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 (The following describes a incredibly powerful and
configurable method of comparing, merging and purging
folders and paths.
To see a really quick way to copy modified, and only
modified, files to a backup or alternate folder and path see
the Quick Merge tool.)
How to Start
To start comparing folders or paths:
- Select Tools | Compare
Folders... from the main menu
- or click the Compare button
- Complete the Dialog and press
OK to start have
FileBoss collect and compare the folders.
- When FileBoss has finished comparing the
files it will display them in a special Virtual
Folder
The Compare Folders Dialog
.png)
The comparison window
is a special version of a File Set. File from the two
paths are displayed together sorted by path, name and
modifed date. The status column to the left shows:
N
Newer
the other folder's file is older (by modified time)
O
Older
the other folder's file is newer (by modified time)
L
Lonely
the other folder has no matching file
_
Same
The two files are the same as far as name and times are
concerned.
Alternating colored bands
are used to display files that are comparable (Newer,
0lder or the Same).
Most normal FileBoss commands
(such as hide, delete, copy, rename) are available
even though files are being compared. If an action is
performed that can corrupt the integrity of the
comparison, FileBoss will re compare the files.
Using the Merge Dialog
.png)
The top half
of the Merge dialog shows the status of the files in
the compared paths/folders.
The Which Folders to Update
section allows you to specify which folders you want
to merge to:
Both
Files will be copied both ways making the folders equal
when done.
Folder 1
Newer
Lonely and/or selected files from Folder or Path 1 will
be copied to Folder 1. Folder 2 will not be changed even
if there are newer files in Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 2 will be updated as above. Folder 1 will not be
changed.
Selected
Selected files in will be copied from the folder / path
they are in to the appropriate place in the other folder
/ path. If a file is selected it will be copied
regardless of whether it is older, newer, the same or
lonely, i.e. if it is selected it will be copied.
This can be used, for instance, to copy older files
(perhaps backup files) back to their original folder.
The Merge What
section determines which files will be updated:
Newer
Newer files will be copied
Lonely
Lonely files (those without a comparable file in the
other folder/path) will be copied.
Merging and Closing the Dialog
Pressing Merge will
perfume the indicated copy operations.
Pressing the Close This
Dialog button will close this dialog but will not
exit the comparison mode. You can close the dialog and
then use the Tool box to examine and mark the files to
perform more precise merging.
You can always return to this dialog again by
pressing the Merge
button on the toolbox.
Working in the Comparison Window
The comparison window
is a special version of a File Set. File from the two
paths are displayed together sorted by path, name and
modified date. The status column to the left shows:
N
Newer
the other folder's file is older (by modified time)
O
Older
the other folder's file is newer (by modified time)
L
Lonely
the other folder has no matching file
_
Same
The two files are the same as far as name and times are
concerned.
Alternating colored bands
are used to display files that are comparable (Newer,
0lder or the Same).
Most normal FileBoss commands
(such as hide, delete, copy, rename) are available
even though files are being compared. If an action is
performed that can corrupt the integrity of the
comparison, FileBoss will re compare the files.
Using the Compare Toolbox
.png) The
Compare Folders Toolbox
The Compare Folders toolbox is always
active while in Compare mode and allows you to
quickly manipulate the compared files.
Closing this toolbox will force FileBoss to exit
compare mode.
Since the tool box floats you can go back and forth between it and the File
Set to select or hide the various types of compared files using the toolbox and
then looking at them performing actions on them using normal FileBoss commands.
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 The
Merge button
The Merge
button invokes the Merge
Dialog where you can instruct FileBoss to
merge the compared folders according to your
directions.
You can go in out of the Merge Dialog as often
as you like.
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 The
Select buttons
The select section allows you to select all files of a certain type and in a
specific folder. For instance if you would like to look at which files are
lonely hearts in Folder 2 click that button in the second column. Then you can
use the Ctrl+F3 key to jump to the first selected file (and then the next and
the next and ....).
You might then decide, after seeing which files were lonely-hearts, to delete
them or merge them to the other folder or even copy them somewhere else using
FileBoss' normal copy routines.
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 The Hide section
The Hide section provides a convenient way to
hide files that are not relevant to what you are doing.
If there are only a few files that are different among many that are the same
it is often convenient to hide all the 'Same' files. Or if there are a lot of
'Lonely' that are temporary or working files you don't want to merge simply hide
them.
Hidden files are never copied as part of the merge process not matter their
type (and hidden files loose their selected state.
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 Show Comparison Info...
Displays the Properties dialog showing information about the compared files.
Options
Displays the dialog for setting time resolution and other comparison options.
Close & Exit
Closes this tool box and exits Compare mode.
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