Assistant (possibly burying them in an "advanced" tab):


1) Exclusive cross-searchpath selection

It would be incredibly useful if it were possible to select duplicates across multiple search paths while excluding any duplicates that occur exclusive to any specified search path.

That is, if we were to specify C:\MyWeb and Z:\MyOldWeb folders for comparison, then not duplicates exclusive to C:\MyWeb. Nor any duplicates exclusive to Z:\MyOldWeb. Select just the duplicates that occur in both C:\MyWeb and Z:\MyOldWeb.

This would be great for de-duplicating between backup generations, without getting bogged down with any intentional file duplications (particularly when working with website revisions, local site mirrors etc).


2) Structural context selection

With this feature only duplicates located with matching filepaths (within each search path) would be selected. That is, let's say we have the following duplicates:

1. <path1>\somefolder\dup.txt
2. <path2>\dup.txt
3. <path2>\somefolder\dup.txt
4. <path2>\someotherfolder\dup.txt

With context selection on only filepaths 1 and 3 would be selected, as they share the same relative folder as well as the same content. This means that duplicates that have been made on purpose (in say a backup folder) can be retained easily.

[DV]

Thanks for the suggestions.
(1) has been impemented in the unreleased DC3.0, as an optional flag on the input folder ('Don't scan against self').
(2)Interesting idea, will investigate.

[Myth]

Any ETA on a DC3.0 release or the incorporation of "Don't scan against self" into DC2.0? It would be really handy as I need to cross check an old back up with a new one.

[MH]

Similar use case as outlined in 1)

Family has photos spread over multiple portable discs and each family member makes slight personal modifications to some photos. Then family tries to combine them back on one destination as the "family memory"(i.e. NAS, HomeServer, Cloud Storage, etc)

[Mark M.]

I have two requests.

First, Duplicate Cleaner should have an option in the Search Criteria to exclude files of 0 bytes. Currently, any two files which are 0 bytes long are listed as being duplicates. If you use the "Minimum File Size (KB)" field, 0 KB excludes nothing and 1 KB excludes anything up to 1024 bytes. I'd like to include files from 1 to 1023 bytes while excluding 0 byte files.

Second, consider getting the warning "Warning - 1 group(s) have ALL copies of duplicate files marked" during "File Removal...". You are asked if you care to proceed and the only two choices are "Yes" and "No". Help me out here, give me a choice "Yes, but exclude those groups". I had over 900 groups and more than 2000 files to scan through manually to find a single group.

[zz]

You can exclude 0 byte files:
Options->Exclude zero size files from duplicate list.

If you click on the red flag icon by the duplicate list, it will pop up a window showing the groups will all files marked.

[Myth]

It would also be handy if there was an advanced search criteria panel that allowed an extended range of search criteria (such as Same Comment, Same Author, etc).

That said, I could really use that "Don't scan against self" option right about now *nudge*