Anyone aware of a directory file viewer/pruner? 1

[BobMCT]

Running XP Pro SP3 on several machines which have collected zillions of documents and files. Prior to retiring these old machines and moving their files to a new system, I wish to prune their directories of files/documents no longer relative or needed. Years ago there was a dos utility that would display a directory in one window and when one clicked on a file it would display the contents of that file in the other window. It also allowed deletion of that file from that point.

Is anyone aware of anything similar to this that runs under Win XP that will handle most document types (doc, xls, odt, ods, rts, etc)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[linney]

Have you looked around Google?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...r+delete+xp+preview&btnG=Search&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

 

[BobMCT]

Yup! Spent quite a few hours, downloaded a number of them and none did quite what I was expecting. That's why I asked those that use XP.

But thanks for the suggestion...

 

[webrabbit]

The problem is that in order to view the contents of of file, the application that processes the file must be opened. This can be done with Windows Explorer by appropriatly sizing the windows, but it would be tedious.

If all of the files in a given folder are of the same type, a simular function can be the Open function of the application with Preview turned on. I use the Open function to prune old documents myself from time to time. Just single-click on the file with Preview turned on. If you want to delete the file, press the Delete key and the "Y" key. Again, this would be tedious if many different applications are involved.

There is an old DOS application, List, which will do a simular function. It will list the ascii contents of a file and allow you to delete, rename, or move files, as well as delete or rename directories. It also allows you to change the attributes of files and directories. It is shareware and works under Windows XP. With an add-on, it will list the names of files in an archive. Unfortunately, it only recognizes the 8.3 names of files.

 

[xwb]

If you want a list of all your files and where they live, create a dos prompt and type

cd \
tree /f

If you just type tree, you will get the directory structure without the contents. To remove all files from a point

rmdir /s/q dirname

 

[gbaughma]

I guess I would just do it with Explorer.

My Computer --> Right-Click C: Drive --> Explore

Gives you a file tree on the left, a list of files on the right. You can even turn on thumbnails, which will work for graphics, but unfortunately not text, doc, etc. files (not in XP anyway)



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[mechman0712]

Have you tried Xplorer2? I use it every day. It has some great features... You can filter, preview, select files based on filters you create, and search through tons of folders quickly. It would be worth looking into. There is a free version, and the full version is ~$25 i think.

Brian

 

[hawkdaddy]

Windows explorer is a good call. You can add columns to the bar by right clicking on it, and get date modified, created, and accessed. Each column can then be sorted. Last accessed could be an indication of what could be deleted, but I would save all files to dvd by year created just in case.