Documentation

UFO (Ultimate File Organizer) is a powerful desktop application designed to automate file organization tasks through customizable jobs and schedules. This application helps you maintain an organized file system by automatically processing files based on criteria you define.

Key Features

Getting Started

The Main Interface

UFO organizes your file management jobs in a tab-based interface:

• Home tab: Displays all your existing jobs
• Jobs tabs: Each jobs opens in its own tab for editing

Creating Your First Job

1. Start a new job: Click the “+” button in the tab bar. A new tab will open with the job editor.
2. Set job attributes:
   • Job Name: Enter a descriptive name for your job
   • Source Folders: Select which folders to monitor
   • Conditions: Define criteria for files to match
   • Actions: Specify what to do with matching files
   • Schedule: Set when the job should run
3. Save and activate: Click “Save” to store your job. Toggle the job status to “Active” to enable it.

Setting Up Conditions

Conditions determine which files your job will process:

1. Select filter type:
   • File Name
   • Extension
   • Size
   • Date Created/Modified/Accessed
   • Folder Name/Path
   • Content (text search)
   • File Type
2. Choose operator:
   • Equal/Not Equal
   • Contains/Does Not Contain
   • Starts With/Ends With
   • Greater Than/Less Than
   • Before/After (for dates)
   • Regular Expression (for advanced pattern matching)
3. Set value:
   • Enter the comparison value
   • For file sizes, select the appropriate unit (KB, MB, GB)
4. Multiple conditions:
   • Add multiple conditions using “AND” or “OR” logic
   • Organize conditions in the order they should be evaluated

Actions

Actions determine what happens to files that match your conditions:

1. Move:
   • Select a destination folder
   • Optionally use dynamic naming patterns
2. Copy To:
   • Select a destination folder
   • Preserves the original file
   • Optionally use dynamic naming patterns
3. Change Name:
   • Create a naming pattern using static text and dynamic elements
   • Use the pattern builder with available tokens
4. Delete:
   • Permanently removes matching files
5. Compress:
   • Create archives of matching files
   • Choose compression format (ZIP, 7Z, etc.)
   • Set compression level
   • Organize files within the archive
6. Extract:
   • Automatically extract contents from archives
   • Organize extracted files

Dynamic Target Patterns

When renaming files or creating folder structures, you can use dynamic patterns:

Access Pattern Builder:

Click the “?” icon next to the pattern field to view available tokens and examples.

Common Patterns:

• {currentDate}/{fileName} – Organize by date
• {objectType}/{fileName} – Organize by file type
• {fileName}_backup{fileExtension} – Create backups

Creating Folder Structures:

Use forward slashes (/) to create nested folders. Example: Reports/{currentDate}/{fileName}

Scheduling Jobs

Configure when your jobs should run:

Simple Scheduling:

• Select predefined intervals: Minute, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly

Advanced Scheduling:

• Use cron expressions for complex schedules
• Set specific days, times, or intervals

Manual Execution:

• Run jobs on demand by clicking “Run Now”

Unique Features

1. Deep System Integration

UFO integrates with your operating system’s native scheduling capabilities, ensuring jobs run even when the application is closed:

• Windows Task Scheduler integration
• macOS Launchd integration
• Linux Cron integration

2. Smart Type Recognition

UFO understands hundreds of file types beyond just extensions, intelligently categorizing files based on their actual purpose.

3. Cross-Platform Path Compatibility

Works with paths from different operating systems, normalizing them automatically to work on your current platform.

4. Non-destructive Operations

Preview mode lets you see exactly what will happen before any files are actually modified.

5. Action Chaining

Apply multiple actions in sequence to the same files for complex workflows.

6. Nested Dynamic Patterns

Create advanced organization schemes by combining multiple dynamic elements in file names and folder structures.

7. Background Processing

Process large file operations in the background, allowing you to continue working with the application.

Common Use Cases

1. Photography Organization

• Automatically sort photos by date taken
• Organize images by resolution or camera model
• Rename files using consistent patterns
• Create backup copies in different locations

2. Download Folder Management

• Move different file types to appropriate folders
• Extract downloaded archives automatically
• Delete temporary files after a certain period
• Sort downloads by date or size

3. Document Organization

• Organize documents by type (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.)
• Create date-based folder structures
• Process incoming email attachments
• Maintain consistent naming conventions

4. Music Library Management

• Sort music by artist/album/genre
• Rename files for consistent formatting
• Move files to appropriate storage locations
• Create playlists based on file attributes

5. Development Project Organization

• Organize source code by project or language
• Back up important project files
• Clean up build artifacts
• Manage version control files

6. Backup Automation

• Create regular backups of important files
• Maintain versioned copies with date stamps
• Remove old backups to save space
• Move backups to external storage

Troubleshooting

Job Not Running

• Check if the job status is “Active”
• Verify source folders exist and are accessible
• Ensure conditions are not too restrictive
• Check the job history for any errors

Files Not Being Processed

• Confirm files match all specified conditions
• Check file permissions (read/write access)
• Verify destination paths exist and are writable
• Check system logs for errors

Scheduling Issues

• Ensure the application has permission to run at the scheduled time
• Check if the computer is on during scheduled times
• Verify system clock and timezone settings
• Check if admin privileges are required

Best Practices

• Start simple: Begin with basic jobs and add complexity as needed
• Test thoroughly: Use the preview feature before activating important jobs
• Use descriptive names: Name jobs clearly to identify their purpose
• Document your jobs: Add notes about complex jobs for future reference
• Monitor job history: Review logs periodically to ensure proper operation
• Avoid circular references: Don’t create jobs that could process the same files repeatedly

UFO File Organizer makes complex file management tasks simple through its intuitive interface and powerful automation capabilities. Whether you’re managing thousands of photos, organizing business documents, or keeping your downloads folder tidy, UFO can help you maintain an organized and efficient digital workspace.