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I am using Beyond Compare 4 (64-bit Edition, Version 4.1.5, build 21031). This is a new application to me.

I want to compare two folders (current source code tree versus previous release). More than looking at individual differences, I want to know which files changed.

I have selected View->Ignore Unimportant Differences. There are many files in the list that are displayed in red as if they have a difference. Yet, when I view the actual diff on the file, it shows there is no difference. (It shows a + in the upper left with the text "110 Filter Lines".)

In fact, it looks as if every single file is displayed in the list view in red. (I am assuming red means there is a difference.)

I also tried creating a report via Session->Text Compare Report.... It shows at the top "Mode: Differences" and "Ignoring Unimportant", yet it lists what looks to be all of the files.

If it matters, the files are .java files.

How can I view a list of only those files that have important differences?

Marnee
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2 Answers2

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By default, Beyond Compare only compares file sizes and last modified times. To make it compare file contents as well, click the Rules button (Session > Session Settings menu item), and on the Comparison tab check the Compare contents checkbox. Binary comparisons verify that the files are byte-for-byte identical. Rules-based comparisons ignore character encoding and line terminator type (PC/Mac/Unix) and use the file format grammars to detect things like comments, which is what's required for the Ignore Unimportant Differences option. With that enabled, files will be compared by content as soon as you open a session and immediately after any file operations.

If you want it to always compare a certain why by default, after you have the options set change the combobox at the bottom of the window from Use for this view only to Also update session defaults. Alternatively, if you open the Home view and select one of the session types from the New section of the treeview to the left you can use the Edit defaults button.

If you want to leave the default comparison mode and only do a more detailed one-off comparison of a selection, you can also use the Actions menu's Compare Contents... menu item.

Zoë Peterson
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  • Thanks a lot.. saved my day !! :) – Anvesh Yalamarthy Apr 21 '19 at 14:27
  • *files will be compared by content as soon as you open a session and immediately after any file operations* -- After making these changes, I selected all files in the folder compare session and used the (right-click) "Touch" option to update the timestamps. That caused the rules to take effect and files containing ignored text differences only correctly disappeared. – Adam Dunkerley Apr 05 '22 at 14:53
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Have the below settings in the Rules section. Select only the Options you want to compare.

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Debayan
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