Hello,
as an everyday user of compareit, I've tried syncIt3beta , and I've noticed several bugs / weird things, so here's my feedback:
I'm sorry, several bugs may have already posted, but I don't have the time to read them all....
BUGS
1) graphical bugs :
- 'garbage' pixels (from background) on the left of file list toolbar
- borders and frames in 'exclude folder' dialog, in 'edit project' dialog, ..) . If that's not clear, I'll post some screenshots.
2) file list options : when I select a program in tools, nothing comes from the 'browse' dialog. Have to manually enter path.
3) folder filter dialog : should not add a filter line when clicking on '+' if previous line is empty in 'exclude folder dialog. In fact, I don't understand this '+' button. Isn't the '+..' button not enough ?
4) folder filter dialog : dialog too small (or should be resizable). long path names not visible
5) 'start dialog' : session management is not fully usable:
a) you define some settings for your actual session. settings are autosaved under <<new>> session. great !
b) you save it under the name 'my session'. great !
c) you change a setting. settings are saved under <<new session>>. hum.. not sure that this is the more 'intuitive' way to do it.
- either my 'mysession' session should be flagged as 'edited' (whith a *) but still selected, and i can save it.
- or 'mysession' could be directly autosaved.
but considering it again as a <<new>> is quite confusing, IMHO.
d) you want to re-save it in 'mysession'. It ask for a name, so I write again 'mysession'.
consequence: I have 2 'mysession' sessions !! I have to find which one is the good one, and manually delete the older.
I think, if the behaviour is to be maintenained, that it should overwrite the older 'mysession'.. I think that it shouldn't allowed duplicate session name, anyway.
5)I'm a bit confused by the folder 'filter' function. (in fact, i don't really see a usage, but there sould be one !)
But it's really confusing since the '..' dialog is still titled 'exlude folders', and contains the same folder list.
Should not be 2 different windows, 'exclude folder' and 'filter folders' ? Is there a reason why there are exclusive ?
6) I don't understand the 'file compare by' options :
- date+ size => (same date AND same size = same file) ok.
- date or content: I assume the size is checked too, it would be a nonsense to compare file content if they haven't the same size, right ?
So it should mean : (same date AND same size AND same content = same file). The 'or' is kind of weird, here, logically speaking ..
- content + size : i suppose it means (same size AND same content = same file), so the date is ignored. ok.
- content only : ?? For me it would be a nonsense to compare file content if they haven't the same size, right ? so I'm lost ...
- size only : (same size = same time). ok.
7) bottom '..' button should be labeled 'advanced', or something like that. Usually, '..' buttons are used for 'browse' dialog, I think..
8) File list: 'show same file only' button label is in fact 'show same files'
EHANCEMENTS
9) File List : when you mark a file for deletion, could it be an 'undelete' function (unmark delete tag)?
10) Whished Feature : File list: explorer contextual menu integration on fils .(this would be GREAT with tortoiseCVS integration)
11) rescan function on file list ? (when changing files from outside, and wanring to re-preview changes)
12) start dialog : when creating a new file filter preset, automatically choose it
13) exclude folder dialog :
browse dialog should be opened on the previous selected folder, that would be usefull.
14) File List : visually separate 'sessions', when previewing a project (with several sessions)
That's a long list, some may be just miss-understandood functions.
Sorry for eventual english mistakes..
- Arnaud (fr)
Synchronize It V3.0 beta : my feedback after a few days
-
Guest
Arnaud,
First of all thank you for taking time to write this, I really do appreciate this very much!
I have almost fully added your list to our to-do list.
Just few comments at first time:
3. Folder exclude list can include not only full paths, but also subpaths and masks, such as "My pictures", "Back*". '+' button let you easily create such entries.
5. You are right, after changing current session it will be highlighted as changed. Also, to save it you can just press Save button, without using Add command from submenu.
6. File compare options are:
Date+size - default, fast.
Date or content - if files are of same size but diff date, compare them.
Content - ignore date, just as you said, same size does not mater (but of course files with diff size will not be compared binary).
Size - Files are same, if sizes are same
Maybe I will add some more comments later, during implementing\fixing your issues.
Thank you again,
Igor.
First of all thank you for taking time to write this, I really do appreciate this very much!
I have almost fully added your list to our to-do list.
Just few comments at first time:
3. Folder exclude list can include not only full paths, but also subpaths and masks, such as "My pictures", "Back*". '+' button let you easily create such entries.
5. You are right, after changing current session it will be highlighted as changed. Also, to save it you can just press Save button, without using Add command from submenu.
6. File compare options are:
Date+size - default, fast.
Date or content - if files are of same size but diff date, compare them.
Content - ignore date, just as you said, same size does not mater (but of course files with diff size will not be compared binary).
Size - Files are same, if sizes are same
Maybe I will add some more comments later, during implementing\fixing your issues.
Thank you again,
Igor.
-
Arnaud Lapiere
Igor,
you're welcome, that's a pleasure to take some time when comments are taken into account like you do. Furthermore, you deserve to be congratulated, because there's fewer and fewer 'quality softwares', as much software editors spend most of their time to make their software skinnable, with sounds, and other useless features, and don't take user comments into account anymore..
In fact, you deserve to bell better known.. it's pretty hard to find compareIt on google, despite the fact that you have the best file/folder comparison tool that exist (excluded maybe araxis merge, but it is much more expensive and slower)..
To go back to our business, thank you for explanations on points 3 and 5.
For the file compare options:
that's clear by know, but I find this pretty hard to understand for an 'average user'.
a) Date+size
b) Date or content
c) Content
d) Size
If clearly understood, here is the algorithm, in 'pseudo code':
a) if(same date and same size) same file
else different file
b) if(same size){
if(same date) same file
else binary compare files
}else different files
c) if(same size){
binary compare files
}else different files
d) if(same size) same file
else different file
if I factorize the 'same size' check, it gives :
if(different size) different file //of course
else {
a) if(same date){same file}else{different file}
b) if(same date){same file}else{binary compare}
c) binary compare
d) same file
}
From a user point of view, you have in fact 2 choices to make:
Do I ignore file date, and do I ignore file size.
So, IMHO, i'd consider changing the combo into 2 checkboxes, to make the choice more 'user friendly' :
ignore date yes yes no no
ignore file size yes no yes no
_____________ c) d) b) a)
or, maybe better:
ignore date yes yes no no
rely on file size yes no yes no
______________ d) c) a) b)
Should be very simple to implement, and much more intuitive.
Of course, don't rely on my single opinion, maybe other users may have a different point of view..
- Arnaud
you're welcome, that's a pleasure to take some time when comments are taken into account like you do. Furthermore, you deserve to be congratulated, because there's fewer and fewer 'quality softwares', as much software editors spend most of their time to make their software skinnable, with sounds, and other useless features, and don't take user comments into account anymore..
In fact, you deserve to bell better known.. it's pretty hard to find compareIt on google, despite the fact that you have the best file/folder comparison tool that exist (excluded maybe araxis merge, but it is much more expensive and slower)..
To go back to our business, thank you for explanations on points 3 and 5.
For the file compare options:
that's clear by know, but I find this pretty hard to understand for an 'average user'.
a) Date+size
b) Date or content
c) Content
d) Size
If clearly understood, here is the algorithm, in 'pseudo code':
a) if(same date and same size) same file
else different file
b) if(same size){
if(same date) same file
else binary compare files
}else different files
c) if(same size){
binary compare files
}else different files
d) if(same size) same file
else different file
if I factorize the 'same size' check, it gives :
if(different size) different file //of course
else {
a) if(same date){same file}else{different file}
b) if(same date){same file}else{binary compare}
c) binary compare
d) same file
}
From a user point of view, you have in fact 2 choices to make:
Do I ignore file date, and do I ignore file size.
So, IMHO, i'd consider changing the combo into 2 checkboxes, to make the choice more 'user friendly' :
ignore date yes yes no no
ignore file size yes no yes no
_____________ c) d) b) a)
or, maybe better:
ignore date yes yes no no
rely on file size yes no yes no
______________ d) c) a) b)
Should be very simple to implement, and much more intuitive.
Of course, don't rely on my single opinion, maybe other users may have a different point of view..
- Arnaud
Arnaud,
In fact previous version have 2 checkboxes you are describing (well, almost - compare by size option was not available). Have you worked with previous version 2, by the way? If not, can you have a look, will you find changes in new version good or bad?
I still think that 4-way combo is more usable, than combination of checkboxes, but I must admit that it would mainly depend on text used. I will think about this topic - maybe I could find better text for both cases, then I will choose.
Also, how did you search google? I thought my position in google are quite good, for my basic "file compare" keyword I'm on 2nd place, similar results are on many keywords I could find and used in optimization. But finding real-life terms is a most difficult task of all...
In fact previous version have 2 checkboxes you are describing (well, almost - compare by size option was not available). Have you worked with previous version 2, by the way? If not, can you have a look, will you find changes in new version good or bad?
I still think that 4-way combo is more usable, than combination of checkboxes, but I must admit that it would mainly depend on text used. I will think about this topic - maybe I could find better text for both cases, then I will choose.
Also, how did you search google? I thought my position in google are quite good, for my basic "file compare" keyword I'm on 2nd place, similar results are on many keywords I could find and used in optimization. But finding real-life terms is a most difficult task of all...
-
wilhelm
Default processing is based on date - that is if date is same, files are considered to be same. Of course, size check is done, but normally it should not differ on files with same date. I guess such files should be highlighted somehow, but current version just believes source file is newer, and so pair is listed.
When date is different, but size is same, there is some probabllity that files are same, but somthing change the date - copying netween various systems, some editing with undo etc. This is where "date or content" option comes - such files are compared byte-by byte.
When date is different, but size is same, there is some probabllity that files are same, but somthing change the date - copying netween various systems, some editing with undo etc. This is where "date or content" option comes - such files are compared byte-by byte.