Author Topic: DONE: Group files from within folders (Read 74183 times)

Fred Nerd · « **on:** October 24, 2009, 08:47 PM »

This probably exists, but I can't find it.
I should be able to do it in AHK, but I am sure there are people who can do it faster and better.

All I want to do is to select a collection of folders
And then want the program to select all the files in them and put them in a single folder.

What I want it for (ATM) is that most medai players store music in individual folders, which is a nuisance when you want to burn it directly to disc.

Also if you want to review files before sending them to an iPod.

Photo organisers can do this too.

So a simple Open folder window (allowing multiple folders to be selected)
Then read all files from inside
Select destination folder and then copy all files to there.
Or even just a list which I can paste into a burn program, but they don't like that unless it perfect.....

Thanks for any help.

Or if no help, watch this space and eventually I'll do it myself and post it... (I hope)

skwire · « **Reply #1 on:** October 25, 2009, 03:41 PM »

So a simple Open folder window (allowing multiple folders to be selected)
Then read all files from inside
Select destination folder and then copy all files to there.
-Fred Nerd (October 24, 2009, 08:47 PM)

Do you want all the files copied into one destination folder (flat) or did you want the directories' structures selected preserved?

Fred Nerd · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2009, 05:38 AM »

Flat.
Then I can find the destination folder and CTRL+A the lot.
Instead of having to sort through 50 folders (artist names) with one song each in it.

Thanks

skwire · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2009, 10:43 PM »

Next question...the standard Windows folder selection dialog doesn't allow multiple selections. This is the dialog I'm talking about:

Screenshot - 10_26_2009 , 10_36_14 PM.png

DONE: Group files from within folders

However, the standard Windows file selection dialog does allow mutiple selections within its view using the standard control/shift-select modifiers:

Screenshot - 10_26_2009 , 10_53_10 PM.png

DONE: Group files from within folders

I can use either, both or try to come up with a custom treeview that has checkboxes to allow you multiple folder selection via a tree. Also, the app will support drag&drop of files and folders as well. Your thoughts before I proceed?

Fred Nerd · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2009, 05:16 AM »

I think it needs a custom format, I thought of something like what some data cd burning software has (power 2go had it I think), where you have a tree view on the left side, then select the folder and click >>> and get it to the selection window on the right.

Drag and drop would also work fine since you can CTRL select multiple folders and then drag them in one go.

Thanks for your help

skwire · « **Reply #5 on:** October 29, 2009, 02:28 AM »

Apologies for this taking so long. Here's a sample of where the GUI is at:

Screenshot - 10_29_2009 , 2_18_59 AM.png

DONE: Group files from within folders

I think you can see where it's headed.

That bottom-right listview will be your "collection" list.
You can add entire folders of files from the treeview on the left.
You can pick-and-choose files from the upper-right treeview to add to your collection.
You can drag-and-drop files/folders from other file managers onto the collection list.

After your list is where you want it, you will then be able to copy it out to a folder of your choice. Is this close to what you had in mind?

Fred Nerd · « **Reply #6 on:** October 29, 2009, 04:03 AM »

Thanks heaps for your help,
This is about 10 times better than what I first thought of.

Yep, thats exactly what I wanted. Can you multipe select folders in the tree view and transfer them in one go?

skwire · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2009, 04:22 AM »

Thanks heaps for your help,
This is about 10 times better than what I first thought of.
-Fred Nerd (October 29, 2009, 04:03 AM)

Great, I hoped I was going in the right direction.

Yep, thats exactly what I wanted. Can you multipe select folders in the tree view and transfer them in one go?
-Fred Nerd (October 29, 2009, 04:03 AM)

Hmmm...no, not by control-selecting. However, I could make the treeview control have checkboxes that would allow such behaviour. Would this be acceptable?

As always, we're going to need a name for this Coding Snack. <queue in Cranioscopical's entry music>

skwire · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2009, 04:44 AM »

However, I could make the treeview control have checkboxes that would allow such behaviour.
-skwire (October 29, 2009, 04:22 AM)

Well, crap, maybe not. The problem is that AHK's TreeView control is somewhat limited; EVERY thing has to be handled manually. It makes it very difficult to use it to display and manipulate a disk's folder structure without scanning the WHOLE disk structure first.

Fred Nerd · « **Reply #9 on:** October 29, 2009, 07:19 AM »

Is that in AHK? I thought I knew a bit about it, but I can't make it do that......

Don't worry, its definately a lot easier than using windows explorer....
However is easiest for you.

Thanks

skwire · « **Reply #10 on:** October 29, 2009, 07:28 AM »

All my stuff is written in AHK. http://skwire.dcmembers.com/

In regards to the multi-select issue, I did add an option that will let you recursively add the selected folder. Maybe that will help.

tomos · « **Reply #11 on:** October 29, 2009, 07:48 AM »

FolderGroupie
(?)

cranioscopical · « **Reply #12 on:** October 29, 2009, 11:10 AM »

FolderGroupie
(?)
-tomos (October 29, 2009, 07:48 AM)

I like it!!

Onefold?
Onefolder?
Unfolder?
Centrefold?
Unifold?
Folderall?

skwire · « **Reply #13 on:** October 29, 2009, 11:49 AM »

I had a few in mind:

File Larder

File Hoarder
File Trove

cranioscopical · « **Reply #14 on:** October 29, 2009, 12:01 PM »

I had a few in mind:

File Larder
File Hoarder
File Trove
-skwire (October 29, 2009, 11:49 AM)

All good!

EnfileAid?

I'm bankrupt.

skwire · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2009, 12:06 PM »

Fred Nerd! What say you?! Pick one or make one up. =]

skwire · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2009, 12:13 PM »

Here's a more recent screenshot:

DONE: Group files from within folders

Target · « **Reply #17 on:** October 29, 2009, 05:40 PM »

here's a shot of a version I've been working on (I thought Skwire had gotten sidetracked)

DONE: Group files from within folders

it's perhaps not as 'comprehensive' as Skwires offering and I've still got some details to work out, but it seems to meet your requirements

cranioscopical · « **Reply #18 on:** October 29, 2009, 05:48 PM »

here's a shot of a version I've been working on
-Target (October 29, 2009, 05:40 PM)

And I have just the title for you, how about

Yes folks, you guessed it...

Better Late Than Never

Target · « **Reply #19 on:** October 29, 2009, 05:55 PM »

here's a shot of a version I've been working on
-Target (October 29, 2009, 05:40 PM)
And I have just the title for you, how about
-cranioscopical (October 29, 2009, 05:48 PM)

everbodies gotta be a comedian...

I seriously thought Skwire would have had this well and truly wrapped up by now, else I might have stepped in sooner (I only started yesterday)

Fred Nerd · « **Reply #20 on:** October 29, 2009, 06:24 PM »

You are all legends.....
I can't even follow this thread fast enough, let alone get some code together....

How about:

Folder Untangler
The Grim Collector
NoMoreFolders
All in one, and one in all
You're FILED!!

I think I will have to go back to 'Programming School'
D*mn that assignment that involved Winsock, it threw me right off track.
*thinks (for 100th time) I WILL master it. It won't beat me*

Target · « **Reply #21 on:** October 29, 2009, 06:28 PM »

D*mn that assignment that involved Winsock, it threw me right off track.
*thinks (for 100th time) I WILL master it. It won't beat me*
-Fred Nerd (October 29, 2009, 06:24 PM)

I'm with you, I've still got a flat spot on my forehead from hitting that 'wall'...

Fred Nerd · « **Reply #22 on:** October 29, 2009, 06:31 PM »

@Target, do you think we can get them to make it more friendly for people who start with AHK? I don't mind mind spending hours trying to program/bug fixing, but I have spent hours and don't think I'm any closer, or hardly any closer....

PS, I thought I had a large collection of music.... but those are impressive..... Makes my 8000 or so songs on my iPod look small

Target · « **Reply #23 on:** October 29, 2009, 06:55 PM »

@Target, do you think we can get them to make it more friendly for people who start with AHK? I don't mind mind spending hours trying to program/bug fixing, but I have spent hours and don't think I'm any closer, or hardly any closer....
-Fred Nerd (October 29, 2009, 06:31 PM)

I don't think it's a case of making it easier, but I think that for the beginner the leap to API programming is a large one if you don't have any background or knowledge (there's a significant gap there)

FWIW I can understand the concepts, I just can't make the step to the implementation (I have a working solution to that challenge, but I don't really understand it. Also as some of the code is taken from somewhere else so I can't and wont submit it...

Makes my 8000 or so songs on my iPod look small

where did this figure come from?

skwire · « **Reply #24 on:** October 29, 2009, 07:08 PM »

I seriously thought Skwire would have had this well and truly wrapped up by now, else I might have stepped in sooner (I only started yesterday)
-Target (October 29, 2009, 05:55 PM)

Normally, I would say I would have. However, I wanted to make the tree navigation very responsive. In other words, I didn't want to have to scan the user's ENTIRE drive and folder structures before displaying the tree or application itself. On most people's systems these days, that has the potential to take forever. I also wanted the icons to look like a normal windows app. This took a bit of extra research and testing. It's almost ready for a release.

@Target, please release yours as well. It's always good to have a choice.