Skip to content

Comparing File Fingerprints

Robert Nowotny edited this page Nov 27, 2018 · 10 revisions

Comparing File Fingerprints :

Fingerprint compares the data stored in two fingerprint csv files. The result is a csv File with all changes between the two fingerprints.

A File will be considered as "CHANGED" if one of the following properties has been changed : size, creation date, modified date, or the data (hash) of the file. A change of the last access date is not considered as a change.

fp.exe files_diff --fp1=<filename> --fp2=<filename> --f_output=<filename> [--batchmode]

If You do not pass any commandline parameter, fp_files will ask You for the name of the two fingerprints to compare (e.g. c:\fingerprints\fp_files_1.csv, c:\fingerprints\fp_files_2.csv) and the location of the results (e.g. c:\fingerprints\diff_fp_files_1-2.csv)

Commandline Parameters:

fp.exe --version           # show the version
fp.exe --help              # show the help
fp.exe <command> --help    # show the help for a specific command

fp.exe files_diff [arguments and flags]
  --fp1=<filename>         # the fingerprint #1, e.g. c:\fingerprints\fp_files_1.csv
  --fp2=<filename>         # the fingerprint #2, e.g. c:\fingerprints\fp_files_2.csv
  --f_output=<filename>    # the resultfile, e.g. c:\fingerprint\fp_files_diff_1-2.csv
                           # missing directories will be created, c:\fingerprint\fp_files_diff_1-2.log will be created
  --batchmode              # do not ask for missing or wrong parameters, but exit

The Result :

the result is a csv file what can be opened with excel or Your texteditor. the csv files might look like this :

c:\fingerprints\fp_files_1.csv :

path,size,created,modified,accessed,hash,change,remark
.\testfiles\file1_no_changes.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.216676,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file3_change_data.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.218671,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file4_change_data_silently.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.221674,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file5_change_creation_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.221674,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file6_change_modified_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.222659,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file7_change_accessed_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.223658,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file8_deleted.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.223658,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,

c:\fingerprints\fp_files_2.csv :

path,size,created,modified,accessed,hash,change,remark
.\testfiles\file1_no_changes.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.216676,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file2_added.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.217699,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file3_change_data.txt,9,2018-11-14 22:49:05.218671,2018-11-14 22:49:05.242633,2018-11-14 22:49:05.242633,9347cf5e62ad7dabebd7f6cb4d0a06858f63e7ed4ed7b5bf9537b6c670d79ea3,,
.\testfiles\file4_change_data_silently.txt,9,2018-11-14 22:49:05.221674,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,9347cf5e62ad7dabebd7f6cb4d0a06858f63e7ed4ed7b5bf9537b6c670d79ea3,,
.\testfiles\file5_change_creation_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.221674,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file6_change_modified_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.222659,2018-11-14 22:49:15.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,
.\testfiles\file7_change_accessed_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.223658,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:15.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,,

c:\fingerprint\fp_files_diff_1-2.csv :

path,size,created,modified,accessed,hash,change,remark
.\testfiles\file2_added.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.217699,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,ADDED,
.\testfiles\file3_change_data.txt,9,2018-11-14 22:49:05.218671,2018-11-14 22:49:05.242633,2018-11-14 22:49:05.242633,9347cf5e62ad7dabebd7f6cb4d0a06858f63e7ed4ed7b5bf9537b6c670d79ea3,CHANGED,"Size changed from 0 to 9, modified changed from 2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710 to 2018-11-14 22:49:05.242633, hash (data) changed"
.\testfiles\file4_change_data_silently.txt,9,2018-11-14 22:49:05.221674,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,9347cf5e62ad7dabebd7f6cb4d0a06858f63e7ed4ed7b5bf9537b6c670d79ea3,CHANGED_SILENT,"Size changed from 0 to 9, hash (data) changed"
.\testfiles\file6_change_modified_date.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.222659,2018-11-14 22:49:15.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,CHANGED,modified changed from 2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710 to 2018-11-14 22:49:15.213710
.\testfiles\file8_deleted.txt,0,2018-11-14 22:49:05.223658,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,2018-11-14 22:49:05.213710,e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855,DELETED,

path     : the path to the file 
size     : the filesize in bytes in fingerprint2
created  : the creation date in fingerprint2
modified : the date of the last modification in fingerprint2
accessed : the date of the last access in fingerprint2
hash     : a SHA256 hash of the data in fingerprint2
change   : what has changed from FP1 to FP2: ADDED, DELETED, CHANGED, CHANGED_SILENT (Data changed without updating the modified date)
remark   : when CHANGED or CHANGED_SILENT, a short explanation WHAT has changed between the two fingerprints

The diff files contains only the difference between the two fingerprints. Unchanged Files are not included.