Detect duplicate files

[JDLH]

I value DiskVision for helping me figure out how to save space on a crowded hard drive. Part of that is seeing which files I simply don't need, and DiskVision is good at that.

But part of that is detecting duplicate files. DiskVision doesn't help me with that, and I wish it would. I'd like to be able to see where there are files, or entire directory trees, that are the "same". Sameness is an application-defined property, it could include:
* same file contents
* same file name
* same modfication date
* same values for other metadata, e.g. permissions, archive bit, etc.

I envision a different mode of DiskVision's UI, where unique files are greyed out, and simlar files or directories are normal colour. When you mouse over one highlighted rectangle for a file or directory that has a duplicate, that rectangle and its duplicates are highlighted. They should probably be in the same colour too.

This might be clearer to see if the blocks are laid out in a different order than directory tree order. Perhaps they could be laid out so that duplicates that consume most disk space are at the left, or something.

I expect it will take even longer to check for duplicates than it does to compute plain file sizes. It would be fine for me if the duplicate-checking happened in the background, or come into view incrementally as the application gathered it.

Hope this suggestion is helpful.
--Jim DeLaHunt, Palo Alto, California.

[Bill Root]

Hello Jim,

Thank you for your well-considered suggestion. I can see that it would be useful for some users -- including myself, on occasion! I added it to the requested features list for future consideration.

Finest regards,
Bill Root
Ascendis Software