Best way

[cthomas]

In my database I think I have 54,951 files and folders. And I know a lot of them are duplicates. So what is the best way  to start finding the duplicates with out deleting the orignal? Just ignore the question on this image. This image is just to give you an idea of how big my database is.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mario]

1. Select the database node in the M & F View
2. Un-pause the file window and select all files with <Ctrl>+<A>
3. Search menu > Duplicates
4. In the Result window, click on a match to set the focus to it, then press <Ctrl>+<A> to select all matches => you have selected all duplicates in the database.
5. Press <Del> to mark them for deletion.

You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file.


[attachment deleted by admin]

[cthomas]

1. Select the database node in the M & F View
2. Un-pause the file window and select all files with <Ctrl>+<A>
3. Search menu > Duplicates
4. In the Result window, click on a match to set the focus to it, then press <Ctrl>+<A> to select all matches => you have selected all duplicates in the database.
5. Press <Del> to mark them for deletion.

You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file.

How do you Un-pause the file window?

[Richard]

How do you Un-pause the file window?

You clickon the pause button.This is the button with what looks like an equal sign = turned 90 degrees. It is in the lower, right corner of the screen shot.


[attachment deleted by admin]

[cthomas]

1. Select the database node in the M & F View
2. Un-pause the file window and select all files with <Ctrl>+<A>
3. Search menu > Duplicates
4. In the Result window, click on a match to set the focus to it, then press <Ctrl>+<A> to select all matches => you have selected all duplicates in the database.
5. Press <Del> to mark them for deletion.

You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file.

Mario I don't fully understand this "You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file"
Would you are somebody else try to explain this again to me.

[herman]

Mario I don't fully understand this
[...]
Would you are somebody else try to explain this again to me.

Hi Carl,

In order to give a decent response it would help if we know what it is that you don't fully understand.
What are you trying to achieve, what is it that does not work or what is working different from what you expect?
Please help us to help you.....

[cthomas]

Mario I don't fully understand this
[...]
Would you are somebody else try to explain this again to me.

Hi Carl,

In order to give a decent response it would help if we know what it is that you don't fully understand.
What are you trying to achieve, what is it that does not work or what is working different from what you expect?
Please help us to help you.....

You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file.

"In order to give a decent response it would help if we know what it is that you don't fully understand."  I don't fully understand this part all of it "

You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file.

"

[herman]

Hi Carl,

I am sorry, I can't find better words to describe things than Mario did.

Sometimes it is better to see things in action.
That may clarify things better than 1000 words.

Have you tried to follow Mario's instructions in the message above?
So that you can SEE what is happening?

Please, when you do so, use a test database containing a copy of your images.
After all IMatch is still beta.

[cthomas]

Hi Carl,

I am sorry, I can't find better words to describe things than Mario did.

Sometimes it is better to see things in action.
That may clarify things better than 1000 words.

Have you tried to follow Mario's instructions in the message above?
So that you can SEE what is happening?

Please, when you do so, use a test database containing a copy of your images.
After all IMatch is still beta.

Sometimes it is better to see things in action. Yes, Yes I was just getting ready to ask Mario or some body to show me an example of  Mario's answer

1. Select the database node in the M & F View
2. Un-pause the file window and select all files with <Ctrl>+<A>
3. Search menu > Duplicates
4. In the Result window, click on a match to set the focus to it, then press <Ctrl>+<A> to select all matches => you have selected all duplicates in the database.
5. Press <Del> to mark them for deletion.

You will probably get the message:



which means that IMatch has removed originals which are also matches from the result set automatically.

Why does it do that?

You have two files A and B and these are binary identical. You select both files and run a dupe search. Since A is a match for B, and B is a match for A, the result is modified so that A shows up as an original, and B as it's match. B is not included as an original anymore. This means you can select all matches and delete them without accidentally deleting both copies of a file.

[herman]

Yes, Yes I was just getting ready to ask Mario or some body to show me an example of  Mario's answer

Well, as you seem to be hunting for duplicates, why don't you try to follow Mario's instructions and see it for yourself on your own system?
As I said before, please use a test database and copies of your images.....

[cthomas]

Yes, Yes I was just getting ready to ask Mario or some body to show me an example of  Mario's answer

Well, as you seem to be hunting for duplicates, why don't you try to follow Mario's instructions and see it for yourself on your own system?
As I said before, please use a test database and copies of your images.....

Herman that's what I have been doing but I haven't much luck understanding it Sometimes looking at it from another persons view helps.

[Richard]

Hi Carl,

Like Herman I have tried to think of a different way of saying what Mario said but I am stumped. I copied what follows from the Help file.

Finding Duplicate Files Sometimes you end up with duplicate files on your hard disk, e.g. when you accidentally copy the same set of images into different folders. IMatch can help you to reclaim disk space by finding these duplicate files with the Search > Duplicates function.
When the command is not available (grayed out) make sure that at least one file is selected in the file window.
This search function uses the checksum IMatch calculates for each file in the database in combination with the file size to find all binary identical images. This allows you to find real duplicates of images on your hard disk and to clean them up.
To use this search function, select the images you want to find duplicates for in a file window, then run Search > Duplicates or Ctrl+M,D.
When the search is complete, IMatch opens a result window showing the binary duplicates for each original image. Originals without duplicates are suppressed in the result.
See the Result Windows topic for more info about how IMatch displays search results.
Special Case: Originals Which are also Matches If an Original is a match for another Original, the Original is omitted from the search result. This prevents you from accidentally deleting all copies of a file because the file is listed as both an Original and a match. You can safely hit Ctrl+A in the result window to select all duplicates found, and then delete them or run another command.
Example: You select all files in a folder to look for duplicate files. This folder contains two identical files: A and B. B is thus a match for A, and A is a match for B. The result produced by IMatch will only include file A as an Original, with B as its match. B will not be listed as an Original in the search result.
Press Ctrl+A in the result window to select all duplicates.

[Mario]

Just start with a folder. Select all files. Run Search > Duplicates to see if there are duplicate files.
If you have problems with that, explain which step is causing difficulties.

[cthomas]

Just start with a folder. Select all files. Run Search > Duplicates to see if there are duplicate files.
If you have problems with that, explain which step is causing difficulties.

How can you delete the duplicate files?

[DigPeter]

How can you delete the duplicate files?

Quote from the Help topic:

Finding Duplicate Files
Sometimes you end up with duplicate files on your hard disk, e.g. when you accidentally copy the same set of images into different folders. IMatch can help you to reclaim disk space by finding these duplicate files with the Search > Duplicates function.

When the command is not available (grayed out) make sure that at least one file is selected in the file window.

This search function uses the checksum IMatch calculates for each file in the database in combination with the file size to find all binary identical images. This allows you to find real duplicates of images on your hard disk and to clean them up.

To use this search function, select the images you want to find duplicates for in a file window, then run Search > Duplicates or Ctrl+M,D.

When the search is complete, IMatch opens a result window showing the binary duplicates for each original image. Originals without duplicates are suppressed in the result.

See the Result Windows topic for more info about how IMatch displays search results.

Special Case: Originals Which are also Matches
If an Original is a match for another Original, the Original is omitted from the search result. This prevents you from accidentally deleting all copies of a file because the file is listed as both an Original and a match. You can safely hit Ctrl+A in the result window to select all duplicates found, and then delete them or run another command.

Example: You select all files in a folder to look for duplicate files. This folder contains two identical files: A and B. B is thus a match for A, and A is a match for B. The result produced by IMatch will only include file A as an Original, with B as its match. B will not be listed as an Original in the search result.

Press Ctrl+A in the result window to select all duplicates.

Then press Del.   Just make sure that the ones you really want to delete are selected.

[herman]

How can you delete the duplicate files?

Hi Carl,

Glad to see you got through the steps of finding the dupes, well done!

Deleting a duplicate file is not different from deleting any other file.

Have you tried to find the info on marking files for deletion in the help file?
It is all there, really.
If you could not find it, what search term did you use?