Compare all files on drive, report duplicates

[Guest]

Hello, how may I search an external drive and have it show me which files are duplicates and allowing me to take action on them?

Thanks,

Dave

[Chris]

Re: Compare all files on drive, report duplicates

Sorry, Beyond Compare doesn't provide a way to search for duplicate files. Duplicate file searching is something we're considering for the future.

See more in this previous forum post:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/ubbthread...h=true#Post6336

[carbonfiber_kid]

Searching ofr duplicates

searching for duplicattes would be a great enhancement

[Chris]

Thanks for the suggestion. We're still keeping duplicate file search in mind as a possibility for a future version of BC.

[wilhil]

Was this ever added?

I have just downloaded about 600 files and I would love a tool that I can just point at the directory and search (binary/non file name) for duplicates!

[Michael Bulgrien]

Was this ever added?

No

I have just downloaded about 600 files and I would love a tool that I can just point at the directory and search (binary/non file name) for duplicates!

One competitor has done a pretty good job of integrating a dup finder into their compare utility. You can read about it about 2/3 of the way down their new feature tour web page.

[parent55]

Identify duplicate files - Still needs to happen :-)

I see this need has been surfacing since 2006, so here is my attempt to urge action :-)

We are long time users of BC. We have multiple licenses and encourage other to purchase BC too.

We are professional photographers with about 35,000 unique photos each year. We've been doing this since 1976, but only digital for the last 10 years. We have TB of drive space occupied with photos and we know we have duplicates due to work flow / schedule demands.

I would really (really) like to turn BC loose on my storage drive and have it give me a list of duplicate files and where they occur. I'd like to be able to narrow in on a group of them say all occurring in a reference folder of my choice and then be able to delete one or more duplicates in other locations of my choosing. When I select one or more reference folders, I want the sub-folders included (or not as I choose).

The duplicates may be in the sub-folders of the reference folder.

The file names of the duplicates usually are mostly the same with notes added at the end. So finding duplicates is not just a name matching problem. Although I'd be very happy with an approach that used names (identical or similar) to find the candidate duplicates for further examination.

Since this question has been hanging around for a while, can you tell us what progress you have made or what design approach seem most promising?

Great product, I'd much rather wait (for a while) and have something from you than go out and buy a competitor's product that I don't know or trust.

Our best regards

[Aaron]

Hello,

Duplicate File Finding is definitely something on our radar, but our limited resources have gone to a few other larger projects, such as the Linux port of BC3 and the Mac port we are currently working on. We would like to help our customers with this, since it is a common request, but will need the time and resources required to deliver the level of polish expected.

[aasheim68]

Identify duplicates

May I suggest to do it the easy way by shopping the software you need from http://www.bigbangenterprises.de who has a very nice program they call Doublekiller. It looks like Big Bang enterprises is a small company with small resources who hasn't updated Doublekiller for 5 years. I have very good experiences with the free versions and use it often together with Beyond Compare. So instead of using a lot of resources on developing the same software again, buy it now and implement it as soon as possible...

PAA

[dieselpower]

Hi, everybody,

is finding duplicates still not a feature? I recently upgraded my bc3 pro to bc4 pro and can't find such a feature on there. So, I'm going the lazy way by asking on the forums.

Regards,
Diesel

[Aaron]

Hello,

Sorry, implementing a duplicate scan is not something we were able to add to the v4 release.

[Neoart]

UnReal, My 1st Hr with BC on the screen, and this is the first thing tried with external firewire drive,
looking for possible dupe files, and after 3 files exposed, getting look & feel of it, we ended it there.

I'm pretty thorough using several Finder windows sorting files / folders in iCon view to explore any
lost out of place files by hitting space bar to fully view a file w/o actually opening it.

Then shove it off if necessary to upgraded folder.
Strange this simple process is not listed up front.

So putting up the same folder side by side won't show this - dupe files w/i?

[Aaron]

Hello,

Loading any two locations will align by folder structure and file name. Loading the same folder on the left and right will show all identical items as they line up by folder structure and file name. This wouldn't find duplicates as you expect.

[bcdewul]

Hello,

Sorry, implementing a duplicate scan is not something we were able to add to the v4 release.

Bad luck.

This feature has been requested for many times in the past. Was crossing my fingers hoping it would be added in v4.
We need to keep on using other software to take care of this, regretfully so.
(refer thread: Find duplicate files with different names)

Keep up the good work!
=

[sajidpatel]

I use the existing features of beyond compare 4 to get rid of duplicate files from multiple backup copies of folders -- technically this is not find and remove duplicate files feature. But this is what I use, sharing as it might be of use to someone who has a similar requirement.

1. Select 2 folders from explorer to compare and start BC4
2. Click on 'Same' and 'Select' and then right click and select 'Compare Contents'
3. Select 'Files' and right click and click on 'Delete...'
4. In the Selection section, deselect the side which you want to retain and hit 'Delete' button. You may choose to use recycle bin if possible for some added safety.