Efficient Examination of Folder Contents

[stanley.tweedle]

Hi. I'd like to share with you my experience with FreeCommander XE.
One might label me as "old school". I'm still using Windows XP. I have experience w/ Windows Vista and Windows 7 (as from the beta-testing of Win 7, when i decided I was able to work more effectively back on Win XP, so i payed it no more attention). Okay, enough about me, eh?

FreeCommander XE: Something Super-Cool
I realize FC has the ability to calculate Size of FolderContents-- for example-- for estimating differences between contents of two versions of similiar containers. However, this is not what makes FC XE unique, necessarily.

Unlike FreeCommander (legacy), FreeCommander XE-- in my experience-- is able to use system data Column Views similar to Windows Explorer, as may be provided from 3rd party shell extensions (software not native to Windows XP [i.e. add-on's available after installing new software.]). This becomes an advantage when FC XE is set to view data provided by the FolderSize DLL{*1}

FolderSize in Windows Explorer
FolderSizeSvc.exe provides incredibly useful data (for no cost), such as the "Children" column. Users may select from "Folder Children", "File Children", or "All Children". I opt for "All Children" to get a summary data in a single column.

The All Children column, coupled with "Folder Size" data column itself provides a great deal of information-- at-a-glance {i.e. consider the expression: Container X = XY(Child-Objects) / XZ(Total-Bytes)} and, fortunate for FreeCommander XE users: the dual-pane view we know and love from FreeCommander even better leverages the additional qualitative data provided by "Brio FolderSize".

The Result: A highly efficient means for evaluating various containers on the file-system. With FreeCommander XE, we not only manage two entirely separate file-system views (the user having the option, whether these dual panes view different or identical system paths), whereby operations may be performed against either or both sets of files, of either panel view, with the additional insight into a new dynamic: How many Objects are contained therein, and What is the total size of that container.

I highly recommend users consider FreeCommander XE in this context. I find it incredibly useful.{*2}

{*1}
I cite "Brio's FolderSize", as it is a solid software. It runs in the background, and-- as far as I've recognized-- has never caused any significant drain on the system (remarkably, considering the work it's doing), and I can attribute neither system or installed software applications crashing, nor general software interoperability problems whatsoever.
I've used Brio FolderSize-- i estimate-- for roughly 7 years or so. I believe it's semi-active, as the FolderSize 2.5 update was released-- again, i'm guessing-- a couple of years ago, i believe , perhaps, around the time of the most recent Freecommander legacy update (2009?).
"FolderSize" runs as a Windows Service; current version 2.5, distributed as an MSI installer; developed by "Brio".

{*2}
I regret, I'm uncertain what version is my FC XE. I obtained it the moment I learned of the availability of trying this next generation FreeCommander. So far, I love it-- but-- I'm unable to advance beyond this version. (my paypal account is currently in a prohibitive state, disallowing the "send money" feature. though I have the funds, it's not possible for me to transfer a "donation" until a rather inconvenient set of requirements are processed, paypal-side. i'm sorry. I am eager to participate, and I truly regret the circumstance. For the record, I have donated in the past.)


Best wishes. I encourage the reader present any questions he or she might have regarding my commentary, here.
And thank you, Marek, for the wonderful software!
-JS
Author, NoviceNotes™
NoviceNotes.Net
(see http://NoviceNotes.Net/search/freecommander )

EDIT:
RE: @ajaxStardust

P.S. Marek, I believe I've communicated [or, at least attempted] via Twitter, regarding this issue, as I wished to discuss, and I've composed-- since installing FCXE-- several annotated screen-capture / tutorial/ whatever-you-call-it stuff, for presentation/ discussion/ general consideration of features of FreeCommander XE.
In general, wishing to share this potentially useful, visual data (for users, and in development considerations alike, perhaps), I simply need to know where is the best place for sharing such imagery.
For example, I could create an HTML gallery and publish it to one of my privately owned locations, or I could upload them for availability at (essentially, random) URL's at... whatever is the file sharing service used by "XnView" for the upload-to-web feature (frog something? something looks like a frog, maybe? whatever, but it works for sharing while-- not the greatest-- however, in my opinion, for multiple documents as I've compiled). I know there's image sharing via Twitter as well. I'd have used that option, but I believe it might be more advantageous for Users, if placed in a more User-aware, centralized location.

Please advise.

[BGM]

I know that FCXE has its own column for "SizeMB" which will display the size of all items - files and folders - in the listview. What advantage again, is there of using the FolderSize.exe, besides getting "Folder Children" ?

[stanley.tweedle]

Sorry... so many times i've begun composition for reply to this inquiry. You're not interested in a life-story, no doubt. true dat. but, dig this: dude (me, myself. eyes) has this condition, whereby he falls asleep all the time. So, before I run off on a tangent, and do so again, let me first apologize for such delay in reply.

Second, i'll be as quick as possible (plus, i'm pretty medicated, presently, so i shouldn't fall asleep this time. n'yuk, n'yuk)

In response RE:

What advantage again, is there of using the FolderSize.exe, besides getting "Folder Children" ?

Though it would seem-- to the obtuse study-- @BGM’s query is nonsensical, as it seems to simply as I repeat myself. Nonsensical, indeed, for this is not a spoken forum, but one of text, and he or she might simply re-read, for what ever oversight. I suspect we all might assume the same: what he or she seeks is a better illustration; an explanation, the breadth of which extends beyond the context of his or her experience, that a comparison and contrast might be developed, for the purpose of most easily arriving at “Ohhh… now i see…”.

I should remark: having since abandoned use of Windows XP (not for preference, but practical means), any information I provide is merely recollection, not verifiable, from my own reflection.

It's also important that-- not only @BGM-- all readers understand: unless the Reader is operating under Windows XP, this topic is moot. According to “Brio Foldersize” (just a guy developing software, not a company), with the advent of Windows Vista, changes were imposed upon Windows Explorer (and other dependencies / dependents ?) which render the Brio Foldersize Explorer plugin useless, notwithstanding Microsoft shows no initiative to include summary data particular to folders and their respective sub-folders and/or files; columnar report options remain unavailable to the User in normal Vista / Windows 7 shell environments, while the lack thereof is no longer fulfilled by the Brio Foldersize (contrary to Windows XP, where Brio Foldersize runs as a service, incurring an extraordinarily nominal stress to CPU and Physical RAM [ boo-hoo, he cries. boo-hoo, he does]).

Despite its namesake, Brio Foldersize affords much more for the intuitive Users’ extrapolation. Specifcally, the following summary data are available, immediately on access, as globally pre-calculated /in-the-background/, so to speak:

• Total Folder Size
• Total Folder Children as File Objects
• Total Folder Children as Sub-Folders
• Total Folder Children as Sum of Folders and Files

With this amount of data, at a glance, tasks such as pruning the Media Library became exponentially less tedious-- however, I do maintain an elaborate library, categorized by media type, codec, substr(Artist,1), Artist, Album, etc.-- when I desired, for example, for arbitrary data, such as “Do I have Kill ’em All archived as .FLAC? I think so, but let me be certain.”. I need only glance the ./FLAC/M/ folder. If it shows 0 children, not only is the hypothetical answer "No", but I know I have nothing by any artist archived as .FLAC. Contraywise, had I Brio Foldersize reported "3" in it's "All Children" column for ./FLAC/M , I would the descend into that folder. I see "Mommas and the Poppas, The", "Marilyn Manson", and "Metallica", the latter of which shows it has 4 children, so further investigation shows "Master of Puppets", "Ride the Lightning", and a folder named "_", which has it's own contents of...

get the idea?

Now, on to the relationship between Brio Foldersize, and FreeCommander XE. I don't think the "Folder Children" was / is offered by FreeCommander XE, at that time (i.e. when i first authored this thread). I don't know if it's available to date. However, having it available, as I attempted to illustrate above, with the media library scenario, afforded unparallelled efficiency in file management.

Though I have access to that legacy build, I don't have any such data recorded presently. I don't recall quite how I obtained FCXE at all for-- as I wished to follow progress; update my installation, etc.-- I was disappointed to discover, FC XE had been removed from public access (e.g. required payment for a link, via e-mail, some such method of delivery)

When some of the aforementioned data was reported inconsistently, only in FreeCommander XE; when FC XE consistenly returned erroneous data (vs data available, maintained by the Brio service, as accessed through explorer.exe), I petitioned for access to newer versions, but received no response. Excited to interact with the promising new development, I had no choice but to discontinue my proactive evaluation; testing the forthcoming release.
Disappointed, essentially banned from participation; denied privileged access, I disowned it.

What I was able to report, when I authored this thread, was essentially voided for I would have no means to respond accurately. It was my intention to illustrate for other users, the great value afforded in the forthcoming release-- as I perceived it-- by introducing the potential benefit Users might experience through the combined use of FCXE, and the Brio service.

Forum Users/ Readers tend to show little interest in my text, so I am not surprised by the absence of feedback. I did not expect what I learned: how irrelevant to Development; to put forth effort as to author some illustrative attempt to demonstrate value, so inconsequential.

Critics all over are calling it “The Feel-good Movie of the Summer!”
;-)

[BGM]

Hmmm, after taking half an hour to read your post, I think I'll give it another try. I'm using Win7 now, so it might be a different experience. I'll be sure and notify the critics of my new opinion.