Hunter Collection Manager

Hunter Collection Manager

The Hunter Logo

Hunter is a highly versatile shareware program that can be used to maintain collections of files. Collections are often images, such as jpgs; however, a collection can contain absolutely any kind of file. Hunter runs on Windows 95/98/ME, NT4/Win2000, on up to Windows 7. It has not been tested on Windows 8. For your information, it was programmed in C++ using Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC). Many coding tips that I used are in the two books: Windows MFC Programming I and Windows MFC Programming II.

Hunter provides a myriad of services for collections including finding and eliminating exact duplicates and finding corrupt jpgs. By using csv files for collections (comma separated values text files that list the contents of a collection including the filename, file size, crc32 value, and perhaps subfolder information), Hunter offers a vast array of features. Many image collections have posted csv files for them. Even if a collection does not have a csv file, Hunter can make them for you. Given a csv file, Hunter can maintain the collection, including hunting a incoming folders for missing or needed files of the collection. It generates various collection reports and can make needed lists of missing files.

Download the latest version Hunter2-1.

Current Hunter Features

Hunter has many features and many uses.

The key to a collection is the availability of a csv (comma separated values) file usually created by the maker of the collection. The csv file contains a listing of all files that make up this collection. It contains sufficient details about each file so that Hunter can, with a high degree of certainty, determine that any given file is a match for what is supposed to be in the collection. These details include the filename, its size and its crc32 (cyclical redundancy check 32 bit) value. They may also include subfolder information for large collections and other information; these are called extended csvs.

In image collecting for example, perhaps two files out of maybe thirty thousand jpg files will have exactly the same size and crc32 value and yet not be the same image at all! Thus, the pair make a fairly accurate way to validate collections.

The majority of Hunters features are designed for use with collections that have a published csv file. However, Hunter can also make csv files for any collection of files, image based or not. These can then be used to maintain the collection.

Additionally, some features of Hunter can be readily used by any kind of collection independent of a csv file. These include unzipping zipped file, jpg testing, and the blazingly fast finding of exact byte by byte duplicates, for example.

When with a csv-based collection, Hunter really becomes a powerful tool. Hunter can setup collection documents that contain one or more collection groups, such as finished, ongoing, fantasy, scenery, hot cars, and so on. Within a group can be as many individual collections as desired, such as Great Cars of 98, Great Cars of 99, Fantasy collection 99, and so on.

A collection has two parts: the csv file and the folder(s) that contain the files that make up the collection. Once setup, Hunter can verify the files in the collection. It can “clean the collection” which means to put files in the correct subfolders, move bad or corrupt files out of the collection, move extras and duplicates out of the collection. Hunter can search any number of incoming folders for files that belong in a given collection and then move those that do into the proper collection folder(s).
In doing the verification, Hunter make a number of user adjustable reports that show the collection details as well as summaries and even a needed csv for files one is missing.

Hunter has a unique Import/Export section that makes trading files with others easy. Hunter makes a needed csv for you to export to another who can then import your needs into an Import Hunt to fill your exact needs.

Collections can be of any size and be located on any combination of media, hard disk, CD-ROM, zip drives, network drives, and so on.

Hunter can make csv files, rename files, view and compare csv files.

Hunter has several “wizards” to assist in the initial setup of Hunter, to add new collections and to update collection.

There is also an entire Csv Maintenance section devoted to maintaining csv files of collections, including an automatic update mechanism that moves new versions of ongoing collections into the proper csv folder, moving the replaced csv into an obsolete folder and updating all collections based on that revised csv file.

Hunter remembers most all of your settings by maintaining an easily editable ini file. There is a large property sheet that provides easy access to all the myriad options available in Hunter.

Finally, there is a scripting mechanism that can be used for automatic, unattended operations.

Hunter is a complex program but does have an extensive hlp file including much context sensitive help. Hunter is best run in 1024×768 large fonts mode.

It has various problems running under Win 10 and Win 11.

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