Finding empty files and folders

Essentially Empty

File Buddy can search for items that are either “strictly empty” or “essentially empty.”

A file is considered to be strictly empty if the data fork is empty and it has no resource fork. A folder is strictly empty if it contains no files or folders of any kind.

A file is considered essentially empty if its data fork is empty and its resource fork only contains resources added by the Finder, such as a custom icon. A folder is essentially empty if any files it contains are essentially empty or are used by the operating system or Finder to maintain information about the folder, and any folders inside it only contain essentially empty items.

Files and Folders

Files

Folders

Use this pop-up to whether you want the scan to search for files, folders, or both.

Certain system folders (such as the Trash, Temporary Items, etc.) are excluded from a scan for empty files and folders.

Expect to find some empty items in the Preferences, Extensions, and other system folders. If you still have the applications to which they belong, they can be ignored.

The items found during a scan for empty items are sent to a variation of a List window. The window is identical to a standard List window with the exception of a additional Ignore in Scans button next to the default button.