Synchronize folders by file size (keep larger only)

[mick]

Hi all,

I've looked around the forums and help files but can't find an answer -
I apologize if this is answered elsewhere.

I have two folders with different files of different sizes, but the same file names.
I would like to synchronize the folders, so that a folder would hold the largest files only (overwriting smaller files) regardless of time-stamps (newer may be smaller).

Is there any way to do this, either by GUI or script?

Thanks in advance
Mick

[Aaron]

Beyond Compare does not have a command to automatically copy only larger files, but this could be reviewed and performed manually using the graphical interface.

First, load a Folder Compare session, and load your two folders. Then go to the Session menu -> Session Settings, Comparison tab, and uncheck Timestamp, leaving "Size" as the only comparison criteria. This will mark pairs of files that are different in size as different, and any that are equal in size as equal.

You can then set the Display Filter to show only Differences, and go through the list, copying any larger file over a smaller file.

[moymike]

You can then set the Display Filter to show only Differences, and go through the list, copying any larger file over a smaller file.

Okay, I don't think this answer fits the question. I have a similar issue, so here is an example:

I am downloading MP3's via shoutcast, using streamripper. I have two folders with say... over 1000 mp3s each. Using BC4, I can easily copy over the missing ones. After that I want to capture the LARGER of the two with identical names.

Name	Size	Modified	Name	Size	Modified
aaaaa.mp3	1,240,567	11/11/2011	aaaaa.mp3	1,234,567	11/11/2011
bbbbbb.mp3	1,234,567	11/11/2011	bbbbbb.mp3	2,234,567	11/11/2011
ddddddd.mp3	1,234,567	11/11/2011	ddddddd.mp3	1,434,567	11/11/2011
ee.mp3	1,234,567	11/11/2011	ee.mp3	1,636,567	11/11/2011
ffffff.mp3	1,234,567	11/11/2011	ffffff.mp3	1,004,567	11/11/2011

The RED files are the LARGER vs newer. The objective would be then to sync over the Larger files, overwriting the smaller ones. I do this now by comparing the sizes and manually selecting the larger. I do not see anyway to get BC4 to do more than show me them side-by-side. There may be a way to accomplish this by applying some sort of script within BC4 though.

[Aaron]

Hello,

BC4's size comparison does not consider which side is larger, just that the size is different (similar to Binary, CRC, or Rules-based being different). The timestamp can help determine if a file is newer or older, but we don't support a Bigger/Smaller status.

The closest we currently support is to set the criteria to size only in the Session Settings dialog, which would allow you to quickly find files that are different sizes (regardless of timestamp), then use the Display Filter to limit the view to pairs of files with different sizes.

[Wixter]

Nine years after the previous post, and i want to the same thing. I'd like BC to isolate the larger of two files with the same filename,

[Adam_G]

Hi,

I also want to find a way for Beyond Compare to automatically keep the largest file when doing a sync based on comparing two folders. I have the same issue as the original post for music files and also for the image files that go with them as album art.

I have a “working” copy of my music files stored on a PC and the "production" final set of music files on a NAS which is used for playing music through the house using SONOS music system. I use the PC files for updating music that I purchase and editing tags and adding album art with a program called "bliss". Periodically, I use Beyond Compare to compare the music folders on my PC with the NAS and its fantastic to detect and display the differences. But I have a large music collection of thousands of files and it can be slow and tedious to have to do the comparison manually to check that the files being copied are larger so I don't copy across a smaller, poorer quality file (say and MP3 or a .JPG file) just because its newer.

This must be an increasingly common task for many people (with digital image libraries as well as music) and one that I think BC should be well suited to be able to do well at. Could it be put on the "wish-list" to be developed?

I look forward to hearing if this is possible. Thanks, in anticipation.
Regards,
Adam

[Aaron]

I'll add your notes to our wishlist entry on the subject. We generally prioritize the date over the size since files can grow or shrink as they are edited, but the newest edits are usually what are identified. Collecting different work flows and use cases is helpful for us to catalog how this feature would need to work in a variety of different scenarios.

[JayUSA]

Me too! I want to keep the larger file!

[Chris]

Thank you for the feedback, syncing based on file size is still on the feature request list for a future version of Beyond Compare.