QUERY: batch session compare run

[andwan0]

I have multiple sessions saved that compare local HDs with removable HD folders. eg.

local HD C vs removable HD folder C
local HD D vs removable HD folder D
...
and so on


I mirror my HD with my removable HD. My HD is split up into 32GB partitions (coz I still like FAT32) whilst my removable HD is 1 big NTFS partition.

Since the removable HD is susceptible to errors easily (Windows Delay Write Fail, etc), then I need to run check disk (chkdsk P: /f /v /x /r) to fix NTFS errors. Then I do a binary compare with each local partition with the corresponding removable HD folder that mirrors the local partition.

Is there a way to batch the session binary compares, and keep them open in TABs? So I can run the batch process over night and then next morning look for files that failed the binary compare and fix them.

[Aaron]

You could save a series of open tabs as a Workspace, then have it run a background content comparison. First make sure each session is saved to run background content comparisons and use binary content comparisons in their Session Settings.

Then, open a series of windows and tabs of your saved sessions, running a background comparison. Then go to the Session menu and Save a Workspace. You can then load this workspace to launch all of the open Windows and tabs at once.

Also, you could store all of the sessions in a folder on the Home screen, right click the folder and launch all the sessions inside the folder.

Does this help with your current task?

[andwan0]

You could save a series of open tabs as a Workspace, then have it run a background content comparison. First make sure each session is saved to run background content comparisons and use binary content comparisons in their Session Settings.

Then, open a series of windows and tabs of your saved sessions, running a background comparison. Then go to the Session menu and Save a Workspace. You can then load this workspace to launch all of the open Windows and tabs at once.

Also, you could store all of the sessions in a folder on the Home screen, right click the folder and launch all the sessions inside the folder.

Does this help with your current task?

How to change/save to run background content comparisions? I can't see any option in BC 3.1.2.

Also, if I open the workspace which has 6 sessions... then wouldn't they all run simultaneously? I don't mind about slowness, but if there's 12 simultaneous file accesses (6 on my HD, 6 on the removable HD), then that would be overkill. It'll probably overheat or wear my removable HD arm....

But yeah, as long as BC can batch run sessions one after another...

[andwan0]

I did what you said and left it running over night. However my screensaver/locked screen came on and I think this halted BC. Coz in the morning hardly any of the compare sessions even got past a few files.

So I took upon myself to study the BC scripting (which appears to be consistent/same across versions 2 & 3. Here is what I drafted up. Please look at it and tell me if it's alright, and whether the logging is like default settings as you'd get from the menus:

log normal "C:\dlog.txt"
load "Drive D"
criteria
compare binary
expand all
folder-report layout:summary options:display-mismatches-no-orphans output-to:dreport.txt

(and copy/repeat the above lines of code in one big text file to load into bcompare.exe)


I know the criteria is stored/set in the sessions. But let say I didn't use sessions and loaded base folders. The default criteria is compare-timestamps, compare-size-only. How do we unset these criteria and only set binary criteria regarding to scripting? I assume we just write criteria keyword with blank parameters... to unset them....


Anyway, I think the above script is sound now...

[Aaron]

Hello,

I would recommend setting up the criteria in the session first to make your script simpiler. You do not need either the criteria or compare commands in this case.

If you wanted to set criteria and folders manually, you would:
log normal "c:\dlog.txt"
criteria binary
load c:\folder1 c:\folder2
expand all
folder-report layout:summary etc.

In order to set the criteria used before opening the pair of folders (which then uses the set criteria).

The Compare command works on the current selection, and should not be needed unless you want to load your session, then expand all, then select all files, and then compare binary in order to use a different comparison method that is not saved with the Session.

[andwan0]

Hello,

I would recommend setting up the criteria in the session first to make your script simpiler. You do not need either the criteria or compare commands in this case.

If you wanted to set criteria and folders manually, you would:
log normal "c:\dlog.txt"
criteria binary
load c:\folder1 c:\folder2
expand all
folder-report layout:summary etc.

In order to set the criteria used before opening the pair of folders (which then uses the set criteria).

The Compare command works on the current selection, and should not be needed unless you want to load your session, then expand all, then select all files, and then compare binary in order to use a different comparison method that is not saved with the Session.

Thanks, no wonder mine didn't work (it didn't do binary compare). I got the "compare binary" line from your help file.. so I think that's a mistake.....