9758 Bug: Select Orphans behaviour fails to accord

[chrisjj]

Select Orphans omits to select orphans that are folders.

[Aaron]

Hello Chris,

The Select Orphans (Left, Right, Both) command currently only functions on files. To select Orphan folders, set the Folder View settings to "Compare File and Folder Structure" and then View Orphans (on either side). You can then apply a filter to filter out all files to see only the Orphan Folder structure.

I'll add your request to our tracker, for the command to select folders.

[chrisjj]

> The Select Orphans (Left, Right, Both) command currently only functions on files.

Yup, that's what I am reporting.

If you cannot fix the behaviour that it would be good to make the command label accord.

> To select Orphan folders, set the Folder View settings to "Compare File and
> Folder Structure" and then View Orphans (on either side). You can then
> apply a filter to filter out all files to see only the Orphan Folder structure.

Thanks, but that doesn't work - it shows non-orphan folders containing orphan files.

If there's another procedure that will select all orphan objects so I can delete them, it would be good to hear.

> I'll add your request to our tracker, for the command to select folders.

Thanks Aaron.

[Michael Bulgrien]

> To select Orphan folders, set the Folder View settings to "Compare File and
> Folder Structure" and then View Orphans (on either side). You can then
> apply a filter to filter out all files to see only the Orphan Folder structure.

Thanks, but that doesn't work - it shows non-orphan folders containing orphan files.

Actually, this does work. If you filter out all files (-*.*) then the orphan toggles will cause orphan folders to be visible, and all other folders to be hidden.

However... since, by nature, a folder tree cannot display a subfolder without displaying the entire branch between the root and that subfolder...an orphan subfolder will cause the parent folder (even if not an orphan itself) to remain visible. Furthermore, to show that the parent itself is not an orphan itself, the matching folder on the other side will also remain visible, but will be colored black instead of blue (indicating that there are no differences contained within the parent's matching folder on the other side).

[Zoë]

If you select a folder and some, but not all, of it's contained files/folders, that folder's selection is ignored for the purposes of file operations. Change the filters to "Show Orphans", use "Select All", and delete. It will only delete the orphaned files and folders. Any that contain filtered items won't be deleted.

[chrisjj]

> Actually, this does work.

Hi Michael.

> If you filter out all files (-*.*) then the orphan toggles will cause orphan
> folders to be visible, and all other folders to be hidden.

Well, it would do, except for:

> an orphan subfolder will cause the parent folder (even if not an
> orphan itself) to remain visible.

[chrisjj]

> Change the filters to "Show Orphans", use "Select All", and delete. It will
> only delete the orphaned files and folders.

Doesn't work here, e.g. on the attached it deletes the non-orphan right test1.

BTW, when I tried this forum's "Upload File from a URL", it failed with
"Upload failed due to failure writing temporary file."file.

[Zoë]

True, but only if test1 is empty. It won't delete non-orphan folders that contain anything. In any case, that's the closest you can get until we look into changing the selection behavior.

[chrisjj]

> True, but only if test1 is empty. It won't delete non-orphan folders that contain anything.

Again, not reproduced here e.g.

[Zoë]

Fine. It won't delete non-orphan folders that contain any non-orphans.

[chrisjj]

> Fine.

Well, not for the stated requirement.

Can anyone suggest a working workaround? THanks.

[Michael Bulgrien]

As Craig already said, there is no workaround until the Scooter team implements something to handle it...there is no easy way to deselect the parent folders that contain orphan subfolders (except to manually deselect them one at a time).

That being said, I would be the first to agree that a more robust set of selection options in the dropdown menu would be helpful...such as a "select orphan folders" option that does not select the parent folders. It's a good idea...so, with a little time and patience, I expect it has a good chance of being implemented...

[chrisjj]

> there is no easy way to deselect the parent folders that contain orphan
> subfolders (except to manually deselect them one at a time).

IME there is no easy way /including/ to manually deselect

> a "select orphan folders" option

Assuming that would (like current Select commands) replace rather than augment the current selection, then it is no substitute for a "Select orphans" command that does what it says.

> that does not select the parent folders.

I would prefer it to select (only) orphans regardless i.e. for it to exclude parent folders only if they were not orphans.

[Michael Bulgrien]

Assuming that would (like current Select commands) replace rather than augment the current selection, then it is no substitute for a "Select orphans" command that does what it says.

Beyond Compare has always been file-based. This aspect of orphan handling has not changed from previous versions of the product. You are requesting an enhancement to the product, not a fix to "broken" functionality. This forum is a good place to discuss ideas that the Scooter team may or may not choose to implement in a future release...but please refrain from bashing core functionality that is working as designed.

[Michael Bulgrien]

Assuming that would (like current Select commands) replace rather than augment the current selection...

In my opinion, it would be nice if the select options in the Edit drop-down menu supported the Ctrl key modifier. In other words, if you're pressing the Ctrl key, the current selection would be augmented instead of replaced.