[Help]: How to control which files are added to database / How does the Files tab work?

[OneSteelTank]

Environment

• OS: Windows

Question

I am trying to find out if there's a way to tell VDF to only add files to the database if they're from a specific folder (or if not, an easy way to remove the videos that are not in that folder once they are added). I feel like the answer is in the Files tab but I don't understand how it works. It states that "These settings apply when files are added to database, not when comparing" so it leads me to think it controls which files are added to the database, but no changes I make to the settings affect that.

[0x90d]

For example, select "File path does not contain" then *folder_name*. If this isn't enough because there are other folders with that name, choose a broader filter. Or select "File path contains" and then whole path of your folder, i.e. C:\\videos\\cool_stuff\\*.

[OneSteelTank]

For example, select "File path does not contain" then *folder_name*. If this isn't enough because there are other folders with that name, choose a broader filter. Or select "File path contains" and then whole path of your folder, i.e. C:\\videos\\cool_stuff\\*.

Doesn't seem to be working for me. So I have two folders of videos. C:\videos\folder_A and C:\videos\folder_B. I want to be able to scan for duplicates between both folders, so I add them both in the Directories tab. But I only want the videos in folder_A to be added to the database, so I put C:\\videos\\folder_A in the Files tab under "File path contains". But after doing this now the program detects no duplicates AND all the unwanted videos still get added to the database.

Thank you for the quick response btw

[0x90d]

That doesnt make sense. If you want to scan for duplicates between both folders, both folders have to be added to database. Can you be more precise about what you are actually trying to achieve?

[OneSteelTank]

Oh I see my problem. I incorrectly thought that putting files in the database was optional and only for faster indexing. What I'm trying to do is have a folder of videos I've deleted (I'd move the videos into the folder, scan them with VDF, and them delete them) so that I can easily identify later on if I've downloaded a video I've already deleted, using the "Scan against non-existing files" option.

That makes me wonder what the difference between the Files and Directories tab is, then.

[0x90d]

It’s very simple: Under "Files" you can specify which files should be included in the database and which should be excluded. For directories, you can only specify which files should be checked for duplicates and which should not. These are two separate steps. First, new items are added to the database along with all their information. In the second step, the app then searches for duplicates among the items that match your scan settings.

The most time-consuming part is adding files to the database, because that’s where the I/O work takes place. Specifically, extracting media information, frames, and so on. That’s why it makes sense to perform this work only once. The files are therefore added to the database just once. At the same time, however, you don’t want to include every item in the database in the search every time.

[OneSteelTank]

Thanks. I think I get it now. So the Directories tab isn't going to to ever affect what actually gets added to the database, only Files will. If I wanted to change what files get scanned for duplicates I'd have to either modify the database file or tinker with the Directories tab