IDEA: Copying files, timestamp existing files and copy new ones in

[thefritz_j]

A cool shell extension that would really help me out would be when you copy files to a different folder if the files already exist rename the existing file with a time stamp and then copy the new files in.

Example:

Directory of C:\files

C:\files\wow.txt

User copy and pastes (or drags and drops) a "wow.txt" file from another path/folder.  (H:\nice\wow.txt).
In addition to the "Replace existing file" a second option is shown: "Timestamp old file and keep new file".

If the user selects the second here is the directory of C:\files

C:\files\wow.txt (new)
C:\files\wow-20041231-0823.txt (old)

This would help me so much!

[mouser]

thefritz i've been wanting such a tool as well for a long time!
i'm actually trying to get it put into our new ContextMenu Commander tool that will be coming soon - but if anyone knows of an existing shell extension that can do this i'd love to hear it.

[skywalka]

I've wished 4 something like this 4 ages also.  I'd prefer that files could just have a numeral attached to the end of the filename if that could B made an option.

eg picture.jpg becomes picture2.jpg

[mouser]

yeah there a bunch of options that would be nice to have with this..

[thefritz_j]

Yeah, numbers or a timestamp would be great.  So... it sounds like there's a need.  Is it likely to be included in the ContextMenu commander soon? 

[skywalka]

If a filename already exists how difficult would it be to automatically compare the files' checksums.  If they are the same then just delete the moved file.  If they are different then automatically rename the moved file.

[mouser]

nice idea and not too hard at all.

[skrommel]

  What's really needed is a replacement for the copy function in Windows.

So far I've been using TotalCopy from http://www.ranvik.net/totalcopy/. But it crashes, and you can't control how to handle error conditions before they occur, like in the middle of a one hour copy!

So I've made my own, but I've yet to make a proper context menu.

Does anyone know a simpler way of adding a drag and drop context menu, without all the COM noise?

Skrommel

[skywalka]

I can't help U.   But I agree that a replacement for the entire Windows copying method is required.

It also bugs me when you move a folder & Windows tells you "A folder of the same name already exists.  If you continue the files will be overwritten."  A simple autorenaming function would save so much hassle.

[mouser]

there is something called a copyhook in windows, and you can register to take this over, which is the way this would have to be adddressed.  i'm hoping we will support it in ContextMenu Commander.

[skywalka]

It would also be handy to not have to answer questions like "Are you sure you wish to move the system (or read only) file thumbs.db" etc  I've never ever had to answer in the negative.

[lanux128]

hi there,

i use Servant Salamander 1.52 for file management but for heavy-duty copying/moving, my personal favourite is: Copy Handler 1.28.

among its' options are:

[Select]

Show 'Copy'/'Move' command in drag&drop menu
Show 'Copy to'/'Move to' command in context menu
Set attributes of destination files
Set date/time of destionation files
Protect read-only files
Don't delete files before copying finishes (moving)
Buffer size for copying from CD-ROM
Buffer size for copying over a network
Sound on error
Sound on copying finished

& many others...

best regards,
lanux

[mouser]

copy handler looks excellent (freeware but donate if you like it!) - thanks for the great link lanux.

[skrommel]

  CopyHandler also asks for confirmation when the errors occur. You can turn on timed confirmation, but the default actions are not what I want, so it's back to square one.

Skrommel

[lanux128]

hi skrommel,

have you heard of XXCOPY? it is a command-line tool which has a myriad of options & will take a lifetime to master. ;-)

it's still updated actively (latest version is 2.92.6), so any requests for additional features can be put to its author, Pixelab, Inc...
btw, there is also a java-based gui front called KopyMate.

best regards,
lanux