Copy only files that were found to bedifferent in a previous binary comapre

[chrisgage]

I have a very large number of files on my website -- about 80% or more by volume -- that never change in content but are always recreated by my Content Management Software, so they will have a newer date, but are otherwise identical.

I'd like to be able to do a Compare Contents (binary compare) of everything and then copy or sync only those files that BC has found to be actually different in content.

Is this possible?

[Aaron]

Hello,

With the default Session Settings -> Comparison tab, leave the Timestamp, Size, and Override checkboxes enabled. Then also enable Binary Comparison. This will scan all the files, and if files are binary equal the display will show them as equal, even if the timestamps are different.

This would leave you only with files that are binary different (with equal or different timestamps). At this point, you can then copy the Newer binary different files, or copy all binary different files, from one side to the other, or use our Sync Update command to help.
How does this work for you?

[chrisgage]

I come back to my own question after almost exactly a year. It worked before, I think. I want to do this again, and even after carefully following the instructions, I don't seem able to make this work again. I did the above comparison, and as stated, the files that are actually the same by content but newer by date are marked as equal. This is all good so far.

Then with the comparison set correctly, I tried to do the actual copy. I tried actions->synchronize->update right. The confirmation dialog said it was going to copy 21,424 files (current actual total number is 21,507) so this is clearly not what I want. I canceled that and then tried actions->synchronize->mirror to right. The confirmation dialog box said it was going to copy 21,507 files, i.e. every single one. Also not what I want.

I THINK what I want is to do a SELECT ALL all and then UNSELECT all those files that are marked as equal, or select none and then select only those marked as different.

What am I doing wrong? I though I knew BC pretty well, it has served me for over 10 years and saved me untold numbers of hours. I know this is possible, I just have a mental block.

[Chris]

If timestamps change without file contents changing, you'll want to turn off timestamp comparison. If you're transferring files between Windows and Linux systems and the file sizes change on transfer, you might also want to turn off size comparison.

To turn off timestamp comparison in the Folder Compare, click the Rules toolbar button (referee icon).
In the Comparison tab, uncheck Compare timestamps.
Uncheck Compare file size if sizes change when files are uploaded. If file sizes don't change and they can be used for comparison, then leave it checked.
If you want to compare the text contents of files, check Compare contents and select Rules-based comparison.

After you've set the comparison settings, use the Actions > Synchronize > Mirror to Right or Actions > Synchronize > Mirror to Left commands. Mirror commands copy files with any difference from source to target, copy files that only exist in the source, and delete files that only exist in the target.