![]() The program is quick at scanning, and instantaneously calculates file sizes (unlike the Finder's exceptionally slow file size calculation process). By default the program uses a built-in filter that excludes hard linked files, but this can be changed in the preferences. The filtering options are very extensive, and you can customize your own test conditions and filter setups to match practically any file type and attribute in the system. You can set up filters to include or exclude practically any file type. I have found this to work quite well, though there are a few interface bugs with the filter setup window (sometimes buttons will become inactive). To run a filtered scan, choose "Filtered Scan" from the "File" menu instead of the standard "Scan Folder" option. In this section of the program you can set up test routines that will be applied to each file scanned, and used to include or omit it from the scan if it matches the conditions of the test. ![]() To limit the files found, the program supports filters, which are available in the "Grand Perspective" menu. Unfortunately there is no way to authenticate an administrative account to enable read access for scanning all files, but hopefully that feature will make its way to the program in a future release. This means that files not available to you without authenticating (such as other users' home directories) will not be scanned. You can save scans, and the image output from scans, as well as load previously saved scans.īy default, the program will scan all accessible files, so you will be limited to scanning the files for which you have read access. Beyond some customization there is not much more to the program than that. To avoid errors, the option for deleting files is disabled until you specifically enable it in the Grand Perspective preferences. ![]() Once the scan is complete, you can select individual files, and then use the toolbar to rescan, reveal the file, open the file, or immediately delete the file. Larger files are shown by larger rectangles, and files in the same folder are grouped together in the same color. The program will then scan all files and subfolders, and display them as rectangles in a grid pattern. You will need to choose "Scan Folder" from the "File" menu (also available with the Command-S hot key) and selecting a target folder. When the program launches, initially there are no windows displayed. My virtual machines (green boxes) are some of the largest files in my home directory. This method of displaying the hard drive's contents is rather intuitive, and can easily let you locate the files and folders that are using up most of your drive space. The program starts at a specified root folder, and shows all files from that folder in a rectangular grid, grouped together and colored by common folder structures so they can be easily followed. It does this by representing files visually as groups of rectangles with sizes directly proportional to the respective files' sizes on disk. Grand Perspective is an open-source project (available at SourceForge and at CNET Downloads) that offers an alternative way of representing file sizes on disk rather than through lists of numbers as is done in the Finder. The utility Grand Perspective does a good job at tackling this limitation. ![]() After the sizes are eventually calculated, the system will only list them and not really give you a good feel of which are using the most space. While the program is great for navigating the filesystem and locating items, when getting information on files or folders, or setting the Finder to automatically calculate file sizes, the "Calculating size." process can sometimes pause for several minutes, and sometimes for tens of minutes. The last time I needed an exercise in frustration, I tried using the Finder to locate files that were taking up the most space on my disk. ![]()
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