Understanding Binary Duplicates, deleting the correct one.

[kiwilink]

I'm searching for Binary duplicates.  I have 90,490 total images in my database.  What is the best way to run one query and find them all?  Secondly, take a look at my attachment.  I did a search by choosing just one image and looking for duplicates.  Do I delete the top one?  Is there a way to make sure I don't delete the one that I have assigned to a category?  I have been reading the manual and the discussion topics.  I want to make sure I don't delete the wrong one that I have assigned to a category.

Thanks!

Kiwilink

PS I am looking for Binary identicals.  I tried the File Finder App with 0 for Similarity Match but this is for identical names.

[Mario]

The image shown in the caption (at the top) is the one you had selected when you run the search.
For each selected file ('original'), IMatch returns one set of results in the result window. In this example I had selected 3 files and searched for binary duplicates:



The book image has four dupes, the other images only one.

Use the files you want to keep as originals. Maybe use a File Window layout which displays the category bar.
Or put all files you want to keep into a collection (e.g., Bookmarks) and then check in the result window for that collection.

To search your entire database, select the Database node in the Media & Folders view, un-pause the File Window, select all files with Ctrl+A and then run your search.
To select all matches in the result window, press Ctrl+A.
Then delete or mark for deletion or add the files into a collection or category for additional review.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

Thank you very much for the response.  I followed your suggestion and see the dupes.  I opened the categories panel so I could see if either was assigned to a category (the original (which is on top) or the one below it.  Neither showed they were asigned to a category.  However, when I go to Media and Folders and go find the image, it does show that I have assigned it to several categories.  When you said "use a file widow layout which displays a category bar" can you explain what you mean't.  Are you talking about adding a tag in a layout that I can see in the results?

Thanks Mario!

Kiwilink

[Mario]

File Window layouts can display category colors: https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/#fw_basics.htm?dl=h-24

Switch the Category Panel to "current" to see the categories of the current file. Note: This works not for the thumbnail in the caption - it's static, just an image.

You can switch the result window to include the original file among the results. This allows you to compare the categories even easier:

https://www.photools.com/help/imatch/#ws_resultwnd.htm?dl=2

[kiwilink]

Mario:

Thanks.  I think I got it. However, when I click on the original (with Categories set to "Current" I don't see anything.  It is assigned to a category as I checked it using Media and Folders.  See the attachment.  Should I see something when I click on the top one (which I labeled original in red)?  I see that the bottom one (which I call the duplicate) is assigned to a category.  I'm assuming the top one is always the original.

Thanks!

Kiwilink

[Mario]

The original in the group header is just an image. You cannot select it. It has a right-click menu with a few options.
That's why I explained how you can display the original file as a "real" file within the result, so you can click on it and see its categories in the category panel.
Have a look at the links I've included above for details.

[kiwilink]

Mario, Got it!  Thank you so much!!