ZEP -- Visual directory synchronization
[UP]

Comparing and synchronizing directories is one of the most critical operations in file management. It can be automated, but it is sometimes wiser to perform it slowly, manually, step-by-step.

An old DOS program, DIRMATCH (a visual, side-by-side, directory compare program) can display files in any two directories that are:

This last display would look natural in ZTree's Split view! ZTree has very powerful comparison and synchronization features built-in, but their use requires careful manual setting up, or creating macros. It lacks this type of very intuitive, automatic display where the user has nothing to configure in advance.

For example, the user hits F8 to enter Split mode, chooses any two directories, and then hits the "Visual Differences" key.

The view tells it all, and the user just needs to decide which files to copy/move to the other pane. The elegance and efficiency of this view come from the presence of "holes" in the file list. This intuitively answers the "which files are missing and where" question, so most of the decision effort is likely to be spent on reconciling existing, but differing, files.

Most of the time, ZTree's tagging highlights are sufficient, but in this case, adding color would be absolutely necessary. Hopefully, we would start to realize how little ZTree makes use of coloring and start adding it in several other places :-)

Visual comparing and synchronization in recent Windows programs:
freeCommander
DiffCommander screenshot
ExamDiff Pro screenshot


Updated: 20060131
Copyright 2005 vujnovic@free.fr. All rights reserved.