IMatch DB Contents Backup To External HD

[Darius1968]

In my current working DB, I have about 40,000 files (in 68 GB) that I wish to transfer over - from my system SSD - over to an external HD.  Is it okay to simply select all these files, and do a cut-and-paste to one folder on the external HD?  I'm asking to be sure that it's acceptable to have that many files in one folder.  Otherwise, how could I copy these files over to one folder on that drive, and have the structure and hierarchy maintained? 

[Mario]

I don't understand.
Why don't you just copy the files in Windows Explorer? Or with RoboCopy?
Or do you want to actually move the files from the SSD to the external disk?
In that case: Close IMatch. Use Windows Explorer or RoboCopy. Open IMatch. Relocate the disk so IMatch knows that you have moved all files.
See Off-line Folders and Files

[Darius1968]

The 40K files I'm referring to are the result of an IMatch file duplicate search, and are hence, very likely the same image content, but since the search was not done in binary-identical-mode, I can't be 100% sure that 100% of these files are indeed just copies, wasting space.  Therefore, for the time being, I've decided to just back them up somewhere else, and they are now in the result window, where I could conveniently do such a copy-and-paste, but it would be nice to maintain the folder structure, if possible. 

P.S.
These files that I'm backing up - which I also think are copies - will no longer be indexed in this IMatch database. 

[Mario]

Use the Batch Processor? It can copy files, it can create folders etc.
You should establish if the files are copies (search for binary duplicates in IMatch) and then delete them. If they are visually dupes but not binary dupes, decide which one to keep.

[ubacher]

You can use a renamer preset to move/copy the files to another disk maintaining the folder structure.
Then remove the other disk from the db.

[Darius1968]

I've already been through the process of an entire database-wide search in binary-identical-mode, and have gotten rid of about 10K redundant files this way. 
So, I'm now concerned with the duplicate search, which I'm doing in sections, as I know there will be more files, this way.  And, so far, I have about 40K more files, which as I've already outlined, I wish to 'set them aside', but not destroy them just yet. 
My strategy is to move them to another external HD, maintaining complete integrity of folder/file structure, with hierarchy kept in tact. 
You suggest using the Batch Processor.  I'll look into that as well.  But, is the File Renamer also an option for what I want to do? 

[Darius1968]

Okay, I'm attempting what I want, with the File Renamer.  It looks like I (so far) may be on the right path, but I need to 'fine tune' - putting the files in folders, having the same (almost) exact path as the originals, minus the drive info, ie., "c:\".  So, how do I make use of this variable, "{File.MD.photools.com::IMatch\101400\file.foldername\0}", and truncate "c:\" from the resulting folder names? 

[Mario]

Why not use the Batch Processor?

truncate "c:\" from the resulting folder names? 

substr in Variables

[Darius1968]

I'm looking at that as an option right now, as well.  This way, can I have the original files - once moved to their new location - removed from the DB and deleted, or need I do that manually?  Is there a similar option here - as there is in the File Renamer - to preview the resulting file name, with its fully-qualified path? 

[Mario]

Ther Renamer shows the path at the bottom of the dialog.
Do Test runs.
Manipulations on the scale of 30 or 40K files is always prone to problems.
You need to manually remove the file.
Make sure your database and system backup is current.

[Darius1968]

Would doing the move in batches of 5K be okay? 

[ubacher]

In the renamer specify the destination directory like this:

Code Select Expand

D:\SavedDups\{File.Path|substr:8,999}
where the substring removes the source top folder.

Specify to add the files to the db. No harm in that. Later you can remove the whole
duplicate set by going to the top level (in the case above D:\SavedDups) and remove it from the db.

Note: You need to do a test run of the renamer so that it shows you the destination file. ( It does not show
at the bottom of the dialog when specifying move/copy!)