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Last post Author Topic: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....  (Read 27407 times)

nkormanik

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DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« on: June 17, 2012, 08:31 PM »

Here's another request:

I'm creating image files from a statistics program.  Total image files = 16,110.  Time needed to create each image file = 30 seconds.  Total needed time to create all image files (on computer off to the side) = 5 days.

I've minimized all the windows.

Periodically I right-click on the folder where the image files are being created, and bring up the "Folder Properties" to see how many files have so far been created.

Windows "Folder Properties" window is not 'dynamic' -- it does not automatically update as new files are created within it.

What I have in mind is a little program that shows a small window with the following:

--- Folder being monitored
--- Number of files currently in the folder

The font should ideally be reasonably large in size, maybe even user-configurable.

The 'refresh' time should be perhaps a minute or so, possibly user configurable.

User should be able to move the window around on the desktop, for optimal placement.

The idea is for user to glance over at the computer doing the work and see that the number of files in the monitored folder is steadily increasing, and will have an idea about total completion of the file-creation project.

=====

Another approach would be to create within the "Folder Properties" window a way to refresh the information (button to click on periodically), or to auto-refresh it.

=====

There may be other already existing approaches to the problem.  If anyone knows of one, please post.


Thanks much.

Nicholas Kormanik
[email protected]



4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2012, 11:16 PM »
FolMon v0.4.0.4

2013-11-17 17_58_04-Modify message - DonationCoder.com - Pale Moon.png

Instructions:

Run it, the Path button allows you to choose a folder to monitor.  When it closes it will save the folder being monitored, colours, Always on Top setting, and Update Interval to an ini file so it can use them next time it starts.

You can change the colours two ways:
  • Edit the .ini file - the colours are in RGB format - here's a list.
    • Background=0x000000
    • Text=0x00FF00
  • Right-click on the window background and a popup menu will open, (best place is between "Files:" and "Size:").
NOTE: Colour changes will not take effect until the next time the program is run.

You can have multiple instances running, even from the same folder - just rename the executable, an ini with the same name will be created upon exit.

Input boxes are read-only.
Statusbar reflects the last file creation or deletion in the directory.

UPDATE (0.4.0.4):
  • Added: Colour selector popup menu.
  • Changed: The Recurse warning requester now has a 10 second timeout, (so it doesn't block other functions for too long), it defaults to NO at the end of the timeout.

UPDATE (0.4.0.2):
  • Added: Update interval slider from 5-120 seconds.
  • Added: Always on Top option.
  • Added: Recurse option - notes:
    • Interval slider will change to 60-120 seconds.
    • Statusbar will be disabled - too hard to monitor all possible sub-directories for file changes.
    • This setting is NOT saved in the ini file, (I've left the lines in the source just uncomment and recompile if you want it).
  • Added: Colour setting acts on statusbar - I even fixed the weird colour problem I was getting.
  • Removed: The Exit button - guess what you use now.

UPDATE (0.3.0.5):
  • Fixed: No longer freezes due to getting latest file created. Statusbar is updated in real time from filesystem notifications. If files are being generated very rapidly, (eg. >50/s), it may start skipping them ... however this is probably faster than you can read individual names.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2013, 06:24 PM by 4wd »

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2012, 11:23 PM »
How about THAT.

Precisely what was asked for.  And auto-updating.

Can we assume that it won't be interfering too much with the file-creation process being monitored?

Thank you so much!!

4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2012, 11:32 PM »
Can we assume that it won't be interfering too much with the file-creation process being monitored?

Shouldn't, all it does is return directory statistics.

It's not recursive either, although you could make it easily enough by changing one parameter.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2012, 01:30 AM by 4wd »

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2012, 11:41 PM »

Pretty close to perfect.

Although it does the trick very, very well -- and I'm using it right this minute -- two possible enhancement requests:

-- change background color to some color darker than white.  I'll leave it running on my desktop, and am always concerned about monitor burn-in image caused by white.

-- when the program is minimized in the task bar, allow it to show the data (at least number of files) as opposed to the title.

But, as I say, as it is now works great.  Thanks a million.

Sure hope other people use this stuff.  It's quite good.


4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2012, 11:53 PM »
-- change background color to some color darker than white.  I'll leave it running on my desktop, and am always concerned about monitor burn-in image caused by white.

Should be easy enough.

-- when the program is minimized in the task bar, allow it to show the data (at least number of files) as opposed to the title.

Might have to do some reading on getting that done - what OS are we talking about, (just in case there are differences) ?

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2012, 12:00 AM »
Windows XP Pro, with latest updates.

No need to do the second if you do the first.  Light grey, light blue, any....

Again, thanks!

4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #7 on: June 18, 2012, 12:25 AM »
OK, here's the colourised version :)  (See attachment here)

Just copy over the old version and run it, the colour defaults to Yellow on Black, (except for the two buttons - yes, that's right!  A whole new button!).

You can change the colours by editing the ini file, exit the program first otherwise it'll just overwrite the ini file when you do exit it.

Colours are in RGB format:

Background=0x000000
Text=0xFFFF00

Pretty self-explanatory, here's a list of RGB values.

Now that it has an Exit button, (dang it - just ruined the surprise!), I might change it to a borderless window.  (More reading.)

Or I could make it buttonless and you use the keyboard or a menu on the tray icon.

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2012, 12:31 AM »
Fantastic.

I'm enjoying the first iteration, and will even more this second one.

Sleep well.


nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #9 on: June 18, 2012, 12:49 AM »

New look is super!!


4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2012, 01:26 AM »
Another update, see first post for file.

Window title gets updated with the number of files in the folder.

NOTE: This only happens every 60 seconds - more frequently pushes CPU usage up too high AFAIAC, (~10%), and it won't change until a minute has passed after running it, (meh - I'm lazy).  So you will get discrepancies between the two numbers until the title gets updated.

2012-06-18_16-19-58.jpg

So this means your Taskbar label gets updated with the number of files :)

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2012, 03:48 PM »

The Window title feature is great, too, because it's a much larger font, and easy to see.

Useful little program.  I presently have it running on two different computers -- one to my left, one to my right -- while I work on a third.  At a glance I can see that the underlying operations are chugging along, adding image files to the folders being monitored.

Hopefully others can think of additional ways of using FolMon, so that you can add more goodies, as you are obviously on a roll.

Thanks again!


4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2012, 09:55 PM »
OK, I think I'm there now:

2012-06-19_13-12-51.jpg

  • Updates the file/size count every 1000 milliseconds.
  • Updates the Window title every 5000 milliseconds.
  • Font is a bit bigger (14pt).

Changing the update intervals dropped CPU usage back down to 0-1% on my computers.

See above for archive.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2012, 10:14 PM by 4wd »

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2012, 11:27 PM »

Unreal.  Terrific job!


4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2012, 11:46 PM »
Thanks, I think we can get skwire to move this into the Finished area now :)

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2012, 11:49 PM »

Amen to that.


4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #16 on: July 05, 2012, 03:37 AM »
Update up there.

UPDATE v0.2:
  • Fix: Window title wasn't updated if executable name was changed.
  • Added: Statusbar shows the latest created file, (updated at the same time as window title).
« Last Edit: July 05, 2012, 04:31 AM by 4wd »

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #17 on: July 05, 2012, 03:03 PM »

Excellent work, 4wd.  Been running on three computers since you created it!

Keeps me immediately appraised of the on-going progress in those subdirectories monitored.

Additionally, seems an excellent way of showing which computer -- for whatever reason -- is faster or slower.  If folders on the three computers start empty, and the running process is the same, computer most rapidly ticking up the file count is fastest.  FolMon at a glance shows that.


nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #18 on: August 23, 2013, 12:23 AM »
I've been finding FolMon really useful, 4wd.  Recently running into an issue, though.

Just on a fast Windows 7 machine.  Occasionally FolMon freezes.  I know the number of files in the monitored folder keeps increasing.  But FolMon keeps showing the same numbers, at the point of freeze.

I use Windows Task Manager to kill the current instance, and start up a new instance.  Numbers jump up to actual.  Going along fine for a while.  Then freezes again.

Don't want to fiddle with something that works so well.  Mostly just wanted to inform you, more than anything else.

Thanks again!

4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #19 on: August 23, 2013, 01:16 AM »
OK, just tried it on my machine and it froze at 16709 files, I also noticed that the same filename seemed to keep reappearing on the statusbar - which is weird.

And when I started it off again, that same filename kept turning up again.

EDIT: I might just disable the statusbar and see if that makes a difference.

EDIT2: OK, it looks like it's linked to the statusbar - more directly, due to using 'dir' to get the last file created.  So I'll just disable it until I can find another way to get the latest file.

Archive up there.
« Last Edit: August 23, 2013, 05:49 AM by 4wd »

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #20 on: August 24, 2013, 12:14 AM »
4wd, not a single freeze all day long.  I think you put your finger on it.

Thanks!

4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #21 on: August 24, 2013, 09:23 AM »
I've got it displaying the latest file in real time but need to iron out a couple of things.

Hopefully get it done in a week after other jobs have been got rid of.

nkormanik

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #22 on: August 24, 2013, 05:49 PM »
Fine as is, 4wd.  No worries.

4wd

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #23 on: August 26, 2013, 09:18 PM »
UPDATE (0.3.0.5):
  • Fixed: No longer freezes due to getting latest file created. Statusbar is updated in real time from filesystem notifications. If files are being generated very rapidly, (eg. >50/s), it may start skipping them ... however this is probably faster than you can read individual names.

Archive up there.

CodeTRUCKER

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Re: DONE: Folder Properties Auto-Update....
« Reply #24 on: November 10, 2013, 10:24 AM »
Unfortunately, I am not getting flawless performance.  FolMon only and constantly shows "28" while the mouse-hover-over-folder keeps updating continuously.

I am on Vista 32 @ 1.67GHz and 3GB RAM.

I have tried opening FolMon as "Administrator, but no joy.

Out of ideas.  Any suggestions or can I provide more data?

FWIW - Given others are achieving great performance, I am persuaded the problem is probably on my end, but I don't know where.

Thanks