watchDirectory

Development corner

Just released: the 4.0.41 version of watchDirectory. This new version includes a new plugin - number 11 - to automatically sort files. See the topic below for more information.

This new release has several improvements, among other things, the performance of the Task History viewer has been enhanced, and it now includes a new "Find" option. I want to thank Scott for sending me a ridiculously big history database that forced me to optimize the viewer.

New plugin available: Automatically Sort Files

(click to enlarge)

Promised a few newsletters ago, now it is finally here: a plugin to "sort files".

This plugin is an enhanced version of the "Automatically Copy Files" plugin. With it, you can copy files to one or more destinations based on "Sort Rules".

A "Sort Rule" is a combination of one or more file masks (*.txt) and a destination file. Each detected file is checked against these file masks, and if they match the file is copied to the destination file.

Destination files use the dynamic naming feature, also supported by the "Automatically Copy Files" plugin. This means you can enter destinations as
D:\Target\{year}\{monthname}\{day}\{extension}\{filename}
and the file newfile.txt is copied to
D:\Target\2006\January\01\txt\newfile.txt

If you are now using multiple "Automatically Copy Files" tasks that monitor the same source directory, you can replace them all with just one "Automatically Sort Files" task. Easier maintenance, better performance!

Tip of the month: Speedup your computer

WatchDirectory has it's own "home" on your computer. When you first install watchDirectory, it will ask you where you want to have it, the default being:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\watchDirectory
(localized for your language). To see where watchDirectory's home on your computer is, press CTRL+9 (Tools -> Explore task directory) inside the watchDirectory Control Center.

Whenever a task needs to create a temporary file, it will write it to this directory. Furthermore, the database used by "Task History", and all your configured tasks are also written there.

If you are experiencing sluggish performance, you may want to check your anti-virus settings. If you can exclude this directory, and all directories below it, from your AV scanner that may boost performance quite a bit.

Until next year, best wishes, beste wensen, godt nytår, beste Wünsche, safe driving, happiness and joy!