(OT) Anyone know of a powerful SEARCH/FIND program?

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 10:14 pm

Hi guys, I apologize for posting this in the Textpad group but you guys are so good with this kind of thing, I was hoping someone might know of a Windows-based shareware product that can do the following:

I need to be able to copy a huge number of tiny ~.gif files off of the CD that they came on (because the mfgr rudely stuck them into thousands of annoying little folders, each with 2 gif images) . . . and I'm bumping up against the Windows drag and drop limitations for a) getting the entire list to show up without their directories, and b) copying them to a temporary directory/CD where I can lump them together into respectable groups of, say, 3,000 images per directory.

What I'm looking for is some means by which to identify/filter a RANGE OF FILES ON THE CD within (someone's) Find box â€” eg. "000*.gif through and including 002.gif" â€” and then be able to commence extracting them from their terminally stupid directory structure (which makes viewing the images next to impossible in my thumbnail viewer because they are nested as many as 20 levels down, and contain exactly two images in each folder, ugh!)

Some of the more groovy file manager replacements let you apply filters . . . but none of them allow for a range, such as "apple.gif through and including axle.gif". You can get a*.gif, or the size (moot, in this case, as they are all the same size), or the date (again, moot, they have the same date).

Does anyone know of a product that can do this? Perform a "Greater Than/Less Than/Greater-than-Equal/Less-than-Equal" range search in a non-Unix environment?

DOS? I've scoured all my old DOS books but nowhere do I see a "From To range" directory search for files.

Thanks friends. I know this is OT but I just don't know who else to ask.

Skye

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Wed Dec 31, 2003 11:38 pm

Regular DOS Xcopy can copy through sub directories using /S

Can't you do something like:
xcopy C:\00?.gif c:\pics\*.* /S..............gets 000...009
xcopy C:\01?.gif c:\pics\*.* /S..............gets 010...019
xcopy C:\1??.gif c:\pics\*.* /S..............gets 100...199

OR

Make a batch file that accepts paramaters, like "getpics.bat 25?"
sending the value of "25?" to this file:
xcopy C:\%1.gif c:\pics\*.* /S

should retrieve 250.gif...259.gif

OR

A great copy utility that I use is XXCOPY Pro which has a 60 day free trial. There is also a freeware copy which has most of the Pro tools, but not for use across networks. XXCOPY can flatten a directory tree, can handle exclusions, can handle user prompts, can set up numbering sequences, supports filename algorithms, and many other features. XXCOPY has a discussion group where users can exchange ideas and ask questions. Someone there may be able to provide a specific answer to your problem.

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 12:06 am

Egads Bob! you're the greatest ha ha! I just knew someone in this wonderful forum would have a bead on this. I'm going to experiment with your XCOPY tip but I'm not that great with DOS commands heh. The shareware program sounds fabulous.

Either way I'll report back on this. Thanks Bob and have a fabulous New Year!

Skye Girl

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 4:59 am

Hello Skye.....I see that you provided much more information on the forum for XXCOPY:

The problem is this library of 56,000 web gifs on these (5) Corel Image CDs are pigeonholed into folders that nest so deeply, I finally gave up trying to expand them when they reached _20_ levels down!!!

I want these gifs OFF of these CD's, and needless to say, it's a
challenge because â€” although Corel had the decency to give each one of
them a proprietary name â€” there isn't necessarily a PATTERN to the
naming conventions.

QUESTION
Is XXCOPY capable of executing the following COPY function on a volume
of files as large as 56,000:
â€¢ IGNORE FOLDERS
â€¢ FIND _EVERYTHING_ TITLED *.GIF
â€¢ SORT IT ALPHABETICALLY
â€¢ AUTOMATICALLY ASSIGN NUMERICALLY-INDEXED DESTINATION FOLDERS
â€¢ COPY THE ALPHA-SORTED GIFS, IN BATCHES OF 2,500-PER-DESTINATION-FOLDER
â€¢ WORK THROUGH THE ENTIRE LIST

I don't want to keep you bouncing around, but with the extra information you have provided I think you will need another utility with XXCOPY. I strongly recommend using Macro Scheduler to help you with this problem. Macro Scheduler will be able to help you with the sorting, creation of numerically indexed folders, and the count of 2500. Although I recommended XXCOPY, now that I see more details,I don't think it will be able to solve this for you by itself. Perhaps I am wrong, but it won't hurt to try for multiple solution options.

Macro Scheduler is shareware with free trial copy. XXCOPY can do most of the copying very fast for you, and Macro Scheduler can help with the automation of the entire process, calling XXCOPY as needed.

You can also use TextPad to edit Macro Scheduler scripts if you want, using the Macro Scheduler syntax file.

I also suggest posting your problem on the Macro Scheduler User Forum too. You will recognize the forum format because they use same forum software as TextPad.

zridling · Post by **zridling** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:34 am

Thanks, this info was helpful. I've been using FileLocator Pro, which has been excellent so far.

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 6:55 pm

Hi Bob! Well . . . here's an update. While I was waiting for a reply on the XXCOPY forum I shopped some of the shareware file managers, and found one that is not only graphically appealing, it can handle GIGANTIC file counts ha ha.

This program is called PowerDesk, in case anyone is interested, and it has a two-panel viewer (like two Explorers in one window, very handy for those of us with big monitors).

No-Hassle FTP mirror here â€”> http://download.at.kde.org/pc/bazar/pd5free.exe
Good review w/Screenshot here â€”> http://www.winplanet.com/winplanet/reviews/4289/1/

What I really liked about this was being able to drag/drop thousands of these itty bitty gif files in big chunks of 2,500 into separate directories . . . after of course sorting them into a manageable master file count of all 56,000 of them in the PowerDesk F3 File Finder menu option (careful, there are two and the second one is the sucky Windows Find phhlllttttttt!).

I experienced just one drawback with this, the unsupported Free version of PowerDesk Pro 5.0: In their File Finder box, with all 56,000 of my gifs listed, I got through about 80% of the entire listing before realizing that by hitting "Page Down" repeatedly to count up to my 2,500 files, the program eliminated the bottom file of each Page Down selection. In other words, you can calculate with 25 files highlighted per Page-Down'ing select session of 2,500 files, I failed to retrieve 100 of these gif files for each 2,500-session â€” 2,240 files are missing from my copy sessions (well, slightly less because I caught it, as I say, about 4/5 of the way into this and then just crudely Menu-barred +CNTL Click'd my way to 2,500).

I wanted to contact V-COM (the mfgs) to ask them for the workaround, but . . . since the Free Version is unsupported, I'm not going to bother. The more I've thought about this the Free Version was probably coded this way to entice you to buy the program ($30.00 U.S.). I found a forum on Yahoo that discusses these File Manager programs, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/powertoolssoftware, and plan on asking what else has been withheld in the Free Version because I must say, I just love this file manager! I very well may buy it, but not if that Page-Down issue isn't also resolved in the full-purchase product you see. I'll have to ask in the forum.

Meaning no disrespect to XXCopy Bob . . . I really do prefer the aesthetics of a Windows GUI. It just makes the chore of dealing with these files so much easier on the eyes. My next task is to burn them onto CD's in their new (improved) layout. They're real space hogs these little gifs tsk.

SKYE

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty my gifs are Free at last!

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 7:36 pm

Guess who is already a registered user of PowerDesk?

ME!
Major reason for registration was for Preview and FTP functions.

I didn't think you wanted to be bothered with manually dragging and dropping thousands of files in hundreds of sub folders. XXCOPY is good for me because of command line capablility which allows me to use those tools in other applications.

But PowerDesk is a good replacement for Windows Explore. I use it every day. Can do Find in same window vs. Windows needs another one to do that. Also has better Find filters. One nice little feature is to Edit, Copy path as text for pasting long paths into other locations.

I have run into a few minor issues with PowerDesk. I don't recall them immediately, but remember them when I go to use them. (Hmmm, I think one annoying issue is that I cannot define the view and have it memorized). Another problem is their ZIP tools. I prefer to use WinZip vs. theirs (Again, don't remember why). Also cannot see names of Shares on Network devices.

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 10:19 pm

Haaaaaaaa ha ha ha! Really Bob. We have to stop meeting like this.

So, what's up with this missing file deal on Page Down select? I did post this to the Yahoo group (geez, I guess we'd better stop talking about PowerDesk on Textpad or we'll get in trouble ha ha) (I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't post to the Textpad forum; that would be serious tsk).

Okay, until we both land in the doghouse Bob . . . any idea what's going on with that Page Down thing? A cheesy feature removal feature until you buy the product? A bugaboo? You know I generally avoid those Yahoo groups because they're so . . . KGB about posting. Why can't they have an open forum model like Textpad? I just hate having to ask some guy I don't know from Adam permission to post a question tsk. Then you have to wait for it to show up. A real pain in the as-as-astronomical heh.

Did you buy PowerDesk? I just realized the free version is not the "Pro" version (like the mfgs could show you a feature comparison chart tsk).

Skye King

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 11:14 pm

I could answer you on the PowerDesk forum, but I don't like being subscribed to yahoo, so that limits me. If this open discussion becomes a problem for TextPad we can continue using PM, but the discussion is appropriate to your original topic.

Did you buy PowerDesk? I just realized the free version is not the "Pro"

Yes, I did buy the Pro version. I haven't checked the site recently but I seem to recall a comparison chart somewhere.

I don't know if I have used the "Page Down" feature you have referenced. Are you just doing a Find, and then Paging Down through the results? Can you be more specific about the steps you are taking, and I will see if I can reproduce your problem.
===================================
OT:(I see a different signature with every posting.
Since your latest was "Skye King", I guess it would be OK to call you Penny?
Is Clipper taking care of the Song Bird on the Flying Crown Ranch as he eats his Peter Pan Peanut Butter on his Nabisco crackers?...Guess my age is showing, loved those Saturday morning shows).

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 11:38 pm

Bob . . . I see we are on the same page about these dumb Yahoo forums ("groups") ha ha. I can't stand the thought of being screened â€” well, let me amend that, it isn't being screened, it's being screened by one individual. I have no problem whatsoever with a responsible corporate identity (such as Helios) managing a forum; but . . . one guy in his trailer somewhere? Believe me Bob, if I could have found a Usenet forum for PowerDesk that's where I would have gone first ha ha . . . Yahoo. Don't get me started.

I would very much appreciate your testing this Page-Down select thing for me, but to be absolutely true, you'll need to get a CD with zillions of files on it with the same file extension (such as my graphics CDs).

Pull up the CD in PowerDesk's F3 panel and search for all occurrences of the files with the same extension.

Sort them by folder.

Select the first file, and while holding down the SHIFT key . . .

PAGE DOWN until you have 2,500 files selected.

Take you finger off the SHIFT key, and examine what you selected by carefully moving the menu bar back up.

If your version is working like my version, there will be omissions every 25 files or so, and you'll clearly see the pattern. If that isn't the case, then my suspicions may be correct: The feature has been tampered with in the Free version of PowerDesk.

I posted to the group not long ago so we'll see if my post was "permitted" to be published. Phhhllllltttttttttt!! Yahoo Groups ha ha.

I will be very interested to see how this demonstration turns out, and I'll see in the meantime if I can't hunt down a features comparison chart that shows what's missing in the Free Version of PowerDesk.

Skye-a-Watha

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:19 am

PowerDesk vs. PowerDesk Pro comparison is at:
http://www.v-com.com/product/pd_compare_pro.html

You will see that the free version only has about 50% of the features they have listed.

I found a Corel CD with about 3000 images, looking for something larger. Perhaps I can copy the CD about 15 times to a folder and allow new names to be created vs. prompting for overwrite.

Stay tuned.....may take through the weekend, got some other things I need to be doing.......

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 9:36 pm

Bob . . . gee if you wouldn't mind just trying this out on the one Corel CD (you know, page down through all the image files) you shouldn't need to actually copy anything. I just want to see if it is eliminating every last file in the page down. Thanks hon!

Skye-a-Watha

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 7:22 am

PowerDesk Pro 5 - Non registered version:
Find on CD, list showed 3038 *.wmf files found. Tagged first one, did Page Down to last one, did Shift Click, showed 3038 selected. Did drag and drop to Hard Drive, copied 3037 files, missing one file. Sorted by name, first and last matched. Would have to dump dirs to a file and do file comparison to find difference. No time.

Deleted all files in destination Hard Drive (3037 selected).

PowerDesk Pro 5 - Registered version:
Find on CD, list showed 3038 *.wmf files found. Tagged first one, did Page Down to last one, did Shift CLick, showed 3038 selected. Did drag and drop to Hard Drive, copied 3037 files, missing one file. Sorted by name, first and last matched. Would have to dump dirs to a file and do file comparison to find difference. No time.

Looks like both versions perform identically.
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Almost sent at this point, but luckily remembered something. Read on.....
==================================

WAIT!....I just stumbled on something that explains the missing file for me. When copying files I got a message to replace a file that already existed, clicked YES, and continued, didn't think about it because I was multitasking during copy and figured I had interrupted. But I remembered the filename and looked at the 3038 Foound files. Sure enough, there was a duplicate name, allowed because they were in different folders. But when copied to hard drive, all were merged, and duplicate names would not be allowed. That is why Ihave 3037 vs. 3038, there was one set of duplicate names.

I suspect that is what happened to you, you have multiple copies of files with the same name in different folders?

This does not appear to be a bug. What is needed is a method to do the copies with an additional suffix on the filename or something to allow the copy without overwrite.

I may be wrong Skye, but this sounds like a good news/bad news story. Trouble is I don't what part is good and what part is bad. I guess you will have to be the judge.

no.cache · Post by **no.cache** » Wed Jan 07, 2004 5:12 pm

Hiya Bob,

Geez this was soooooo helpful to me, I can't thank you enough Bob. No, this missing file thing is a feature omission in the Free version I am all but certain.

I'm going to hit the web to find a cheap used version of Powerdesk Pro 5.0 in the FS -or- EBay stuff because it just isn't worth more than about ten bucks to me to purchase a product that's no longer supported. I tried emailing these turkeys and got nothing but auto-generated replies tsk. Apparently V-Com has devalued it so much that it is bundled in a suite called "Fix-It Utilities" which you can get for about $25 at Page Computer. But I don't want the bloatware; so I'm gonna try and hunt down a used version for $10.

Incidentally . . . I don't know precisely how I found this but guess where all the Yahoo forum people went?
http://www.powertoolsforum.com

I just signed up and there are some very interesting posts on a broad range of power tools. Nice Avatars too!

Skye King
"st8othings" over yonder . . .