Main menu - File - Create checksums...


Activating the menu item "File → Create checksums..." or the shortcut "Ctrl+K" opens the dialog "Compute *-checksums", where the checksums for all items (files and/or folders) selected in the active panel can be calculated. * stands for the name of the chosen checksum method


Checksum methods are widely used cryptographic hash functions, that create a hash value (checksum) over any message.

This allows, for instance, to verify the accuracy of downloads. After a successful download of files and/or folders the checksum is communicated in another file. In the dialog "Compute checksums" the checksum over the downloaded files and/or folders can be recalculated and compared with the communicated checksum. If both checksums are identical, the integrity of the downloaded files and/or folders is confirmed - no errors occurred during the download.


The "Compute *-checksums" (* stands for the name of the chosen checksum method) dialog contains the tabs:

the information bar

and the buttons

Tab Operation


Selected item(s)

The content displayed under "Selected item(s)" differs according to the number of items (files and/or folders) selected in the active panel:

  • One item to be copied
    If only one file (or folder) is selected, the name of the file (or folder) is displayed under "Selected item(s)".
  • Several items to be copied

If several files (and/or folders) are selected, the number of files (and/or folders) is displayed under "Selected item(s)".

from

The folder from where the items are selected items is displayed under "from".

Target

  • Input field target
    The input field "Target" initially holds the folder from the active panel and, if only one item is selected, the item name and the file extension created by the checksum method. If several items are selected, the name of the active folder replaces the item name.
    The input field target is active only, if the option "Store checksums" is checked.
  • Button
    After activating the button a selection list with the favorite folders is shown. Clicking a folder overwrites the input field folder with the clicked folder.
  • Button
    After activating the button or the F4 key, the "Browse for folder" dialog is shown. Selecting a folder and activating "OK" overwrites the input field folder with the selected folder.

Include only files of this type:

  • Input field "Include only files of this type"
    The content of the input field "Include only files of this type" allows to limit (filter) the number of items selected in the active panel of the FreeCommander main window. This reduces the number of items whose checksums should be calculated. Wildcards and regular expressions are accepted in the input field. As soon as a filter is entered and the tab "Files" or the button "Run" are activated, the contents of the information bar  ...files ...folders is refreshed.
  • Button
    After activating the button a selection list is shown, with the last inputs (filters) in this field and the text "<RegExp>:" (to enter regular expressions). Clicking a row in this selection list overwrites the contents of the input field with the contents of the clicked row.
  • Button
    After activating the button a selection list with filters (defined under the menu item "Folder → Filter → Set filter") is shown. Selecting a filter overwrites the contents of the input field with "<Filter>:" + "contents of the filter".

Checksum method

In this field a checksum method can be chosen.

Store checksums

If this option is checked, all file names, paths and checksums (of the files listed in the tab "Files") are stored in the file defined in the input field "Target".

If this option is not checked:

  • the result of the calculation can only be copied to the clipboard
  • the option "Create separate *-files for each file" is not active
    * stands for the name of the chosen checksum method.
  • the input field "Target" is not active

Create separate *-checksum files for each file

* stands for the name of the chosen checksum method.

If this option is checked, a separate checksum file is created for each file listed in the tab "Files".

If this option is not checked, one checksum file is created containing all all file names, paths and checksums.

Compare with pattern sum

If the checksum of a file is known (e.g. from a download), it can be entered in this input field.



In this case the integrity of the file is checked after activating the button "Run".

Tab Files

The tab "Files" lists all files for which the checksums have to be calculated.



Initially only the columns "Name" and "Path" are filled.

After activating the button "Run" the column "*" is filled. * stands for the name of the chosen checksum method.

When an error was detected while calculating the checksums, the additional column "Error message" is shown and filled.

Button

Activating the button reloads all files and folders. This may be useful if they can be processed from various workspaces.

Quick filter bar


The quick filter provides the possibility to decrease the number of files for which the checksums have to be calculated.

  • Input field
    The input field "Quick filter" allows to define a filter. (Example: ".bmp; .png; a*.htm")
    As soon as the focus is on this field and the first character is typed, the quick filter is activated and the button behind the input field is switched from to .
  • Button

After activating the button a selection list is shown, with the last inputs (filters) in this field. Clicking the button activates the highlighted filter.

  • Button
    Clicking activates the quick filter, changes the button to and refreshes the contents of the information bar  ...files ...folders.
    Clicking deactivates it and switches the button back to .

Tab Settings

Under the tab "Settings" further settings for the "Compute checksums" process can be defined.



Auto close for successful operation

If this option is checked, the "Compute checksums" dialog is closed automatically, as soon as all processes are successfully completed.

Auto close for canceled operation

If this option is checked, the "Compute checksums" dialog is closed automatically, after one process was canceled.

Use uppercase for display the sum

If this option is checked, the characters in the checksums are shown in capitals.

Count for worker threads

To speed up the checksum calculation, the number of background processes can be increased. With this several checksums can be calculated parallel.

Save relative paths

If this option is checked, the relative paths are stored instead of the absolute paths.

Information bar: ...files ...folders

In the "Compute checksums" dialog the information bar (lowest window line) " ...files ...folders" shows the information how many files are to be calculated. On opening the dialog the bar is invisible. Whenever the tab "Files" or the button "Run" are activated, the files to be calculated are loaded and their number is shown. The number of files shown in the information bar can be different from the number shown under "Selected item(s)". The differences may result from:

  • The input field "Include only files of this type" contains a filter
  • Under "Selected item(s)" all selected files and folders are counted.
    In the information bar all files in selected folders and their subfolders are counted additionally.

Button Queue

Pressing the button adds the checksums calculation operation to the operations queue and starts the processing of the operations queue.

Activating the button in the operation queue bar opens the operations queue dialog.

File operations via the operations queue are described in the chapter Operations queue.

Button Run

After activating the button the checksums calculation process is started directly for all items to be calculated.

The "Compute checksums" dialog shows the following modifications:

- If no errors occurred during the calculation:



- If errors occurred during the calculation:



Copy to clipboard

After activating the button the file names, paths and checksums are copied to the clipboard.

Show only errors

After activating the button only files are shown during their calculation an error occurred.

Calculation progress

The calculation progress is visualized in a progress bar below the item list.

Calculation status of the files

In the item list each file is preceded by an icon that shows the calculation status of the file:

  •                file not yet calculated
  •        file calculated successfully
  •        An error has occurred during the calculation process of this file.
                   An error message is shown in the column "Error message" in the row of the file.

The message bar shows the actually calculated item.

Button Cancel

Activating the button "Cancel", cancels the calculation process and closes the "Compute checksums" dialog.