Disorganized Photos to a Single Directory?

[occamman]

I have many photo directories scattered around various placed in my computer - some have duplicates of photos that are in other directories, etc.

I'm thinking of creating a single large directory which contains a single copy of each photo found in any directory, but I don't see an obvious way to do that. Can you suggest something?

[DigitalVolcano]

At the simplest level you can run a scan (Exact matches or Image Mode Similar matches), Mark 'Only one file in each group', and then copy all the marked photos to your new folder (making sure Overwrite is turned off).

[bsacco]

Where is Overwrite is turned off?

[DigitalVolcano]

See here-
https://www.digitalvolcano.co.uk/duplic ... =&sct=MA==

[bsacco]

Thanks for the tip on finding the Overwrite feature.


The problem is I can't get DCPro 5 to find duplicates, period. For some reason after not using it for a while I open it up and ran it on Regular mode/ scan content on a fold that I know has a ton of dupes and it came back find ZERO dupes.

WHat gives?

Is the program corrupted?

[DigitalVolcano]

Try using 'New scan' on the Home tab to set to default settings.
Check in the scan summary after scanning to make sure no folders have been skipped.

[bsacco]

Thanks, that seemed to work. It's now scanning.

[bsacco]

Is it best practice to gather all your photos into ONE folder THEN run DCPro for duplicate marking then move all the dupes to a separate folder?

OR

Is it best practice to run a duplicate check "as you go" on a series of smaller FOLDERS that contain your photos?

The reason I ask is because I cannot rely on file name because file names have been changed so many times. I can only rely on the actual visual (content) of the photo and videos. Dealing with UBER large folders stuffed with images and videos can be difficult.

What is your recommendations?

[bsacco]

Also, need to add is there any difference when dealing with music files vs. photos?

[DigitalVolcano]

1. Gather All Photos into One Folder

Pros:
Comprehensive Scan: Ensures that all photos are checked against each other, leading to a more thorough duplication detection process.
Simplified Workflow: Having all photos in one place can simplify the management and review process.

Cons:
Performance Issues: If you have a very large collection of photos, scanning them all at once might be resource-intensive and time-consuming.
Organization Overhead: Consolidating photos into one folder may disrupt your existing organizational structure, requiring additional effort to reorganize them afterward.

2. Run Duplicate Check on Smaller Folders
Pros:

Better Performance: Scanning smaller batches can be faster and less resource-intensive, making it easier to manage large collections incrementally.
Maintain Organization: You can keep your existing folder structure intact, reducing the need for reorganization post-scan.
Cons:
Partial Scan Risk: This method might miss duplicates that are located in different folders, especially if those folders are not included in the same scan session.
Incremental Complexity: You may need to run multiple scans and consolidate results, which could be more complex and time-consuming in the long run.

Recommendations
For Large Collections
Hybrid Approach: Start by organizing your photos into broad categories (e.g., by year, event, or theme). Then, run DCPro on these smaller, categorized folders. This balances performance and thoroughness.

For Moderate to Small Collections
Single Folder Approach: If your collection is not excessively large, gathering all photos into one folder and running a comprehensive scan might be more efficient and straightforward.

General Best Practices
Backup First: Always create a backup of your photos before running any duplicate detection and removal process to avoid accidental data loss.
Use Tags and Metadata: Utilize tags, metadata, and other organizational tools to help manage your photos more effectively both before and after duplicate removal.
Regular Maintenance: Run duplicate checks periodically to prevent duplicates from accumulating and becoming a larger issue over time.