FreeFileSync: powerful folder comparison and synchronization tool

This open source folder comparison and synchronization tool will compare files by scanning their contents or by file size and date; it can synchronize files and subfolders, process multiple pairs of folders at once, load/save folder comparison sessions, create batch jobs that can be run from the command line, and can handle cloned files (i.e. symbolic links or junctures). It also allows for custom syncing rules and command line option.

The utility has easy to understand, intuitive, interface with the two-pane “visual comparison” abilities.

Key Features

• Compare files (bytewise or by date) and synchronize them.
• No limitations: An arbitrary number of files can be synchronized.
• Unicode support.
• Network support.
• Built-in support for very long filenames (more than MAX_PATH = 260 characters).
• Synchronization database for propagation of deleted files and conflict detection
• Support for multiple folder pairs with distinct configuration
• Full support for Windows/Linux Symbolic Links and Windows Junction Points.
• Lean & easily accessible UI: Highly optimized for speed and huge sets of data.
• Algorithms coded in C++ completely.
• All progress indicators optimized for maximum performance!
• Create Batch Jobs for automated synchronization with or without GUI.
• Focus on usability:
• Only necessary functionality on UI: no overloaded menus or icon jungle.
• Select all folders via drag & drop.
• Last used configuration and screen settings are saved automatically.
• Maintain and load different configurations by drag & drop, load-button or commandline.
• Double-click to start external application (e.g. show file in Windows Explorer)
• Copy & paste all grid data as text
• Delete superfluous/temporary files directly on main grid.
• Right-click context menu.
• Comprehensive status information and error reporting
• Sort file-lists by name, size or date.
• Support for filesizes larger than 4 GB.
• Option to move files to Recycle Bin instead of deleting/overwriting them.
• Ignore directories "\RECYCLER" and "\System Volume Information" with default Filter. (Windows only)
• Localized versions are available for many languages.
• Delete before copy: Avoid disc space shortages for large sync-jobs.
• Filter functionality to include/exclude files from synchronization (without requiring a re-compare!).
• Include/exclude specific files from synchronization temporarily.
• Automatically handle daylight saving time changes on FAT/FAT32 volumes.
• Portable version available (selectable via installer).
• Native 64-Bit version.
• Check for updates from within FreeFileSync automatically.
• Copy locked files using Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service. (Windows only)
• Create regular backups with macros %time%, %date% within directory names
• Copy file and folder create/access/modification times when synchronizing
• Advanced locking strategy to allow multiple synchronization processes (e.g. multiple writers, same network share)

Website: http://freefilesync.sourceforge.net/

Phantasmagoria – apply funny professional effects to your images

Phantasmagoria is a free and full of fun, light weight image editing application. It is focused on allowing the users to apply versatile, professional looking effects to the existing images, creating artistic effects and attractive outcomes.

Main features:

• 100 % free for personal, non-commercial use!
• Runs on any Java-enabled platform (including Windows, Mac OS X and Linux).
• Supports a wide range of image formats.
• Contains dozens of cool effects.
• Lets you easily edit and improve your images.
• Create graphics, including textures and highly stylized text.
• Export directly to Flickr, with support for tagging, descriptions, privacy level, etc.
• Get automatic Twitter updates after doing something with your images
• Broadcast new uploaded images on Flickr with Twitter, including link.
• Try before installing; install-free version available!

Website: http://www.develderby.com/phantasmagoria/

Download page: http://www.develderby.com/phantasmagoria/?page_id=8

66 Free MS Excel Spreadsheet advanced editing tools in Extools

Introduction

ExTools is a free add-in software program for Microsoft Excel (for Windows). It is designed to make your work with Excel more productive as it provides many features that make spreadsheet editing much easier. Using this adds-on, you can perform complicated spreadsheet tasks easily even if you've never had Microsoft Excel training or read any Excel tutorial.

It's 100% free software. No malware, no spyware, no nag screens, no messing with Windows registry and doesn't collect any info from your PC.

Main Features

• Many tools and utilities that add power to Excel. They can be accessed from the ExTools menu and also the worksheet pop-up menu.
• “Undo” function is provided for many of the tools.
• Extools is made up of many tools. No unnecessary tools are loaded during Excel startup, therefore speeding the startup process. During working, Extools will automatically manage its own memory usage. You do not need to manually unload any tools, it will be handled transparently in the background.
• Compatibility: Extools is designed for Excel 97, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2007.

List of Features

1. Favorite Files -This tool lets you store shortcuts to your favorite files. Once a file is added to this folder, you will be able to open it just by double clicking the file inside the list box.
2. Favorite Text Clips - This tool lets you store text clips for later use. Use it to save frequently used phrases, and you will be able to insert it to a selected cell by double clicking the clip item in the Favorite Text Clips’ list box. 
3. Delete Empty Cells in Columns - This tool will help you to delete empty cells within selected columns. Non empty cells will be shifted up to fill in the space.
4. Transpose - Use this tool to convert a vertical range to horizontal and vice versa.
5. Reverse Order - Reverses the order of cells for selected column or row. Example : 1 2 3 4 5  -->  5 4 3 2 1.
6. Check for Duplicates - This tool looks for all duplicate entries in the range you select. Duplicate entries can be highlighted or deleted.
7. Multiple Selection Copy - Excel allows only a single range to be copied. Now you can copy multiple ranges.
8. Save Selection as File - You can save a selection to a Excel, Comma delimited (CSV) or Text file with this tool.
9. Save Selection as HTML - You can save a selection to a HTML table with this tool. HTML tags for a table representing your selection will be generated and saved to a HTML file you specify. You can then open/view the source of this file and copy to your HTML project for further modification.
10. Save Selection as Picture - You can save a selection as GIF, JPEG or PNG file format with this tool. The graphics conversion filters are provided by Microsoft Office. If in any case, you can’t save to the above picture formats, you may have to re-install Office.
11.  View - Interactively change the view settings for your worksheet with this tool. 
12. Compare Worksheets - Use this to find the differences between two worksheets from any open workbooks. A new report workbook will be generated to list the differences, and you can also choose to highlight the differences on the original sheets too.
13.  Create Worksheet Map - Use this to create a map that will show the content type of each cell of the active worksheet. This map is a worksheet (new workbook) that summarizes the data type of the cells in the active worksheet.
14.  Sort Sheets - Use this to sort the worksheets in the active workbook in ascending order.
15. Delete Empty Sheets - Sometimes you may receive files containing many empty worksheets. Use this tool to delete all empty worksheets with a single click.
16. Hide Blank Rows/Columns at End of Sheet -Use this tool to set the scrollable area of a worksheet. You may use it to hide all the rows below and all columns to the right of the used area.
17. Unhide All Hidden Rows/Columns - All hidden rows and columns of the active worksheet will be unhidden in a single click with this tool.
18. Unhide All Hidden Sheets - All hidden sheets of the active worksheet will be unhidden in a single click with this tool.
19.  Remove Hyperlinks on Worksheet - Use this tool to remove all hyperlinks on the active worksheet. The original text will remain, only links will be removed.
20.  Reset Last Cell - If you delete the contents at the end (last cell) of your worksheet, Excel may still remember it incorrectly as the last cell. To find the last cell, press Ctrl + End on the keyboard, if Excel activates the wrong last cell, you need to reset it.
21.  Save and Backup - This tool will save and also create a backup copy of your workbook. The backup copy can be created in any folder or drive you specify. Also, by default, ‘.bak’ extension will be added to the original file, which can be changed if necessary.
22.  Close all Saved Workbooks - This tool closes all workbooks that have been saved and have no changes.
23.  Close and Delete Current Workbook - With this tool, the current or active workbook will be closed and then deleted from the hard drive. Before deleting, a message box will be shown to ask for confirmation.
24.  Close all Workbooks without Saving - All open workbooks will be closed without saving, therefore, all changes will not be recorded. Before closing, a message box will be shown to ask for confirmation.
25.  List all Fonts - This tool creates a new workbook and lists all the available fonts. Sample text in the actual font is provided too.
26.  Clear Recently Used Files List - This clears the listing of recently used files from the Excel File menu.
27.  Conditional Select Cells by Value - This tool will help you to select cells based on specified criteria.
28.  Conditional Select Cells by Format - This tool will select cells based on the specified format of a reference cell.
29.  Conditional Select Rows by Value - This tool will select whole rows based on the value of cells in a reference column.
30.  Select Cell with Max Value - This tool selects the cell containing the maximum value within a specified search range.
31.  Select Cell with Min Value - This tool selects the cell containing the minimum value within a specified search range.
32. Select Last Cell - This cell has the highest row number and the highest column number in the used range of a worksheet. In Excel, you can press Ctrl + End to select the last cell, but sometimes, but sometimes Excel may not be able to keep track of the last cell correctly.
33.  Select Cells with Error - This tool finds and selects all cells that contain error in the active worksheet.
34.  Select Used Area - Selects the used range of the active worksheet.
35.  Select to Right - Extends selection from current cell to the right-most non-empty cell.
36.  Select to Bottom - Extends selection from current cell to the bottom-most non-empty cell.
37. Select all Sheets - Selects all worksheets of the current workbook.
38.  Select all Empty Sheets - Selects all empty worksheets of the current workbook.
39.  Text – Case - This tool converts the case of cell contents to Upper case, Lower case or Proper case.
40.  Text – Insert - This tool inserts any specified text into selected cells which already contain some other text. You can choose whether to insert the text at the left, right or starting from any position of the current cell content.
41. Text – Trim - This tool trims the cell contents of selected cells. You can choose to trim/remove the space characters to the Left or Right of the cell contents, remove extra spaces or remove all spaces.
42. Text – Remove - This tool will remove any specified characters from selected cells. Note that you can specify more than one character to be removed.
43.  Text – Combine - This tool will combine the contents of adjacent columns into one cell.
44. Copy Cell Formula as is - By default, Excel will create formulas using relative referencing, and when any formula is copied to another cell, Excel will adjust the formula address to reflect the new cell location. Use this tool to copy any formula to a new location without changing the formula address.
45. Convert Formula to Constant Value - This tool will convert cells containing formulas to its current value. The formulas in the cells will be lost.
46. Convert Between Absolute and Relative Reference - Use this tool tool to convert the reference style of your formulas. The available reference types are Relative, Rows Relative Columns Absolute, Rows Absolute Columns Relative and Absolute.
47.  Perform Math Calculation on Selection - Use this tool to perform mathematical calculations on cells inside a selection. The result of the calculation can be written back as formulas or constant values.
48. Unit Converter - This tool is used to convert from/to metric units.
49. Round Numbers - This tool rounds numbers to specified number of decimals.
50. Convert Percents to Numbers - Converts numbers formatted as percents to general number format ( the percentage sign ‘%’ will also be removed).
51. Convert Numbers to Ordinals - Converts whole numbers to ordinals (Example: 1st, 2nd …). Fractional numbers will be rounded to whole numbers before being converted.
52. Convert Numbers to Text - Converts numbers to its equivalent text/string.
53.  Convert Between Roman and Arabic Numbers - Converts numbers to Roman/Arabic. Example : 9 <-> IX , 10 <-> X …
54. Insert Random Numbers to Selection - Inserts random numbers to cells in selection. You can specify the minimum and maximum value of the random numbers being generated.
55. Set Subscript/Superscript - Sets the last character of cell contents to subscript or superscript.
56. Word Wrap On/Off - Toggles word wrap on and off for selected cells.
57.  Center Vertically - Use this tool to quickly center cell contents vertically within the cells.
58. Print Multiple Sheets - This tool allows you to select multiple sheets from any open workbook for printing.
59.  Set File Path as Header/Footer - This tool allows you to set the full file path as the header/footer for the sheets in the active workbook.
60. Number of Days Between Two Dates - This tool calculates the number of days between any two dates you specify.
61. Add Days to A Date - This tool calculates the end date after adding a specified number of days to the start date.
62. Calculator - This comes together with Windows. If you can’t get it to run, check Windows installation.
63. Character Map - This comes together with Windows. If you can’t get it to run, check Windows installation.
64.  Delete Empty Rows - Select a range and any empty rows can be deleted. Note that the WHOLE row will be deleted if it's empty.
65.  Google Search - Right click on any cell containing text and click Google Search from the pop-up menu. The cell's text will be sent to Google and the search results will be displayed in a new web browser window.
66.  List All Filenames in Selected Folder - There is no easy way to grab actual names(in text and editable form) of all files within a folder. This tool will allow you to select a folder, then all the names of the files within the folder will be listed in a new workbook.

Screenshots

If you are using MS Excel on a regular basis, but do not want to go deep in the program capabilities investigations, this utility will be right for you. While listing all the features, I took mental notes on how many of them will be useful for me. By the end, I counted 14. Not bad at all! I am sure that your “must have” list will be different, but you will definitely find some attractive features.

Website: http://www.excel-extools.com/index.php

Download page (choose a version based on installed Excel): http://www.excel-extools.com/download_extools.php

KahlownLite - screen capturing, screen recording, and screen spying software

KahlownLite is a free screen capturing, screen recording and screen spying software. Capture still images of your screen or create videos or spy on your computer screen for free.

What can you do with KahlownLite?

- Create screencast videos.

- Create training documents and presentations.

- Report software bugs effectively.

- Record videos and publish to illustrate features or teach.

- Keep an eye on children and keep them safe online.

- Save articles and read them later.

- Record computer screen in stealth mode (spy), completely invisible and records video while silently running in the background.

- Monitor children while they are using computer with stealth mode (spy).

- Track kids when they are online (Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, MSN, AOL).

Main Features

KahlownLite provides following features.

Screen Capture

Capture screenshots of computer screens and save those into image files.

• Capture full screen
• Capture working area of screen
• Capture selected area of screen (select particular area of screen using mouse)

Screen Recorder

Create screencast videos, demo videos or explanatory videos.

• Record full screen
• Record working area of screen
• Record selected area of screen (select particular area of screen using mouse)
• Capture cursor as part of video
• Creates compressed video AVI file using Microsoft Video 1.

Screen Spy Software

In Stealth Mode KahlownLite can be configured to run invisibly in the background in hidden mode to spy on the computer screen.

• Track kids’ online activity and see what they do online.
• Keep any eye on your kids’ online activities.
• Free parental control software for parent to monitor children.

Hot key to make KahlownLite visible or invisible is Control + Alt + F10.

Please be advised that hot key may not work if any other software is already using this hotkey. Upgrade to paid version to set hot key of your choice.

Developer’s Website: http://www.lesoftrejion.com/KahlownLite.aspx

KahlownLite Requires: Win2000, Win7 x32, Win7 x64, WinServer, WinVista, WinVista x64, and WinXP.

How to Create Home Professional DVD Fast and Easy?

Are you looking for an easy and fast way to create home video DVD from video files, camcorder, webcam, YouTube and personalize it with DVD chapter menu & subtitle (*.srt)? WinX DVD Author is your ideal solution and it is totally free! No, it is not a fake advertising or mistake. The program that was known as shareware has been converted by the authors to the full-featured freeware.

With step-by-step wizard built in, even novice can easily convert and burn MKV, M2TS, M4V, MP4, FLV, MPEG, MOV, RM, RMVB, H.264, AVI to DVD, etc. Equipped with fast and powerful decode encoder engine, this free DVD burner software takes less than one hour to create a full 4.3 G high quality DVD, while delivering 100% excellent audio and video effects.

Main Features

Powerful DVD Authoring Ability:

* Supports almost all video formats converted to DVD, like AVI to DVD, MP4 to DVD, MKV to DVD, M2TS to DVD, 3GP, FLV, MPEG, H.264, DivX, Xvid, WMV to DVD, etc.

* Batch conversion supported: This free DVD author permits you to burn two or more videos at a time.

* Fully compatible with DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD DL+R, DVD DL+/-RW.

* Support all types of burner devices in current market.

Edit Videos before Burning DVD:

* Add background music & picture with this free DVD creator.

* Create DVD subtitle (*.srt) to DVD with ease.

* Create DVD chapter menu and DVD menu with just one click.

* Burn video and save as VOB files or DVD folder on the hard disk.

Other features:

* Support all current hardware interfaces (IDE/SCSI/USB/1394/SATA).

* Support 16:9 widescreen TV and 4:3 standard TV.

* High video quality and fast converting speed. Less than 1 hour for a full 4.2 GB DVD.

* Multilingual DVD languages supported: English, French, Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, etc.

Specification

* Input Video formats: MKV, M2TS, M4V, AVI, ASF, MP4, MPEG, MOD, MOV, WMV, FLV, RM, RMVB, Xivd, DviX, H264, 3GP, OGG, QT, VOB, etc

* Output File Formats: DVD Disc, DVD Folder, VOB File.

* System Requirements:

Operation System: Microsoft® Windows 98, NT, 2000, 2003, XP, Vista (32 & 64 bit), Windows 7 (32 & 64 bit)

Processor:  1GHz Intel/AMD processor or above

RAM: 256MB RAM (512MB or above recommended)

Free Hard Disk: 100MB space for installation

Graphic Card: 256MB RAM (512MB or above recommended)

Others: DVD-ROM drive

Website: http://www.winxdvd.com/dvd-author/

Direct Download: http://www.winxdvd.com/download/winx-dvd-author.exe