File Watcher Simple is a free utility that can monitor all changes performed to files and folders. For basic usage, it is quite easy to create file watchers, but the program also offers advanced options that allow power users to finely tweak their custom file watchers.
File Watcher Simple is a portable application, thus it doesn’t imply an install process. Simply unpacking the downloaded archive and running the executable file it contains will display the program’s interface right away.
File Watcher Simple runs on Windows 2000, 2003, XP Professional/Home Edition, 2008, Vista and 7. It also requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 or 2.0. The same developer makes available a command line version (File Watcher Console) and a Windows service version (File Watcher Windows Service).
Interface
File Watcher Simple has an austere, functional design that suits its purposes. To begin with, you’d simply have to create a file watcher, using the “New” option. To finish the creation process, all you have to do is fill in the file watcher’s name and folder address you wish to monitor. Most users will be satisfied with the default settings that include monitoring the folder and optionally subfolders for modifications of various file system events such as change of directory/files name, size, attribute, creation time, last access, last write, security and size.
Advanced users will appreciate the rest of the settings offered for customization, such as applying filters only to specific files/folders, enabling the program to call Windows Communication Foundation service or launch a process after a file is changed, customize logging behavior for each file watcher and many others.
While configuration of a file watcher includes plenty of settings, the Options menu of File Watcher Simple includes only the possibility of synchronous execution of all running processes, run queued processes when all file watchers are stopped, set the process batch size, run all enabled file watchers at system startup and change the maximum amount of log messages to be displayed.
Because using the advanced options of File Watcher is a rather complicated task, at least for inexperienced users, the program has an online wiki containing extensive support documentation.
Pros
– Small, portable tool.
– Supports many Windows versions.
– Includes a wide variety of configuration options for file watchers to monitor changes performed to files and folders.
– Multiple file watchers can run simultaneously.
– Customizable log system.
– Comprehensive help documentation is available online.
Cons
– Selection options for file watchers are limited to selecting all or only one entry. No support is available for multiple selections.
Conclusion
File Watcher Simple is a robust utility that easily works with some simple settings, providing enough functionality for regular users, but at the same time includes plenty of settings for seasoned users to create complex file watchers that do much more than monitor changes of files and folders.
