Total Commander

* start Search (Alt+F7)
* go to tab Advanced
* examen section Find duplicate files

The option "same plugin fields" is a new function added to TC 8.50. It's no longer true that the search is always for identical names or identical sizes. However the automatic selections of checkboxes is still based on this principle. Unchecking the search for identical names auto checks the search for identical sizes and vice versa.

In my opinion the automatic selection of checkboxes has become a nuisance rather than a help. That's why I suggest to completely remove automatic selection of checkboxes in this section.

What should happen then when nothing is selected? Should TC turn off search for duplicate files? Or assume that "Name" is checked?

And should the corresponding checkboxes be checked/unchecked automatically when starting the search? The problem with this approach is that the user may not notice it because he switched to the first tab before starting the search...

ghisler(Author) wrote:What should happen then when nothing is selected? Should TC turn off search for duplicate files? Or assume that "Name" is checked?

When the search window is opened, the options "same name" and "same size" are enabled. If the user turns off all duplicate search criteria, I think it is not necessary to do anything. Don't assume "same name". Don't uncheck the checkbox Find duplicate files, but simply don't search for duplicates when all duplicate search criteria are turned off. This behavior is also used on the Plugins tab.

ghisler(Author) wrote: And should the corresponding checkboxes be checked/unchecked automatically when starting the search? The problem with this approach is that the user may not notice it because he switched to the first tab before starting the search...

This is not a problem if you don't automatically enable options.

I also think it is not necessary to enable "same size" if "same contents" is enabled.

HISTORY.TXT wrote:01.11.13 Fixed: Find files, duplicate file finder: When loading a saved search with only "same plugin fields" checked, "same name" was checked too (32/64)
01.11.13 Fixed: Find files, duplicate file finder: Do not check option "same name" when all other fields are unchecked. Instead, uncheck "Duplicate file finder" when the user starts a duplicate search with no sub-options (32/64)

Tested OK using TC 8.50b8 32bit.

white wrote:I also think it is not necessary to enable "same size" if "same contents" is enabled.

I see you left this in. How is this helping the user?

The user may otherwise think that TC is always performing a full read of each file (e.g. to find read errors), which it doesn't do when the sizes differ.

ghisler(Author) wrote:The user may otherwise think that TC is always performing a full read of each file (e.g. to find read errors), which it doesn't do when the sizes differ.

I don't think the user considers such things. If anything, don't you think the user expects TC to stop reading files as soon as a difference between 2 files is found? In other words, don't you think the user expects only duplicate files to be fully read?