file sync between two folders

sendic

Hi folks.

Please excuse me if this is in the wrong forum.

I would appreciate any help with the following matter.

I'm running Windows Vista Business.

I have a large folder containing approx 1500 files. All these data files are names as Month Day hour minute, e.g. 11021530 (November 2nd, 15:30). the address would be something like \docs\backup\11021530

I have created a copy of this folder (we'll call it "organised data") where I have tried to place the files in appropriate subfolders, so the file above would be in \docs\organised data\Nov 02 2006\11021530

I need to find a way to confirm that all the files from "backup" are also in "organised data"

I have tried using filesync and AllwaySYNC to compare "\backup" and "\organised data" but these tell me that the files are missing in each directory, i.e. \docs\backup\11021530 does not equal \docs\organised data\Nov 02 2006\11021530
In other words filesync and AllwaySYNC take into account the subfolders, not whether or not 11021530 exists somewhere in both "backup" and "organised data"

to complicate matters "backup" contains multiple copies of some files whereas with "organised data" I have deleted copies of a file if and when I find them. Therefore I cannot simply look at the folder properties and compare the overall number of files in each folder.

Can anyone suggest a way of checking that all the files in "backup" exist somewhere in "organised data" ?

I realise this may seem stupid and, yes, had I been a little more diligent with my data in the first place I would not be in this mess now.

Many thanks

Capt'n Midnight

Test this , should list the file names

for /R %a in (*.*) do @echo %~nxa

for /R %a in (*.*) do @echo %~nxa >>list.txt
sort list.txt > sorted.txt

then do a file compare between the files

sendic

Hi

thanks a million, i now have two .txt files listing the contents of the sorted and unsorted files.

What is the best way of comparing them? I need to be able to see what is missing from each list. File sync and allwaySync will only let me compare folders.

Cheers

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Test this , should list the file names

for /R %a in (*.*) do @echo %~nxa

for /R %a in (*.*) do @echo %~nxa >>list.txt
sort list.txt > sorted.txt

then do a file compare between the files

Overheal

Have you tried Microsoft SyncToy?

sendic

Thanks again capt midnight, you have taken me out of a major hole. Gentleman,scholar,fine judge of whisky.

Have not tried synctoy, will give it a lash. What i have done for the moment is to paste both lists side by side into excel and put them in ascending order. Then just scan through both by eye and look for discrepancies. Not ideal for 1500 odd files but its not too bad.