In the option I can only specify if I wanna compare via
content or via Timestamp. Seems quite OK both filters.
BUT I have the following problem:
I copied files from one folder to another, the time
stamp changed by 1 second! The content seemed as well
changed - although don't know why. But I know, that
IFFF I would have changed the files, the time
difference would be more than 1 second! But I would
like to ignore these files with time-stamp differences
of 1 sec.
So, I would like to have an exclusion filter in the
compare-options which say:
'Exclude files with time-differences large then ...
seconds'
And the time-period could be adjusted up till 1 hour
(or even longer???) .
[The same option I have seen once in an old program and
found it very useful!!!]
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Yes, that is a real problem. A bit weird nobody reported
this before.
Like pointed in support-item #1180729 Option "File Compare
Method"???
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1180729&group_id=13216&atid=213216
we'd need ability to specify time in even days.
Only problem (once again) is figuring out flexible user
interface for setting all those needed ignore-times.
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If it's ONLYYY the question about GUI, I don't mind to assist.
If it's about how to implent in code - sorry cannot help.
About GUI: Why not have next to the selection method (on the
same tab) [on the right side] an Label + Textbox saying:
'Ignore timestamps with differences less than ' ... ' seconds'
By default it's 0 => works as before. Otherwise => check it.
AND if it's really required to check date-only then add a
checkbox below 'Check date-stamps instead of time-stamps'
But then it gets tricky about the above mentioned option.
Especially when its > 86400 - But is this a relevant use-case?
If not, then either the one or the other => two Radio-buttoned
labels.
But I have my serious doubts if the date-only is really different
from the time-range case.
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Yes, simplest would be just add textbox where user can type
difference in seconds to ignore. But then when you want to
ignore 5 hours or two days? I can use calculator to convert
it into seconds, but that's not really what we want. :)
We could accept time in some standard (ISO) format, but
thats pretty prone to errors and not much easier for users.
One solution I've seen in similar situations is to add one
dropdown next to editbox containing (for example) 'seconds',
'hours' & 'days' so user can first type number and then
select unit. That obviously doesn't allow giving time like
'2 days 3 hours'. But maybe that's not really needed..
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If I would vote, then I vote for KISS - KeepItSimple&Stupid.
95% wanna have a range within 1 max. 2 hours.
If a user wanna have days, weeks, years, whatever, his
business. (S)he has an calc which they can use. 5 hours? =
5*60*60. I guess people which are mature enough to use
WinMerge could perform a simple calculation, like how many
seconds has 3 days and 5 hours.
What time? NOOOO conversion.
KISS: The time-stamp of the file +/- seconds.
Drop-down-list with the units would be fine as well. But I guess
you have to explain what the input of 1 day means, i.e.
time-range of 23 h 59 min 59 sec, same calendar day, is 25
hours as well one day, etc. etc. too many IF THEN ELSE IF
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In general, hard thing with UI changes in WinMerge is they
have to be merged to all translation files too. So even
pretty simple change requires lots of work. That's why I'd
rather get UI ready in one step, instead of several
incremental changes.
Now, about this feature's UI changes. I agree with you,
simplicity is good. But simplicity also means user is not
bothered with things like calculating how many seconds are
in x hours - its computer job.
Thinking about this, maybe we really have two different use
cases for this:
- ignoring time differences due to filesystem
inconsistencies or whatever, usually couple of seconds
- ignoring time differences to ignore changes done in last
x hours or days (handy to ignore files changed in same day
for example)
Your original request was for first case. I brought second
case into discussion from another tracker item. I shouldn't,
sorry about that.
Now, considering first case, I think its safe to assume time
differences due to filesystem are at max couple of seconds.
There is no need for user to think if one wants to ignore
one second or two seconds of difference.
So we can just add one checkbox:
"Ignore <5 seconds differences in filetimes"
Ignoring hours or days can be better handled via file filters.
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Hm, let's spin the thoughts to the end before final desicons
about GUI should be done.
- time-calc is computer job - right - nice feature, but adds only
more sugar to new sugar
- too complicated time-frame-situation shouldn't be dealt with
in the GUI, eg. hours, min - OK
- GUI-design at once - would be fine
my thoughts about:
- drop down box (if still an issue) -> units to the customer
should be 'seconds' and 'calender day' these are the smallest
available units where it makes sense
- restrict the time-period by pre-defined time - NO, NO, NO
=> I don't know why the time-stamps were changed at all. But
I've seen in old days they were computer-depent, i.e. time
could be different due to different computer-settings: current
time, different Time-Zone-settings, different day-light-settings ..
. (whatever)
Out of my own experience as programmer, there is probably
current only this singular event, why only few seconds. So, the
design would be only for this particular case. If - for any reason
- another situation will appear => you are the beginning of your
last post, ie. everything back to start and
incremental-loop-design (which would like to avoid).
MYY personal preference is:
text-box with default-parameter 0
drop-down-box with 'seconds' and 'caldendar days'
And this provides functionallity for 100% of use-case.
Before finally submitting this text, an idea popped-up, which
says, 'Why not display in a label, the computed seconds in
hours:min:sec?'
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Thanks a lot for your input, I really appreciate it!
I want to attack simplest case first. I suffer this one
second timestamp difference at work every time I edit file
at network share. And unfortunately with application which
doesn't allow ignoring it. So I'm motivated to fix WinMerge
to handle it. :-)
Simplest case is this one second (I think its just
round-error or something like that) difference, and I can
trivially reproduce it myself. This case we can handle with
one checkbox. Its easier to document and describe for users.
Computer system having different times, be difference
minutes, or even hours is another problem. I'm fighting with
one system not understanding daylight saving time so it gets
time off by one hour..
This time difference is not predictable, like you already
mentioned, and there are lots of other valid reasons for
ignoring some amount of time when comparing by date.
I mentioned filters by purpose. They are more powerful for
handling this kind of timedifferences. If I can figure out
nice way to define this time difference to filter rule, then
you can simply have one filter for ignoring 10 minutes of
time and another for 1 hour.
I'll create a patch for adding one checkbox. And apply that
patch for next experimental release. Sorry I've no time for
more complete solution before next week or so. That I'm
adding this checkbox really doesn't mean that I won't add
options for setting different time difference ignore
options. I'm just fixing this simplest case first.
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Filter-option would be great as well - as long as it does not
conflict with the text-boxes or check-boxes or whatever.
From programming point of view, I don't understand why you
start with this hard-coded approach via check-boxes. Why not
a label, a text-box and a drop-down-list (seconds/calendar
days) + everything hard-coded, i.e text-box = 0 => same as
usual, text-box != 0 => time diff for only 1 (!) sec is counted
(and setted into the text-box/or a drop-down list would be
same functionality)
i.e. if you have time to enlarge the functionality (soon), then I
would say it's an good approach. Espec. you don't have to
change the labeling + fitting for language purposes, etc.
BUTTT I'm only end-user, don't know if my proposal doesn't
bear too many side-risks instead of the quick 'n dirty from your
side.
BTW: I don't mind about waiting one or two weeks more. Your
time and I really would appreciate this feature
:) ThX for the great work!
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Sorry there hasn't been much progress. I run into similar
problem I - WinMerge checks timestamps when rescanning if
some other app has updated files. Now this one-second
difference shows in this feature too causing false warnings
to user.
So I'm slightly moving my target with and handling also that
case. Single option will make WinMerge ignore two second
time differences in files where needed.
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Another thought on this time stamp issue, and I'm glad to
see it being addressed.
The time difference problem that I have is that I often have
files that are 1 hour different (EXACTLY 1 hour), usually
because of daylight saving changes. This is a variation on
similar problems caused by time zones.
I would like to be able to tick 'Ignore differences of
exactly 1 hour'. Perhaps different amounts of time to ignore
if time zones were allowed for. I'm not sure how this fits
with the GUI changes you are envisioning.
Perhaps this could be a checkbox 'Ignore day light saving
differences', and then ignore any differences of exactly one
hour. This however doesn't address your 1 second problem,
and perhaps shold be a different RFE.
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I've been busy with dozens of other items lately. But haven't
forgot this one..
Yes, that timechange because of daylight saving is good
point. Especially when working with systems like CVS using
UTC time..
Currently (in latest experimentals) one-second difference is
already handled. I think this is similar special case, so
expanding UI with another checkbox for this seems best
solution.
We end up having two checkboxes:
- Ignore time difference
- less than 3 seconds
- one hour (daylight saving changes)
I don't think anybody has real need for define time difference
in seconds. So we could use minutes as custom value and
add third checkbox and edit field after that:
- custom
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Unassigning from me. That is, I'm not working with this in
near future.
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Is there any time-perspective to get this Feature?