About Time!

So, I have dedicated the past month and a half to completely redoing Unique Filer... Updated and sped up the way that the images are analyzed. Updated the way that the images are compared. (5 times more accurate on scaled images and appx 30% faster.) Completely redid the database structure (adding more information to increase speed and accuracy of scans, unfortunately, this additional information increases analyzation time by appx 30%). Completely redid the way that memory is handled (You can now store info for twice as many images in the same amount of memory) Completely redid the interface. Databases are now automatically handled, no need to manually refresh a database every time you copy or move files on your drive. One click on the Database Screen will update all current databases for you. Smarter handling of Removable media, and CDs. MUCH faster database load and refresh times. Some smart filtering to reduce mistaken duplicates. I've also got a number of requested features coming soon... A "NotDupes" list, so you can tell the program that A.jpg and B.jpg are NotDupes, and it won't show them as dupes again. A "Spam" list for folks that do automated downloads (files that will be nuked any time they are seen in an Incoming or Normal folder.) Catalog Viewer, so you can get a good look at what you have (Especially the inbox).

Unique Filer 2.0 Database Screen Unique Filer 2.0 Dupe Finder Screen Other Screenshots: Log Screen Configure Screen See Unique Filer 2 in action! New UF2 Online Tutorials.

This is a Test!

Yes, this is a test, and not a chance to use new software free... I need you to beat it up. This release has absolutely no limitations in it other than it will stop working in about a month (Plenty of time to get an update).

Initially, I am looking for major bugs. GPFs, Access Violations, System Hangs, System Crashes... I am not aware of any, but there has to be 1 or 2 in there somewhere.

I am currently NOT looking for Interface complaints or shortcomings. I have a LOT of work to do on the interface, so anything you say now will be completely different than the final, and is probably already different from what is currently on my system. This is a Guts Only test. Speed, accuracy, how does it compare with the old version (1.4). If you need / want a finished interface, please wait for a revision or 2. Add yourself to the mailing list above, and I'll send you a message when it is ready for public consumption.

Your job, if you choose to accept it, is to thoroughly abuse the program. Do every stupid, unanticipated thing you can think of to try to make it crash.

If you do make it crash, try to make it crash again... A crash that I can't reproduce is very tough (if not impossible) to track down. Please let me know the steps required to make it crash (be as detailed as possible). If a crash occurs on specific files, please zip and send the files (don't worry, I've seen absolutely EVERYTHING, and quite frankly, I don't care what it is a picture of, I just want to fix the crash :)

If it isn't a crash, bug or real problem, I don't want to hear about it right now. That stuff will come in a revision or 2.

The Link!

er... one last thing

This is a Beta. It HAS Bugs!

I have done a LOT of testing over the past month and a half, and to my knowledge, there are no nasty crashes in the program. There are a number of features that need to be enhanced and a few things that need to be optimized, but nothing that should stand in the way of normal operation of the program.

There is NO documentation yet. No Help file, no Readme, nothing (other than a brief description in the "Assistant").

There is NO Installer. Download the zip, extract it to a new folder (do not use your old UniqueFiler folder), and run the exe.

Only use the Delete features on test files until you are comfortable with the results.

It shouldn't, but if somehow it formats your drive, melts your monitor and kills the whales... it's NOT my Fault. You have been warned.

And again, the Interface is FAR from finished. It isn't "Easy" to use yet. I want to be sure that the core engine is fast and stable before I spend all kinds of time on interface issues.

If you are in the least bit intimidated, DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT! There will be a tested version with a more complete interface available in a week or 2.

Ok, here's the link... uf201beta.zip about 650 kb.
Check out the Revisions Page to see what was fixed / added.

Current Bugz!

Out Out Evil demons of Stupidity! - Uhhh... I neglected to do a test install on a virgin machine. I forgot to include a text file, that ends up doing nasty things to the UI if it isn't present. I have updated the zip file on the server, so if you download now, it will be fine. If however, you get an error message saying "Can't find old_assistant.txt", download this (right click, select save as), and put it in the same dir that you have your uniquefiler.exe. Sorry about that.

Dayabase Versions - Be sure NOT to try to open a version 1.x database with v2. They are NOT compatible. I just found a problem where it will do some nasty stuff, and you'll probably have to Ctrl+Alt+Del to get out of the program amidst a hail of GPFs and Access Violations. (Won't hurt your system, just annoying.)

I could use some help!

I am only one person, and there is a LOT of work that goes into creating and releasing commercial quality software...

I'm real good at writing the software, and designing the interface, but there are some things that I'm not so good at, and I could use some help with.

• Website Design - If you are a website designer, I'd love a facelift.
• Image Creation - I'd like a nice Logo / Main graphic.
• Button Creation - I'll need some graphics for the buttons in the application. What I have now is better than what was in v1.x, but I still think the meanings could be clearer. If the buttons were similar to the website look, cool!
• Documentation - If you have a love for technical writing... Bless you. I can barely spell my name let alone write understandably. Going to need either Online Docs, or a help file... I have the help file compiler, but I need the content.

I can't offer to pay anything right now, but I'll put your name / company link on the website, in the help files, and in the application about box. If you're up and coming, and want a first project, or if you simply want more exposure, here's your chance (and who knows what might happen in the future). Oh, I'd also include free UF registrations for the rest of your life.

Oh... thanks to:
André Kirchner for the primary design for the new interface, and for pestering me to finally do the update.
And thanks to the hundreds of users who sent in feature requests, ideas, suggestions, and kudos.
And special thanks to everyone who Registered :)

Keep in Touch!

Graham P. Colwell
604-633-1004
tech@sohosoft.com

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