Search for differences in two similar folders

Here's how to search for differences in folders.

• Open labs_coordinate_pictures.

• From the Files menu, choose 'Search for differences in two similar folders...'

• Optionally, check one of the choices to allow file times to differ. For example, external USB keys are often formatted as FAT, and so the last-modified-times will be imprecise, causing us to think the files have changed, even if they haven't. Similarly, daylight savings time can sometimes cause last-modified-times to be off by one hour.

• Type the paths and click 'Start...'

• The results are now shown.

• You can now copy files, delete files, and so on. Click on the File menu to see more:

• File->Refresh will run the comparison again.

• File->Show File Details will show information such as exact file size and SHA-256 hash

• File->Compare Files... will launch an external tool such as WinMerge to compare contents

• File->Search For Renamed Files... will check for files with identical contents, that have simply been renamed

• File->Propagate Renames... will apply the file name changes from left to right. This is much faster than a standard directory synchronization which thinks renames are "changes" and so has to copy the files from left to right.

• File->Search For Identical Files With Different Write-times... will check for files with identical contents that have different write times

• File->Propagate Write-times... will copy the write-times for identical files from left to right, much faster than directory synchronization like robocopy which thinks these files have been "changed"

• Edit->Copy Left Path(s) and Edit->Copy Right Path(s) can be used to copy filepaths

• Edit->Undo Moved File(s) can undo file operations