Delete matching files in two Finder folders

Sep 13, '05 09:50:00AM

Contributed by: alexiskai

If you have two folders that have certain files in common, and you want to delete all the items in the second folder that have the same name as an item in the first folder, here's how to do it:

  1. Select All in the first folder.
  2. Drag the selection onto the second folder.
  3. Select 'Replace' and check 'Apply to All' in the resulting dialog.
  4. Choose Edit: Undo Copy of nn Items from the Finder's menu.
This will undo the move of files from folder #1 to folder #2, but it will not undelete the matching items in folder #2 which were replaced by the copy. This is not unlike the "Difference" operation in set theory.

[robg adds: I'm not sure whether this is a bug or a feature, but it does work as described. I tested it in both 10.3 and 10.4.]

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