Copy the 300 oldest video files with their dependent files with other creation dates?

[Donk]

There is a folder with different file types (and folders), e.g. video files, with different creation dates like these files:


The files having the same names at the beginning (e.g.: Young Ones (2014)-banner.jpg and Young Ones (2014).nfo) belong together / to a single video file. They usually have different creation dates.

For example, I want to copy the 300 oldest video files together with all the files (having another creation date) belonging to them. How could I do it?

[Aaron]

Hello,

We do not have a filter for oldest X amount. The closest there would be to Sort by the Last Modified column (we do not show Created date), and then select the top/bottom 300 files. The Folder Compare's Session menu -> Session Settings, Other Filters tab has a date filter, but this is for either Before or After X days ago, or Before or After a specific date.

If you need to sort on created date, then adding this column to Windows Explorer and sorting on it might be the best solution. You can then use BC4 to verify the folders after the copy.

[Donk]

Hello Aaron,

Thank you.

The closest there would be to Sort by the Last Modified column (we do not show Created date)

But "last modified" could be the newest date of an old file, I would assume. Am I wrong?

You can then use BC4 to verify the folders after the copy.

Sorry, I do not understand, which folders?

How could I handle this:
The files having the same names at the beginning (e.g.: Young Ones (2014)-banner.jpg and Young Ones (2014).nfo) belong together / to a single video file. They usually have different creation dates.

For example, I want to copy the 300 oldest video files together with all the files (having another creation date) belonging to them. How could I do it?

Many thanks again

[Aaron]

Ah, I assumed your file pairs would have similar or equal Creation dates. If those differ than this would be tricky to accomplish.

Last Modified is the last time the modified time was updated. This is usually done when the file is opened and edited. The Creation date is when the file was first created, but for example, if a file is copied to a new location, Windows will update the file's creation date but not the Modified date. The copy will have a Creation date at the time it the copy was created, but the last modified time is the original's last modification time. Similarly, folder timestamps are often updated by the OS externally of BC4. This is why we focus on the Last Modified time of files, as this should only be updated when a file is actually changed.

If you can set a specific date (any files from 2015), then our filtering could limit the view to only files with that Modified date, or X days ago. This still wouldn't allow automatic pairing, but you can sort the main folder compare by Name with the filter set, and look for the pairs of files.

[Donk]

Ah, I assumed your file pairs would have similar or equal Creation dates. If those differ than this would be tricky to accomplish.

So, I guess, there is no way.

This is why we focus on the Last Modified time of files, as this should only be updated when a file is actually changed.

Yes, I understand, so after having changed files it is not possible anymore to filter / show the oldest files.

If you can set a specific date (any files from 2015), then our filtering could limit the view to only files with that Modified date, or X days ago.

A time range might be good, but it is not available, if I understand it right.

[Aaron]

Hello,

There is a range by setting a Before or After a specific date, but this then doesn't limit to "300 files". It would show or exclude any files within the date filter.

[Donk]

Hello Aaron,

Sorry for saying "300", it should be an example, the amount is not a problem but the different creation / modifying times.

Many thanks

[Aaron]

Ok,

We can set the filter for Modified, but not Creation. However, we cannot "pair" the files together, they would be treated as separate entries and individually would have the filter applied.

[Donk]

Alright, thank you very much!