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 GBIC >> Software >> gbDuplicateFileFinder
gbDuplicateFileFinder

gbDuplicateFileFinder is a freeware utility for finding duplicate files in one or more folders or subfolders. A user is allowed to define a file specification, the criteria for duplicate files, and a list of folders to search. gbDuplicateFileFinder will search the folder list (and, optionally, subfolders) to find a matching list of files. From that list, gbDuplicateFileFinder can identify all files which meet the user's duplicate file criteria. Duplicate files are grouped together, highlighted with the same color, and displayed with bracket icons to make it easy to visually identify duplicate files.

Duplicate files may be defined as files with the same name, the same name/date, or files with identical byte-level content.

Individual files may be viewed within gbDuplicateFileFinder, whereas groups of duplicated files (text and images) may also be viewed together on an external screen to provide visual confirmation that the files are duplicates.

Key Features

gbDuplicateFileFinder provides a variety of features which make it easy to find duplicates files.
  • Select list of folders to search
  • Search only selected folder in list
  • Include subfolders in search
  • Specify multiple mask (i.e., *.jpg;*.txt) in file specification
  • Display list of all files matching search specification
  • User sets criteria for duplicate files (bytes, name, name/date)
  • Display list of duplicate files (subset of search results)
  • Duplicate files grouped together and color-coded for easy viewing
  • External viewer of duplicates files in common screen (gbMultiViewer)
  • Delete duplicate files from PC (confirmation required for each file deleted)
  • Send pair of files to user-defined external comparison utility
  • Checkboxes for multiple selections
  • Wasted spaced analysis
  • Online Update

Using gbDuplicateFileFinder

Using gbDuplicateFileFinder couldn't be simpler.
  1. Select the list of folders in which to search for matching files
  2. Enter a search file specification, such as "*.txt"
  3. Select the definition of duplicate (bytes, name, name/date)
  4. Press Search to find all matching files
  5. Press Dupes to identify duplicate files within the matching file list

That's it!

Display Options

gbDuplicateFileFinder provides several options, each with its own specific display.

Search for Files
gbDuplicateFileFinder can be used to simply display all files which match the file specification mask (i.e., *.bat;*.htm). Subfolders may be included in the search. Individual files may be displayed in the internal viewer.

Duplicate File List
From within list returned by a search, gbDuplicateFileFinder can identify those files which match the user's choice of duplicate file attributes (name, name/date, or byte-level content).

When duplicates are found, they are visually identified in three ways:

  • Listed together
  • Same background color
  • Group icons in margin

The background color and group icon display are both optional.

Duplicate File Viewer
In addition gbDuplicateFileFinder can display, on a common screen, all files identified as duplicates. Especially with images, the display can gives a quick confirmation as to whether the files are duplicates.

In this image, two duplicate images are displayed (different names).

In this image, four duplicate text files are displayed. Some have different names and some are same-name but different folders.

The external duplicate file viewer is called gbMultiViewer and is available as a free DLL for use in other applications.

Toolbar

gbDuplicateFileFinder's search commands are found in its toolbar (no menu is used). So going through it first will cover the main features of gbDuplicateFileFinder. Each of the toolbar buttons are described here.

    New Opens a dialog from which to select a new folder
    Remove Remove the selected folder from the search path list
    Search Find all files which match the search file specification. Normally, you would press Search then Dupes to see the list of duplicates. But there is also a setting that will automatically press Search for you when you press Dupes. See below.
    Dupes Identify duplicates files from the matching files list. Normally, you would press Search then Dupes to see the list of duplicates. But there is also a setting that will automatically press Search for you when you press Dupes. See below.
    Restore Restore the file list to those files found in the last search.
    Remove Removes the currently selected item from the results list. This does not delete the file from the user's PC.
    View When viewing duplicates, opens the entire group of files in a common dialog for visual comparison of differences
    Name Define duplicate files as those with matching files names
    Bytes Define duplicate files as those with identical byte content
    SubFolders Includes path subfolders in the search for matching files
    Date Defines duplicates files as those with matching file names and dates. Applies only when Names is pressed.
    Viewer Provides an internal viewer in which the selected file is displayed
    Font Sets the font for both lists (paths and files)
    Settings Toggles display of alternating colored lines in file list. Includes a dropdown menu for additional settings (discussed in the next section).
    Help   Opens the gbDuplicateFileFinder online Help page

Settings

The toolbar Settings button dropdown menu displays the following menu options:
    Line Colors Alternates the background color of every three lines in the matching files list. This makes it easier for the eye to track/scan individual items in the list. When the duplicate file list is show, this menu option toggles display of the common color background given to each group of duplicate files.
    CheckBoxes Adds checkboxes to files in the results list. Several context menu options apply to checked files.
    Group Icons When duplicates are displayed, this option enables the display of icons in the left margin which visually group duplicate files.
    Size as KB Display the size of file as KB. By default, bytes are used for the display.
    Hidden/System Files By default, hidden/system files are ignored in a search. This settings returns both hidden and system files from a search.
    Implied Search Add a "*" to the front and back of the file specification
    AutoSearch Forces a search when the Dupes toolbar button is pressed.
    Skip Zero Size Directs the Search to ignore files with a size of zero bytes
    Stretch Mode Stretches images to fill the internal viewer
    Transparent Image Background Set the image background color to that of the underlying dialog
    Center Image In non-stretch mode, centers the image within the internal viewer. Only applies for dimensions which are smaller than the internval viewer dimensions.
    Select Comparison Application gbDuplicateFileFinder can send a pair of files, as command line values, to a specified external application (such as Beyond Compare). This menu option displays a file selection dialog for selecting the external application to be used.
    Select Alternating Line Color Displays a color selection dialog. The chosen color and WHITE are applied when the alternating colors display setting is used.
    Select Duplicate Color A When duplicates are found, duplicate file lines are given the same background color. Two colors are used, alternating with each group of duplicate files in the results list. This menu option selects the first of the two colors.
    Select Duplicate Color B When duplicates are found, duplicate file lines are given the same background color. Two colors are used, alternating with each group of duplicate files in the results list. This menu option selects the second of the two colors.
    Select Image Background Color Allows the use to select the background color over which images are displayed in the internal viewer.

Selecting Paths

Prior to a search, the user builds a list of existing folders. Use the toolbar New button to add an existing folder. When added to the list, paths are automatically checked. Only checked paths are searched.

In addition to unchecking paths, the user may also delete paths from the list using the Remove toolbar button.

gbDuplicateFileFinder checks to make sure that duplicate file paths are not entered.

The path list has a context menu of these additional actions/settings:

  • Open Path
    Opens Windows Explorer to the selected path

  • Clear List
    Removes all paths from the list

  • Check All
    Checks all paths in the list

  • UnCheck All
    UnChecks all paths in the list

  • Move Checked Paths to Top
    The order of paths in the list does not affect the Search or Dupes results. However, for convenience in verifying which paths are selected, this option moves all checked paths to the top of the list.

File List

The file list is used to display the list of matching files from a search, and to display the list of matching duplicate files.

Typically, the user presses Search to get the list of files that matches that the file specification, then presses Dupes to reduce that list to on those files which match the user's selected definition of duplicate files.

The files list has a context menu of these additional actions/settings:

  • Copy Entire List
    Copies all file names, regardless of check or selection status

  • Copy Selected Item
    Copies the name (full path) of the selected item

  • Copy Checked Items
    Copies the name (full path) of the all checked items

  • Open Selected Item
    Opens the selected item in the user's default client for that file type

  • Open Selected Item Location
    Opens Windows Explorer at the path of the selected item

  • Open Group
    Display the selected duplicate file group in a common window

  • Remove All Items From List
    Removes all files from the files list

  • Remove Selected Item From List
    Remove the selected file from the file list

  • Remove Checked Items(s) From List
    Remove all checked files from the file list

  • Check All
    Check all files

  • UnCheck All
    Uncheck all files

  • View Group
    Opens the group of duplicate files in the external gbMultiViewer window. The group under the mouse at the point of the right click is displayed.

  • Remove Checked File(s) From List
    Removes all checked files from the file list

  • Set As Compare Left
    Select first file to use in external comparison

  • Set Compare Right
    Select second file to use in external comparison

  • Comapre Externally
    Opens the external comparison application, sending the compare Left/Right files in the command line

  • Delete Selected File From PC
    Delete the selected file from the user's PC. Confirmation is required.

  • Wasted Space
    Show amount of space saved if all duplicates files are deleted, leaving only one copy of the file.

  • Display Summary
    Displays a popup summary of the file list

File Specification

Specifies the file name(s) to be found. Wildcards are supported. Multiple file specifications are allowed, and must be separated by a semi-colon. 

     *.txt
     *.bmp;*.jpg

Accelerator Keys

These accelerator keys are supported:
  • F1 - Online Help
  • F3 - Search for matching files
  • Ctl-D - Turn on Debug feature
  • Ctl-F - Search for matching files
  • Ctl-G - Toggle dislay of group icons
  • Ctl-P - On all copy functions, add blank line to end of copied content

Other Comments

This sections contains miscellaneous additional information about using gbDuplicateFileFinder.

INI File
gbDuplicateFileFinder saves all of it's options in an INI file, which is placed in the same folder as the EXE.

Comments and suggestions are welcome!