Dupe by Mod;Siz combination not the same as Dupe Mod then Dupe Size

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meteorquake
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 9:44 pm

Dupe by Mod;Siz combination not the same as Dupe Mod then Dupe Size

Post by meteorquake »

Just looking at the dupe function.
Currently there's no natural menu-method to do the rather common requirement of finding duplicates by Modified and Size.
You have to do that using something like
file: dupe:date-modified;size groupcolors:
Now you can right-click to find Modified dupes and then right-click to find Size dupes within that, but although seeming rather similar that is actually different, and actually depends on the order you do it. For example I've quickly set up a scenario where finding Modified dupes then finding Size produces a different result from the reverse of finding Size then finding Modifieds, and which is also different from the desired dupe:date-modified;size
This difference also comes into play with programs that update files (changing their size) without changing their timestamp, which typically graphics programs are able to do and no doubt others, and I would think actions that create several files at once.
Can I recommend something be done to remedy this.
* It could be that you could have two find dupe menu items, one saying "Find <property> Duplicates within list" the other saying "Duplicates must also match <property>" (which only needs to show when there's an existing dupe). However, I think that might be confusing, although it's probably fair to say the existing situation is probably deceptive in that I suspect most won't realise applying two dupes in sequence is not the same as applying a single combination dupe.
* Perhaps the methodology of the existing multiple application could be changed to be of the combination-dupe kind, or on applying a second dupe on a first it could ask which method to use, which is a reasonable solution. Perhaps an option to automatically choose one of the two methods without asking.
* Perhaps there could be a dedicated menu or dialog for finding Dupes providing common solo dupes and common combination dupes, with an "advanced..." dialog like the advanced sort dialog that allows selecting several properties with useful tick boxes like one to apply groupcolors: -- I think this might be best, even just the dialog alone would be a simple solution.
D
void
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Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: Dupe by Mod;Siz combination not the same as Dupe Mod then Dupe Size

Post by void »

The two operations, find size dupes, then find date modified dupes doesn't quite work.
While the second operation does find date modified duplicates, the size is ignored, so you might see a file with a size of 1 have the same date modified as a file with a size of 1000000.

Usually the date modified is unique enough where this doesn't really matter.



I will consider a "Find <property> Duplicates within list"/"Duplicates must also match <property>" option.
Maybe an option to select multiple column headers..



I will consider a dedicated dialog to find duplicates.
There is the Search -> Advanced Search -> Duplicated: Check Size and check Date Modified option.



Thank you for the suggestions.
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