Update history and general news is shown here.

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Kewlit.com moved to new isp and server for improved stability

Duplic8 V2 has been exposed to Windows XP, and guess what? Just like any well written program in worked first time. Big pat on back from chief programmer type person... Oh, that's me! :o)

Work on Duplic8 Version 2.1 is still on going.... 

Release 9 available

Changes from release 8 to release 9;

Fixed register option.
Found a reference to a cgi script I missed in release 8 - Whoops! Now fixed.

Release 8 available

Changes from release 7 to release 8:

Fixed register option.
My ISP decided to stop all users running CGI, pity they didn't warn anyone first.
Unfortunately my register option in Duplic8 referred to a CGI script on the server.
Now fixed.

Weird message removed.
Fixed weird looking diagnostic message that sometimes occurred when you exited Duplic8.
It didn't do any harm, just didn't look very nice.

Release 7 available

Changes from release 6 to release 7:

Enabled the export matched file list function
Whoops, sorry about that guys! I accidentally crippled the bit of code that enabled the button when there were items in the list.
Now fixed, and behaves as it was supposed to in release 6.

Working on the next release. Which is gonna be a biggy, so I think I'm going to make it Version 2.1 and stop doing these little release numbers.

Version 2.1 already has a CRC32 file comparison method (the original binary method is still there too), I have included this as it "should" provide a faster check (although not quite as accurate as the binary method).
Strangely enough, CRC isn't always fastest. I have carried out some searches on large amounts of test data (Several Gig), and sometimes the original wins! (Always knew it was pretty quick for what it did!).

Anyway, rest assured, I have a "Super-Dooper-Hybrid" CRC32 routine currently under development, which should not only blow my binary compare out of the water, but also everyone else's binary and CRC32 routines.

Release 6 available.

Changes from release 5 to release 6:

Various routines streamlined.
Various routines (especially the loops) have been examined and "tweaked" to get a touch more speed.

Drag and drop support.
Another way to add directories to Duplic8's search path list.
Start up Duplic8, then just select the directories you want, using windows explorer (or any other file manager that supports file dragging) then drag the directories and drop them onto the Duplic8 window.
Duplic8 will check all the files dropped, and only adds directories to the search list.

You can even drag a directory shortcut onto Duplic8. It will work it out and add the shortcut's destination directory.

You can drag and drop the search profile (.dp8) files directly onto Duplic8 to load the search profile.

Compare file size only.
Extra option, to only compare the file sizes of files and not the contents.
Obviously this will be very much faster, but the files contents could be completely different.
Why did I put it in then?
Because somebody asked me for it!
This function defaults to off.
This option (as with all the others) is stored in any search profile you save.

Load and Save profile changes.
Added a profile history list. Duplic8 will remember the last 5 search profiles that you either loaded or saved.

Modified the save profile dialog so that it automatically defaults to the name of the last profile you loaded. Only a little change, but I thought it made things a bit smoother.

Marked file info.
As you mark files Duplic8 will show how many files you have marked and how much space you will recover by deleting them in the status bar at the bottom of the Duplic8 form.

Delete button changes.
As Duplic8 now keeps a running total of marked files, the delete button functions have been improved. Duplic8 will show a warning message if you press delete without doing a search.
If you press delete with files in the matched file list, but none marked, Duplic8 will tell you to mark some files, and also gives a quick hint on how to do it.

Improved status bar.
The status bar at the bottom has been improved to show a bit more information when searching a large block of identical size files. I have also stopped the flickering of the status bar and percentage bar.

Stopping search improved.
Canceling a search when building the directory tree, or extracting file details is now a lot quicker. Also resizing and moving the Duplic8 window is a lot smoother when extracting file information.

Matched file list.
The automatic column resize has been changed because it was slowing the searches down if a lot of files matched. This was very noticeable when searching for matched size, and not contents.

Smoother matched file options.
I have rewritten a huge chunk of the code associated with the right click on the matched file list.
Right clicking on the matched file list will now only show the popup menu when you are on a valid entry. It will not show when the list is empty, or you are on a blank spacing line.
It now finds what program is associated with the file you have right clicked on and tells you the program name after the "Open file" option.

e.g.
If you right clicked on a matched "readme.txt" file, the open option will show "Open file (notepad)".
If you right click on an executable file the open option will show "Open file (execute)".
If you right click on a file that is not associated with anything, you don't get the "Open file" option at all. In release 5 you did get the option, but it couldn't do anything with the file, so nothing happened if you clicked "Open".

Explore from here on matched file list.
When Duplic8 has produced a matched file list, you can right click on any of the matched files and select "Explore from here" and open the windows explorer on the directory of that file.

Please note:
If you move/delete any files that Duplic8 currently has in its matched file list, it will NOT change the list in anyway. If you then try and delete that file Duplic8 will remove it from the file list, but will not delete the file (as it won't know where it's gone!). If you want the list updated to reflect any changes you must press the "Search" button again.

ACDSee32 Integration.
Duplic8 will detect if the popular image browser is installed, and add an option to the matched file list allowing you to browse that directory using ACDSee32 by right clicking on a file from the matched file list.

Please note:
The explorer note (see Explore from here feature) regarding moving/deleting files applies to this too.

If you have any problems with this feature, please send me an email. I have contacted ACDSystems to try and get some information, but they haven't replied to any emails I have sent them, so I had to integrate it the hard way... By hand.

Skip to next unmarked.
When you are selecting files in the matched file list you can press 'N', or use the right click menu option, to skip to the next unmatched file block.
Duplic8 will scan down from the currently selected item checking for more than 1 unmatched duplicate file in each matched block. If it finds one, the matched file list will be scrolled automatically to the block in question, and the cursor will be placed on the first file in the block.

Please note:
Duplic8 will only scan downwards from (and including) the current block. To scan the entire matched file list, please make sure you are at the top of the list.

Corrected summary bug.
The searched file information shown at the bottom showed a total size in bytes, but the text said Kbytes.... Whoops. Sorry if anyone thought their harddrive had become 1024 times bigger!

Matched file list error message.
If you right clicked off the bottom of the matched file list (when it had contents), you could get a nasty looking warning. It doesn't actually do any harm, and you can click the "OK" button and carry on, but it's not very professional is it. Now fixed.

Duplicated shortcut key.
The keyboard shortcut key for the "Add" button and the "Clear All" button were both set to "A", whoops. Changed "Clear All" to use "C".

Open file didn't always work.
Trying to open matched files that had a very long directory path sometimes didn't work. Now fixed.

Duplic8 release 5 reviewed by ZDNet, and received an "Editors' Pick 4 Star Award".

The only problem is that my emails have increased 10 fold too!

I'm thinking of getting 2 extra arms transplanted to help me keep up.

Apologies to anyone who doesn't get a reply within 24 hours. I normally reply to all emails within 24 hours.

Already have a long list of new features for release 6. Most I had before I had finished release 5, but if I had included them all I wouldn't have finished it for a month, so some had to be carried over.

Changes already completed include:
- Dragging a directory onto Duplic8 will add the directory to the search path.
- Right clicking on matched file list allows you to browse the selected file's directory with Windows Explorer.
- Right clicking on matched file list allows you to browse selected file's directory with ACDSee32 image viewer (if installed). Duplic8 should find ACDSee32 if you have it installed, and add it to the right click menu automatically.
- Right clicking on an empty matched file list, or a spacing line, will no longer open the popup menu.
- Dragging a non .dp8 file (saved search profile) onto Duplic8's shortcut will no longer generate an error while trying to load it.

Release 5 available.

Changes from release 4 to release 5 include:
- Improved screen layout.
- Multiple filter support for registered users. (separate filter with semi-colons - e.g. "*.doc;*.txt")
- Minimum and maximum file size for registered users.
- Improved windows message handling during search (so it doesn't look like it's locked up!).
- Improved status bar messages during search (Just so you can see something happening).

Beta version of release 5 is out in the field.

Following a few emails, it appears I cannot avoid some sort of help for Duplic8. Unfortunately standard windows style help files are a pain to write, so I have taken the easy (and quickest) option. A web based help system. This has a few benefits:

- I can see how much it's used, which will reflect on how easy Duplic8 is to use, and possibly steer future development.

- I can update and improve it for everyone at once, without having to send it out, whenever you click on the "help" option of Duplic8 you will be getting the latest version direct off the website. (for those who aren't online that often - probably fed up with the British phone bill - I will provide a completely downloadable html help file).

The help pages will be very customer driven, so if you have a suggestion, a tip you'd like to share, or any general comment please contact me.

It has been brought to my attention that there has been a few problems with emails to several of the duplic8 addresses. I have spoken to my ISP, and they had been experiencing a few problems with the server, which have now all been fixed. So if you have tried to send me an email, and had no response, or a bounced message, please send it again.

Following some feedback from a certain registered user  (You know who you are!), I am working on lots of new features for release 5.
Changes include:
- Multiple filter support, just like Window's own file find e.g..
  "read*.*;*.doc;*.txt"
- Optional maximum and minimum file size on search.

These features are likely to be disabled for non registered users, as they are quite complex (especially the first one!), and I don't see why I should give everything away for free! (I'm feeling mean today!).... Got to give all of you unregistered users some sort of incentive... guilt and nag screens don't appear to work! Registered users will of course get these, and all future new features for nothing.... $15 for your own pet programmer (toilet trained!) who will implement your every (well almost!) whim .... Cheap at twice the price.

Release 4 available.

Changes:
- Keyboard navigation of directory tree now works a lot smoother.
- Added "Register" on the top menu bar as a more subtle hint! :-)
- Automatically adapts system short date formats with 2 digit years for most countries using English, American or Japanese date formats. Warning message displayed for any date formats that cannot automatically convert to 4 digit year..

Release 3 available.

Changes:
- Fixes maximum number of search paths bug in registered version.
- Added search path summary to export of matched list following customer feedback.

Why is it the moment you put a new release live on the webpage, you get a great idea for a new feature?
Anyway, been talking to Lightman (authors of LinkExplorer) about integration of LinkExplorer and Duplic8.
Sounds promising. With any luck I should have a new release which will hook with LinkExplorer and allow scanning of downloads for duplicated files.
Working on release 3.

Duplic8 V2 release 2 now available.
Release 2 includes support for registration key entry to turn off the nag screens, and remove built in limits.
I had originally intended to produce a separate registered version of the software, but changed my mind, and went for the key based registration after release 1 went out... So I had to make a new release.
Online registration via secure server now online, and running.

Duplic8 V2 release 1 becomes available.
More features than I originally planned, but I guess that's what happens when you let beta testers play too long! First download occurs 20 minutes later! Was someone camping out and waiting?!

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