auto-refresh search results after <Delete>

General discussion related to "Everything".
ChrisGreaves
Posts: 841
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:29 pm

auto-refresh search results after <Delete>

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Untitled.jpg
I use the search string
t:\media\music ext:mp3 sizedupe:
to locate duplicate audio files in a specific folder. This works fine.
By eye I choose one or two files to be deleted and tap the <delete> key to delete those files. This works fine.

I am left with the surviving sole copy of the file in my results list.

I can tap the <F5> function key to refresh the results, focusing my attention back to the first row - because my result list will now contain only duplicated files.

This violates my primary axiom on which I have based my knowledge of computing technology "If it's boring and repetitive, write a program".

I did a cursory search of Tools, Options, Advanced but found no sign of auto-refresh or similar. Most times I am not using a modern version of a search strategy.
An advanced search of the forums turned up two threads which seemed relevant.

(1) Re: [Feature Request] XYplorer Tag Support "F5 will refresh the currently shown tags, but not perform a research.
You'll need to press F5, cut your entire search so the search box is cleared, then paste your search back.
I'll look into making Everything perform a research when pressing F5."

(2)Search Commands "/reload-property-user-values" "Press F5 to refresh cached properties.
Select files and press Ctrl + F5 to refresh indexed properties."

If there is an entry in Tools, Options, Advanced, I'd love to know where it is.

Locating and deleting duplicate files seems to be a popular use of Everything; help in focusing our attention on duplicates would serve us all well.
Thanks, Chris
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void
Developer
Posts: 20362
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: auto-refresh search results after <Delete>

Post by void »

There's no option to auto refresh after a delete.

There's no option to enable real-time find duplicate results.

Creating a bookmark to delete and refresh doesn't work either, because the delete doesn't happen immediately, so the refresh happens before the items are actually deleted.

I will consider an option for live dupe: search results. (auto-refresh after a file system change)
ChrisGreaves
Posts: 841
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2022 9:29 pm

Re: auto-refresh search results after <Delete>

Post by ChrisGreaves »

void wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2026 9:57 pmThere's no option to auto refresh after a delete.
Thank you Void; I am now re-assured that auto-refresh is not an option.

That said, is it possible for a user to set up a shortcut key as a command of some sort to highlight the deleted file?
I suppose that that would require a command to delete the file and THEN (say) colour the remaining file.
In my image at the head of this thread two instances of that shortcut key would result in the first two lines of results - now the identifiers of unique files - being a pale grey; readable but not attention-grabbing.
I will consider an option for live dupe: search results. (auto-refresh after a file system change)
As I finished typing my response in the previous paragraph I realized that even that would not do.
Given (say) four duplicates, I decide which ones to delete on a set of factors. I do not always delete the first three leaving the final one on display. Hence a shortcut key to delete-and-colour cannot really know which remaining file (or for that matter, if I delete only two of the four files, which remaining two!) should be coloured.

I have dug myself into a hole.

The problem is not easy.
Really, whenever I am presented with a cluster of duplicate files, I want a system that, once I have made SOME sort of operation on the cluster, just removes whatever remains of a cluster from my sight.
Until I can better define that condition I cannot see this as a problem.

In particular, I am, as usual, looking at duplicates of audio files (MP3) and there can be cases where I want multiple copies of some file to exist. This will be true for other types of files - JPG images, or text files, or batch files.

Although I have asked about "auto-refresh after a file system change" i am now not convinced that this is a solution to my problem.

I apologize for getting you involved, but I'll leave this here in case it triggers a thought in someone else checking on duplicates.
Thanks, Chris
void
Developer
Posts: 20362
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:31 pm

Re: auto-refresh search results after <Delete>

Post by void »

That said, is it possible for a user to set up a shortcut key as a command of some sort to highlight the deleted file?
Unfortunately, this is not possible yet.