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Using this program, you can compare PICT files, and
find out if they
are identical, or at least very similar. The program
works on all PICT and
JPEG files, including Quicktime compressed pictures.
To use JPEG files,
QuickTime needs to be present.
PICTcompare also identifies two pictures when
- one of them is grayscale
- they don't have the same size / aspect ratio
- they have a different intensity
- they have a different pixel-depth
- and when one of them is blurred
PICTcompare works best on digitized images, like scanned photos.
Using PICTcompare
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The simplest operation is to use the 'Search Folder'
command on any folder
containing PICT files. Then PICTcompare loads all needed
information and
compares all pictures with each other. If the pictures
are compressed,
this may take a while. The name of the current picture
processed is
displayed at the bottom of the main dialog. When PICTcompare
has finished
it's task, it displays a list of similar pictures, sorted
by the "compare value",
which means the most similar pictures are at the top
of the list. This
compare value is also displayed within the main dialog.
See the reference section for more information about
the other commands
and the vect resources.
Limitations:
- Only 20000 pictures may be compared with each other.
- Only the first 2000 found pictures will be display.
Remember to increase to partition size about 1MB for
every 1000
pictures you want to compare.
Reference
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File Menu
- Load Master
Load a master image for the following compare operations.
- Compare with Folder
Compares all images within this folder (and all
subfolders) with the
master image set using the 'Load Master' menu command.
- Search Folder
Compares all images within this folder with each
other. (Doesn't
use the master image)
- Preferences
Limit value :
This sets the limit for a compare operation. The
lower the
value, the more the same they have to be. Absolut
identical pictures
have values between 0 and 10, picture that are most
likely the same
have values between 11 and 20. Sometimes there are
similar pictures
with values over 20, therefore a good limit value
is between 25 and 30.
Add vector resource :
When checked, the compare information (202 bytes!)
of each picture is added
within the picture as a 'vect' resource (id 128).
The next time PICTcompare
needs to compare this picture, it just loads this
resource and does not
have to load the whole image. If the pictures are
compressed, this
makes it a LOT faster.
Live Preview :
Display the picture as it is loaded. Also works
if a 'vect' resource is
available.
- Remove Vect Resources
Removes the vect resources from all pictures found
within this folder.
(and subfolders)
Version History
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1.b0
- inital public release
1.1
- FAT binary : Full PowerPC support!
1.2
- Switched 68k Version to Codewarrior
- Added support for JPEG pictures
1.21
- Removed support for 68k (use V1.2 for 68k machines)
- Increased limits to 10000/1000 (see above)
- Added more memory checking code
1.3
- Fixed bug with certain Jpeg files (Use Quicktime
3.x or higher)
- Appearance friendly
- Live Preview of pictures loaded
1.31
- Increased limits to 20000 files / 2000 results
- Changed codebase from Pascal to C
- Fixed bug with certain JPEG files
- Switched to QT-Imagedecompressor (requires QT 2.5
or higher)
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I made PICTcompare, because my archive of pictures got
much to big!
I couldn't tell which picture I already had, and which
not. Therefore I thought,
let the computer do the work and compare all pictures
for me.
I did various of tests and PICTcompare always found
the pictures that
were more or less the same.
If you have any problems, ideas or suggestions, please contact me!
This program is Freeware. You can include it in any
archive (CD, online,
disks ...) at no charge as long as you notify me.
Oliver Dreer
Im Egg 35
4147 Aesch
Switzerland
Internet : odreer@usa.net
Check out the PICTcompare homepage for news:
http://www3.pair.com/odreer/pico.html
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