Can one show folders with same names independently of their contents?

[Donk]

Can you display folders with different names but having (partially) the same content? So if a file of a folder on the right side is identical with a file (or more) of a folder with different name on the left side those folder pairs are shown.

How can one show folders with the identical names independently of their contents (in Folder Comlpare / Merge / Sync)?

And how can one show only the folders which have different contents? So folders with unequal contents or existing on the right side or on the left side only are not shown.

[Aaron]

Hello,

1) Not automatically; folders and files align by file name first, and are then compared. You can use the Align With command to manually override a folder alignment if the folders are on the same level/bucket, but this requires knowing which pair to align and performing it manually. You can also remove the folders, placing all files in a single list and aligning by name using the Ignore Folder Structure command; this assumes all file names on each side are unique.

2) BC4 does not support this type of view. Files inform the folder comparison status, so we do not have a method to compare the folder status independent of files. The View menu -> Compare Files and Folder Structure could help, and you can remove files from view with the Filter: -*.*
However, removing Orphans from view will also remove a folder pair that only contains orphans as subfolders. This would remove some folder pairs that have the same name on the top level, but only differ as orphans as subfolders. Since you also want to find/see these, this won't likely meet your requirements.

3) Set to show files (*.*), and switch the View menu to Only Compare Files. And set the Display Filter to Show Differences. Expand All will remove all folders that only contain equal files. If you need to limit the view further, while expanded use Edit menu -> Select All Files, then right click and Exclude to leave only the folders.

[Donk]

Hello Aaron,

Thank you very much!

1)

Not automatically; folders and files align by file name first, and are then compared. You can use the Align With command to manually override a folder alignment if the folders are on the same level/bucket, but this requires knowing which pair to align and performing it manually.

So it would work for single / some folders but it wouldn't with thousands of them, I assume, it would be a very big effort with such an amount of folders; displaying folders with different names but having (partially) the same contents cannot be found / displayed automatically / in an effectively way.

You can also remove the folders, placing all files in a single list and aligning by name using the Ignore Folder Structure command; this assumes all file names on each side are unique.

So you can compare all the files with identical names (of different folders in the same level independently of their names) against each others.

2)

However, removing Orphans from view will also remove a folder pair that only contains orphans as subfolders. This would remove some folder pairs that have the same name on the top level, but only differ as orphans as subfolders.

So when you display empty folders like that the only items which might be in a folder being shown as empty could be an empty (sub) folder or more (sub folders of a sub folder or more). So it is not possible to accidentally remove a file this way, respectively a none empty folder (besides of the sub folders). Is that right?

3)

Expand All will remove all folders that only contain equal files.

And the equal amount of files / sub folders, I assume?

If you need to limit the view further, while expanded use Edit menu -> Select All Files, then right click and Exclude to leave only the folders.

That shows the folders with same names having different containts and folders only being on the right and left side? Can one show only the folders with different contents? One have do scroll a long way when there are thousands of folders existing only on the right or left side.

Many thanks again.

[Aaron]

1) No, although if there is a common change in name, you can define an Alignment Override rule that covers the common name change on the left and right if you have Pro edition, in the Folder Compare's Session Settings, Misc tab, new Alignment Override rule.

2) My description is a workaround which could show a limited set of the type of folders you are looking for, but not all of the folders. It might be helpful if you are dealing with a small dataset you can manually review, but otherwise is not a supported display filter.

3) Sorry, thinking this over a bit more, the exclusion step to remove files wouldn't work with the Only Compare Files view. This requires the View menu -> Compare Files and Folders to show the folders after the items have been excluded, but this would then include any folders that are orphans but might be empty. If the issue you are trying to resolve is removing files that only exist on one side: switch the display filter to Show Differences with No Orphans. This would be much more effective, removing items that only exist on one side.

[Donk]

1) So I could do it here:

Could you give an example, please? What does "although if there is a common change in name" mean?

2) Alright, I understand.

3)

If the issue you are trying to resolve is removing files that only exist on one side:

No, the opposite so to say: removing one of the (duplicate) files that exists on both sides. More exactly, actually at the moment I am trying to organize / manage thousands of music albums, remove equals, etc. I am trying to accomplish:

• duplicates of totally identical (by file content and amount of files) music albums (a folder contains one album) shall be removed

• duplicates of totally identical (by file content and amount of files) music albums (a folder contains one album) containing at least one file more (e.g. 5 more files, 20 more files) shall be kept and the other duplicate folders having less files shall be removed

• when a file or more is unequal by content the folder pairs shall be prompted

[Aaron]

Hello,

1) For example, if there are many changed folders on the right that add the word "_post" to the end of the name, you can define an override:
* = *_post
The "with right side" does not support a RegEx mask, so the different text must be known; it can't be an arbitrary change.

3) See my other recent post where you may want to do this in two passes: one pass to find exact duplicates using a File Duplicate Finder, then BC4's Folder Compare to find any folders that contain any differences.

[Donk]

Hello Aaron!

1) Alright, I understand.

3) Yes, I just saw your post, thank you.