FileMonkey - Copy by file modified date

[Griffin NoName]

I've got a strange conundrum. I think there must be a logical reason but I can't work it out.

I have a nifty little program called File Monkey.

It can do many nice things with files and is very easy to use.

For example, change files date/time stamps.

I use it to copy folders/files out to USB drive.

I use the date function so effectively I back up all files since the last time I did it.

You cando this by file created date, or file modified date (a little irritating that can't do both in one operation).

So, this time, I did all files modified between 14/3/13 and 29/11/14.

Except the only files copied out were the recycle bin files. Nothing else was copied out at all.

Now all files created have a date modified even if they have only been created - ie. dates would be same.

So how come none of my files from the last 18 months got copied out and why did the recycle bin ones only work?

[Griffin NoName]

OK. Being stupid. Presume it only registers as modified if the creation datet/time is earlier than the modified date/time. Although, I should have seen files where this is true copied out and I haven't. So I still don't get this.

[Griffin NoName]

Ok. This is really silly...... After a lot of searching, I have found the files copied out. They've all been taken out of their folders/sub-folders and put in a single directory.

There's an option "copy folder structure". It should be ticked.

I assumed ticking it would do what it does in Winzip where it copies out the whole folder structure on the drive, rather than just the folder structure from the directory highlighted. That is, leaving it unticked in Winzip gives what you most often want.

Why I would think that the option in two different applications would do the same thing goodness knows.

Problem solved. At least I hope so. It's an overnight job so won't know until tomorrow.

I'm so slow, and slow-witted, compared to my working days. I feel old.

[Griffin NoName]

Amd it's taken me about an hour to delete about 45,000 files............... <sigh>

[Bluenose]

Hi Grif,  have you ever tried robocopy?  It's a MS program. basically a much improved version of xcopy.  it has quite a few options, but the standard form allows you to make a copy of a directory structure and then if you re-run the same job it will update any changes.  I usually write a batch file for each job I use it for, because I usually want to run it again.  One use I have is copying whole directory structures when doing server migrations.  I run the job early on to "pre oad" the data on the target, then when we're ready to go live I run the job again to capture any changes.  The subsequent runs of the job are much quicker because most of the files are skipped over.  Oh, and one trick to speed it up is to choose the option to direct all output to a log file rather than the console - the speed difference is astonishing.

[Griffin NoName]

Looks like a nifty program. Yes, the /n types give the DOS origin away Filemonkey is a bit clunky in its interface and has the look feel of a very early attempt at moving away from DOS. Why don't they include decent features in Windows.......

I don't think I'd use any of the features that I don't already have with FileMonkey. It might be a bit easier to use like no need to specify dates but I'm quite attached to File Monkey. But thanks, if I do need the extra functionality, I'll know what to use.

I've now run a successful created/modifed files by date copy out to my USB drive. Hooray!

[Bluenose]

Yeah, I've always maintained that if you scratch the surface of Windows hard enough DOS is still there...   

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Amd it's taken me about an hour to delete about 45,000 files............... <sigh>

Delete files?  Heresy!  

Don't you know that you are never supposed to do that-- you are supposed to get ever-increasing-in-size hard drives instead.



___________________________________

Yeah, I've always maintained that if you scratch the surface of Windows hard enough DOS is still there...   

Yes, indeed.  One of the things I rather like about it, actually...

Android has this too-- but you must root your device, and install a Linux-like terminal thingy.  An arcane set of spells I never learned.

But DOS?  I still occasionally dream about the ancient DOS incantations...