RandFill

An utility program for copying files in random order onto a removable (USB) mass storage device; written for the purpose of filling a portable MP3 player with randomly chosen files from my music archive.

• Limit how much of the device’s capacity should be used.
• Delete all or only certain types of files from the target device before the copying begins.
• Eject/Unmount the device from the system when the task is done.
• Create a playlist for the copied files.
• GUI and help text available in english and german.

Requires Microsoft Windows (tested with XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10/Preview).

Published under the terms of the MIT license.

Download

• 32-bit: RandFill-1.2.1-x86-Installer.exe
• 64-bit: RandFill-1.2.1-x64-Installer.exe

Or get the source code from BitBucket.org

Version History

Summary of major and notable changes:

1.2.1 (2015-07-16)

• Directory on the current target device is being watched for file-system
  changes (at the moment only size) to trigger a recalculation of the free
  capacity; the obversation happens in a worker-thread.
• The progress dialog now displays the amount of files copied so far.
• The button to remove a source path is only enabled if at least one item
  (path) in the source list is selected.
• The Close button on the copy-progress dialog is disabled; handling of the
  Escape key is added.
• The file operation (copying) checks for success/failure.
• The program differentiates between the copying being aborted by the user
  or by the system (due to an error in the file operation).

1.2.0 (2015-05-17)

• Published under the terms of the MIT license and code is available via a public Mercurial repository on BitBucket.org.
• Improved installer (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System/NSIS):
  • multilingual: currently support for English and German.
  • installs required Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package.
• Capability to create a playlist file (in M3U or PLS format).
• Program’s multilingual (englisch and german, for now); can be switched on the fly; see menubar.
• Comes with a (HTML) help file; see menubar.
• Reworked much of the code. Switched from plain Win32-API to the Qt framework for the GUI and several other components.
  It’s nevertheless far from being a multiplatform program: The code that handles the devices is still mostly Win32-based.
• Uses “CMake” as a meta-build system; support for 32-bit and 64-bit builds.
• GUI:
  • Menu bar with entries for language selection, invoking help and displaying information about the program.
  • Spin-box widget for controlling the free capacity that should be used on the target device.
  • Explorer windows can be opened for a selected item on the sources list and for the target device.
  • Tooltips with explanatory text when hovering over some elements.
  • A message box shows up if no files are found in the source directory that you want to add.
  • Vectorized the logo (to get the icon in a higher resolution).
  • Button “Filter…” is gone for now, since neither the old nor the new functionality are working/existing at moment.
• Bugfixes:
  • Issue #2: Ejecting an USB storage device working again under Windows 7; old method didn’t work due to changes in Windows Vista.
  • Issue #3: Selection of ‘source’ was defined as ’empty’ when the the uppermost entry is removed.
  • Issue #4: Bug when middle entries of ‘source’ (directories) list are removed.
  • Issue #7: Empty device before copying only deleted files, but not folders/directories.
  • Issue #9: Add path button was inactive after selecting source directory.
  • Files would be copied into the target directory on the device, even when the user had unchecked the option.

1.1.0 (2007-08-06, 2013-09-01, 2013-10-20)

[Update 2013-10-20: Comes now with a proper installer; see download link above.]

Made this version a couple of years ago and then left it unreleased; retroactively published now.
Also, several items of previous releases have been removed in an attempt to prepare for a rewrite: No multi-language support any more, no longer based on WTL (a short-lived experiment), Filtering has been disabled…

• GUI: Swapped order of ‘source’ and ‘target’ sections.
• Added option to put the files in a sub-directory on the target device.
  This should also fix the ‘capacity bug’, which is probably related to a FAT16 limitation.
• Note: If the device should be emptied prior to copying, and the option for a target directory
  is set, only that directory’s content is affected.
  Also, as a reminder, only files get deleted, no directories.
• Project builds now with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 and runs on Windows 7.

1.0.7 (2007-07-28)

• Configuration file is now located below the user’s application data directory
  (i.e. settings are per user, roaming), instead of the program directory.
• Now using “Windows Template Library (WTL)” for the GUI instead of pure Win32-API calls.
• Internal changes, GUI tweaks. No new features; only minor improvements and bugfixes.
• Screenshot

1.0.6 (2006-10-08)

• Bugfix: Canceling a copyjob while the option ‘eject device’ was checked could cause the program (and even Windows’ Explorer) to hang.
• List of copied files and progressbar is hidden when no copy-job is running.
• The list-controls (source, progress) show horizontal scrollbars only when neccessary, and also adjust them to in the correct width.
• Moved progressbar into the statusbar.
• Progress status [when minimized] flashes only once when done.
• New ‘About’ window.
• Statusbar is cleared before a new copy-job begins.

1.0.5 (2006-09-25)

• The UI language can now be changed while the program is running.
• Progress view: List now automatically scrolls to the latest entry.
• The button to select the source folders now displays either the last path (shortened if too long) or a hint.
• Rearranged position/size of some GUI controls, modiefied labels.
• Most GUI elements are now locked while copy-job is running.
• Fixed the short window-flashing at start-up.

1.0.4 (2006-08-21)

• Added ability to open target device in file explorer.
• Rearranged and tweaked GUI: no tabbed view any longer, the filter button has been moved to the menubar, etc.

1.0.2 (2006-07-17)

• GUI language can be changed (german/english, requires application restart); settings are being saved in file.
• Added menubar for switching languages and invoking ‘about’ info.

1.0.1 (2006-05-08)

• Improved user feedback: Statusbar notifications, message boxes, reporting progress status in multiple ways.
• Window now starts in the center of the screen.
• Added translation strings.
• Improved keyboard navigation.
• Fixed threading issues that caused crashes.
• {First public release, i.e. put on my homepage}

1.0.0 (2006-03-28)

• Changed GUI: Now using a tab-view/control.
• Fixed ‘blank-status’-bug (occured while the first file was being copied).
• Added radio-buttons (“empty device”).
• Added capability for ejecting the target device when the job is done.

Birth (2005-08-25)

• Started the project (‘bottom-up’: implementing the playlist, detecting USB devices, etc. before working on GUI issues).