Wanted: file comparison tool that displays differences AND allows edits

[RichardCranium]

I'm after a tool for either Windows or Linux that will:

• Allow me to specify to select two text files
• Will compare these two files
• Will show these files side by side
• With gaps in one where there are extra lines in the other
• With highlighted characters where there are differences on lines
• AND
• With both files open in edit mode
• So I can edit either file
• Free

I can find tools that can do the visual comparison, and KDiff3 is nearly what I want. XtreeGold had this functionality, I think, but that was DOS only and the current ZTree equivalent, TFC, does not do the edit part.

There must be a few tools like this. Can you suggest one?

[NickFitz]

Eclipse lets you do that, although it might be overkill to install it just for that capability.

If you do, the method is to select the first file in the navigator pane, then meta-click to also select the second, then context-click and go to the "Compare with..." item in the context menu, then "Each other" on the submenu. The toolbar for the diff window lets you navigate to next/previous delta, and to copy deltas from one file to the other; when changes are saved the diff is updated to only show remaining deltas.

However, I repeat that going the whole hog with Eclipse is a lot of trouble for this one capability, and presumably there are lightweight alternatives.

[VectraMan]

Tortoise SVN's merge lets you do all that:

tortoisesvn: TortoiseMerge - a text diff tool

Not sure if you can download it seperately.

[Durbs]

http://www.scootersoftware.com/index.php

superb software.

Not free but the trial never seems to expire. This is one of the first apps i always put on a new PC (paid for though! Always happy to pay for stuff that is genuinely useful).

[Spacecadet]

I'm after a tool for either Windows or Linux that will:

• Allow me to specify to select two text files
• Will compare these two files
• Will show these files side by side
• With gaps in one where there are extra lines in the other
• With highlighted characters where there are differences on lines
• AND
• With both files open in edit mode
• So I can edit either file
• Free

I can find tools that can do the visual comparison, and KDiff3 is nearly what I want. XtreeGold had this functionality, I think, but that was DOS only and the current ZTree equivalent, TFC, does not do the edit part.

There must be a few tools like this. Can you suggest one?

textpad might do something like that
the trial version is fully functional

[xoggoth]

Oh yeh. Textpad does compare files, never noticed.

Hey! Notepad++ also has a file compare plugin and that's free. It works. Shows files side by side with differences as pretty pastel colours.

Either shows/does what you want.

[Addanc]

Pinches nose with fingers, try this Windows prog.

[RichardCranium]

Eclipse lets you do that, although it might be overkill to install it just for that capability. Going the whole hog with Eclipse is a lot of trouble for this one capability, and presumably there are lightweight alternatives.

Ooh, blimey. I see what you mean. I shall indeed keep looking...

Tortoise SVN's merge lets you do all that: tortoisesvn: TortoiseMerge - a text diff tool

Hmm. That seems determined to force me to download a replacement search bar called SearchAle. I'll pass on that.

Beyond Compare - The file compare, folder compare and remote directory compare utility from Scooter Software

superb software. Not free but the trial never seems to expire. This is one of the first apps i always put on a new PC (paid for though! Always happy to pay for stuff that is genuinely useful).

Looks promising...

... that works really well! (Plus the directory compare looks useful.)

textpad might do something like that - the trial version is fully functional

According to the 'Features' on the TextPad - the text editor for Windows web site, it looks as though it should do the job.

Hey! Notepad++ also has a file compare plugin and that's free. It works. Shows files side by side with differences as pretty pastel colours. Either shows/does what you want.

It's funny, but having installed and found something that works in Linux, I'm loathe to risk my Windows configuration installing something to see if it works.

Pinches nose with fingers, try this Windows prog.

I don't think that does quite what I want, but thank you.

Compare It! highlights changes within lines, so you can easily see what exactly was changed. WinDiff can not show you this information.

With Compare It! you can merge files, by copying changes blocks or direct editing within comparison panes. WinDiff does not support file editing.

Thank you all for your help.

[VectraMan]

Hmm. That seems determined to force me to download a replacement search bar called SearchAle. I'll pass on that.

It does? I've been using and regularly updating TortoiseSVN for years and never seen that.

[2BIT]

WinMerge