Introduction

FDUPES is a program for identifying duplicate files residing within specified directories.

Usage

Usage: fdupes [options] DIRECTORY...

 -r --recurse            for every directory given follow subdirectories
                         encountered within
 -R --recurse:           for each directory given after this option follow
                         subdirectories encountered within (note the ':' at the
                         end of the option, manpage for more details)
 -s --symlinks           follow symlinks
 -H --hardlinks          normally, when two or more files point to the same
                         disk area they are treated as non-duplicates; this
                         option will change this behavior
 -G --minsize=SIZE       consider only files greater than or equal to SIZE bytes
 -L --maxsize=SIZE       consider only files less than or equal to SIZE bytes
 -c --cache              speed up file comparisons by keeping track of their
                         signatures in a database; additional parameters may be
                         provided using one or more cache parameters (as below)
 -x cache.OPTION         supply an optional cache parameter, where OPTION is one
                         of the keywords below and multiple options may be
                         supplied via successive -x arguments:
    readonly             read but do not update file signatures
    prune                look through entire cache and delete orphaned entries
    clear                clear all entries from cache
    vacuum               reduce size of DB file, if possible
                         (note that the options prune, clear, and vacuum may be
                         employed without supplying a DIRECTORY argument, and
                         will take effect even if readonly is also specified)
 -n --noempty            exclude zero-length files from consideration
 -A --nohidden           exclude hidden files from consideration
 -f --omitfirst          omit the first file in each set of matches
 -1 --sameline           list each set of matches on a single line
 -S --size               show size of duplicate files
 -t --time               show modification time of duplicate files
 -m --summarize          summarize dupe information
 -M --quicksummary       summarize dupe information quickly, skipping the
                         slower byte-for-byte match confirmation
 -q --quiet              hide progress indicator
 -d --delete             prompt user for files to preserve and delete all
                         others; important: under particular circumstances,
                         data may be lost when using this option together
                         with -s or --symlinks, or when specifying a
                         particular directory more than once; refer to the
                         fdupes documentation for additional information
 -D --deferconfirmation  in interactive mode, defer byte-for-byte confirmation
                         of duplicates until just before file deletion
 -P --plain              with --delete, use line-based prompt (as with older
                         versions of fdupes) instead of screen-mode interface
 -N --noprompt           together with --delete, preserve the first file in
                         each set of duplicates and delete the rest without
                         prompting the user
 -I --immediate          delete duplicates as they are encountered, without
                         grouping into sets; implies --noprompt
 -p --permissions        don't consider files with different owner/group or
                         permission bits as duplicates
 -o --order=BY           select sort order for output and deleting; by file
                         modification time (BY='time'; default), status
                         change time (BY='ctime'), or filename (BY='name')
 -i --reverse            reverse order while sorting
 -l --log=LOGFILE        log file deletion choices to LOGFILE
 -v --version            display fdupes version
 -h --help               display this help message

Unless -1 or --sameline is specified, duplicate files are listed
together in groups, each file displayed on a separate line. The
groups are then separated from each other by blank lines.

When -1 or --sameline is specified, spaces and backslash characters (\)
appearing in a filename are preceded by a backslash character. For
instance, "with spaces" becomes "with\ spaces".

When using -d or --delete, care should be taken to insure against
accidental data loss. While no information will be immediately
lost, using this option together with -s or --symlink can lead
to confusing information being presented to the user when prompted
for files to preserve. Specifically, a user could accidentally
preserve a symlink while deleting the file it points to. A similar
problem arises when specifying a particular directory more than
once. All files within that directory will be listed as their own
duplicates, leading to data loss should a user preserve a file
without its "duplicate" (the file itself!).

Contact Information for Adrian Lopez

email: adrianlopezroche@gmail.com