Selecting Files With No Extension and "Correct Folder Date/Time"

[Netpilot]

I have just discovered this wonderful and powerful software. I use it primarily to correct the Date/Time of folders to the latest Date/Time of the newest file in each folder.

I have a few issues/suggestions:

1) I want to filter only for files with no extension. In the lower right corner of the Explorer Panel, I cannot figure out a way to do this. I tried entering "*." with and without the quotes and with and without a trailing space, but I think since space is a delimiter there, the trailing space is ignored.

a) Is there a way to filter for files with no extension?

b) Suggestion - Have an option to choose either a space, semi-colon, or comma as a delimiter for the filter field.

2) Sometimes I want to correct the Date/Time of a folder without affecting its subfolders. Also, the include/exclude dialog/method is different than that in the Explorer Panel. I suggest several ways to change "Correct Folder Date/Time" dialog box and functionality:

a) Add a checkbox titled "Include Subfolders". If the box is unchecked, only the Date/Time of the currently selected folder(s) is(are) changed.

b) Instead of having separate include and exclude fields, have only one filter field and have it behave exactly like the Explorer Panel filter box. That way, a filter can be tested in the Explorer Panel to know in advance exactly which files the filter will select to determine the corrected folder's Date/Time.

c) The whole "Correct Folder Date/Time" functionality can be simplified to use the Explorer Panel filter currently in effect and the dialog be replaced with just an "Include Subfolders?" dialog box with "Yes", No", "Cancel".

d) Perhaps easiest of all is to use the current filter in effect as in c), above, and subfolders could be excluded in the Explorer Panel filter using "-/*". Then the dialog could be reduced to a simple confirmation that could even be suppressed with an option in the settings.

I look forward to your thoughts on my suggestions and thanks in advance for your help.

[Ulfhednar]

Code: [Select]

-*.*  will select no ext files (as "-" is exclude xxx)

Not entirely clear on your suggestions but my approach to date time mods would be to use a search & then from the find dialog start making changes.

What I am currently working on is scripting something for my particular rename/re-sort needs.  I suggest you try that also.

[Mathias (Author)]

1) I want to filter only for files with no extension. In the lower right corner of the Explorer Panel, I cannot figure out a way to do this. I tried entering "*." with and without the quotes and with and without a trailing space, but I think since space is a delimiter there, the trailing space is ignored.

a) Is there a way to filter for files with no extension?

b) Suggestion - Have an option to choose either a space, semi-colon, or comma as a delimiter for the filter field.

a) That works before. Then some other filter rules need to be supported and it was in conflict of this. And it did not survive.
So the problem is that some rules you can write are in conflict of other rules. But a I will see if it can be added without breaking anything.

b) no.. I think space is good. if space is needed inside filter then use ", -"file A.*"

2) Sometimes I want to correct the Date/Time of a folder without affecting its subfolders. Also, the include/exclude dialog/method is different than that in the Explorer Panel. I suggest several ways to change "Correct Folder Date/Time" dialog box and functionality:

a) Add a checkbox titled "Include Subfolders". If the box is unchecked, only the Date/Time of the currently selected folder(s) is(are) changed.

b) Instead of having separate include and exclude fields, have only one filter field and have it behave exactly like the Explorer Panel filter box. That way, a filter can be tested in the Explorer Panel to know in advance exactly which files the filter will select to determine the corrected folder's Date/Time.

c) The whole "Correct Folder Date/Time" functionality can be simplified to use the Explorer Panel filter currently in effect and the dialog be replaced with just an "Include Subfolders?" dialog box with "Yes", No", "Cancel".

d) Perhaps easiest of all is to use the current filter in effect as in c), above, and subfolders could be excluded in the Explorer Panel filter using "-/*". Then the dialog could be reduced to a simple confirmation that could even be suppressed with an option in the settings.

I look forward to your thoughts on my suggestions and thanks in advance for your help.

a) A checkbox for subfolder might be a good idea.

b) No. I need separate field for my own fix date/time needs.   maybe better description on how they work are needed.

c) No. Not as default. But as scripting option. then you can create a custom command for that does that.

d) No the include/Exclude fields are needed.

[Netpilot]

Code: [Select]

-*.*  will select no ext files (as "-" is exclude xxx)

What I am currently working on is scripting something for my particular ... needs.  I suggest you try that also.

Thanks for the tip. That is a good immediate workaround, but unfortunately it is an exclude rule. I ultimately need to be able to Correct Folder Date/Time based on the newest file with no extension AND files with .txt extension (AND possibly more extensions). Do you know a way to do that? I can't be sure what other file extensions might be in my folders, so I can't use a set of exclude rules.

Scripting may have to be my short term solution.

[Netpilot]

a) That works before. Then some other filter rules need to be supported and it was in conflict of this. And it did not survive.
So the problem is that some rules you can write are in conflict of other rules. But a I will see if it can be added without breaking anything.

b) no.. I think space is good. if space is needed inside filter then use ", -"file A.*"

a) It would be great if you can add that functionality back.

b) No problem. Dropped.

a) A checkbox for subfolder might be a good idea.

b) No. I need separate field for my own fix date/time needs.   maybe better description on how they work are needed.

c) No. Not as default. But as scripting option. then you can create a custom command for that does that.

d) No the include/Exclude fields are needed.

a) Thanks for considering it.

c) Fair enough. Dropped.

b, d) It's great to hear that you are actively using your own product and have added features based in your needs!!
I'm a programmer, too. I am using the Correct Folder Date/Time feature to clean up my program's folder tree and versioning in subfolders.

A good description on how both the Explorer Panel and the 'Correct Folder' filter fields work and how they are different would be a very good thing. I would have just guessed that anything in the Explorer Panel field prefixed with a minus sign would go in the exclude field and all others go in the include field of the 'Create Folder' fields.

If that's not the case and they do behave differently, then it is even more important that the 'Correct Folder' dialog have a way to verify the results of the filters. Otherwise, it's possible for the user to update potentially hundreds of folder dates with incorrect information with a simple logic mistake or typo.

The ability to filter by including files without extensions (along with additional extension types) is most important to me, but having the Explorer Panel and the 'Correct Folder' filters behave the same way is something I request you consider.

Thanks for your prompt and detailed reply!