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Beyond Compare

Navigation: Commands Reference

Folder Compare Commands

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Following is a description of the Folder Compare commands, in addition to the common commands.  Most of these commands are available as toolbar buttons.

Pick Tools > Options and switch to the Commands page to define your own keyboard shortcuts, and hide or expose commands on the menus and toolbars.

The Session menu

Save Session

Saves the current session.

Save Session As

Saves the current session under a new name.

Session Settings

Opens the Folder Compare Session Settings dialog.

Locked

Locks or unlocks current session.


Clear Session

Replaces the current view with an empty Folder Compare.

Swap Sides

Exchanges the left and right base folders.

Back

Goes back to (earlier) compared base folders.

Forward

Goes forward to (later) compared base folders.

Browse for Folder >

 Left Side / Right Side

Browses for an existing folder on the specified side.

Up One Level >

 Left Side / Right Side / Both Sides

Changes either or both base folders to their parent folders.

Folder Compare Report

Produces a Folder Compare report.

Folder Compare Info

Displays comparison statistics.

Merge Base Folders

Opens a new Folder Merge session based on the current base folders.

Sync Base Folders

Opens a new Folder Sync session based on the current base folders.


Compare Parent Folders

Opens a new Folder Compare session based on the parent folders of the current base folders.

The Actions menu


Open Folder / Close Folder

Opens or closes the selected folder in the comparison.


Open Subfolders

Opens the selected folders and all their subfolders.


Close Subfolders

Closes the selected folders and all their subfolders.


Set as Base Folder

Sets the selected folder as the base folder on its side of the comparison.


Set as Base on Other Side

Sets the selected folder as the base folder on the other side of the comparison.


Set as Base Folders

Sets the two selected folders as the left and right base folders in this comparison view.  (To open them in a new view use Open in New View instead.)


Open

Opens selected items in a new comparison view.  If the items are files, the view type is determined by the file format list.  If exactly two items are selected, they will be compared to each other (whether or not they are across from each other) in the new view.  If only one item is selected it will be compared to the item across from it, if it exists.


Open With

Opens selected files in a new view using a specified type of file session, or opens the selected items in an external application, as defined in "Open With" Applications.  Note that the Folder Compare view is not automatically updated if the items are modified by the external application.


Open With >

 Associated Application

Opens selected files with the associated application.

Open With >

 Text Edit

Opens selected files with the built-in text editor.

Open With >

 Text Patch

Opens selected files with the built-in patch view.


Quick Compare

Displays the Quick Compare dialog for the selected files.  If exactly two files are selected, they will be compared to each other (whether or not they are across from each other).  If only one file is selected, it will be compared to the file across from it.


Compare To

Allows you to select one item, and then click on a second item to compare them in a new view.


Align

Forces selected items to be side-by-side.  Items' parent folders must be side-by-side.


Align With

Allows you to select one item, and then click on a second item to force them to be side-by-side.

Compare Contents

Compares contents of the selected items using one of three methods.

Copy to Right / Copy to Left *

Copies selected files, folders to the explicitly indicated side.  Normally associated with Ctrl+R, Ctrl+L keyboard shortcuts.

Copy to Side *

Prompts which side to copy selected files, folders to.


Copy to Other Side

Dynamic command that copies selected files, folders to the opposite side.  The caption and icon appear as Copy to Right, Copy to Left or Copy to Side depending on which side(s) are selected.

Move to Right / Move to Left *

Moves selected files, folders to the explicitly indicated side.

Move to Side *

Prompts which side to move selected files, folders to.


Move to Other Side

Dynamic command that moves selected files, folders to the opposite side.  The caption and icon appear as Move to Right, Move to Left or Move to Side depending on which side(s) are selected.

Exchange *

Moves selected files, folders on both sides to the opposite side.

Copy to Folder

Copies selected files, folders to another folder.

Move to Folder

Moves selected files, folders to another folder.

Delete

Deletes selected files, folders.

Rename

Renames selected files, folders.


Attributes

Changes file attributes on selected files, folders.

Touch

Changes timestamps on selected files, folders.


Exclude

Excludes selected file, or type of file, from the current session.

New Folder

Creates a new folder.


Copy Filename

Copies a list of the selected items' paths to the clipboard.

Ignored

Suppresses differences in selected items.


Refresh Selection

Refreshes the selected items.

File Compare Report

Produces a File Compare report for the selected files.

Synchronize >

 Update Right

Copies newer and orphan items from left to right.

Synchronize >

 Update Left

Copies newer and orphan items from right to left.

Synchronize >

 Update Both

Performs a bidirectional update by copying newer and orphan items from left to right and from right to left.

Synchronize >

 Mirror to Right

Replaces all different items on right, deletes any right-side orphans, and copies any left-side orphans to the right.

Synchronize >

 Mirror to Left

Replaces all different items on left, deletes any left-side orphans, and copies any right-side orphans to the left.


Source Control

Displays a submenu of source control actions (see below).  Only appears if a source control provider has been configured and all selected items are under source control.


Explorer

Displays the file manager's context menu for the selected item(s).

Source Control Submenu


Add to Source Control

Adds the file to the project.


Remove from Source Control

Removes the file from the project.


Get Latest Version

Gets the latest version from the source control repository.


Get *

Gets a particular version from the source control repository.


Check In

Takes your changes and applies them to the project.


Check Out

Checks the file out from the source control repository and makes your local copy writable.


Undo Check Out

Removes any changes you have made to the local copy and sets it back to read-only.


Show Differences

Tells the version control system to display the comparison of the file with the one in version control.  The version control system will only use Beyond Compare if it is set up to do so.


Show History

Shows the history of the file in the version control system.


Show Properties

Shows version control-specific properties.


Run Source Control Application

Runs the source control application.

The Edit menu

Expand All

Opens all folders in view.

Collapse All

Closes all folders in view.

Select All

Selects all visible items.

Select All Files

Selects all visible files.


Select Newer >

 Left Side / Right Side / Both Sides

Selects all visible files that are newer on the specified side.


Select Orphans >

 Left Side / Right Side / Both Sides

Selects all visible orphan files on the specified side.


Invert Selection

Selects all items not currently selected, and deselects all items currently selected.

Refresh

Refreshes open folders.

Full Refresh

Refreshes entire comparison.

The Search menu

Next Difference

Positions at next difference.

Previous Difference

Positions at previous difference.

Find Filename

Finds filename matching search string.

Find Next Filename

Finds next filename matching search string.

Find Previous Filename

Finds previous filename matching search string.

The View menu

Show All

Uses no display filter on either side.

Show Differences

Filters out matches, based on file status, from both sides.

Show Same

Filters out older, newer or different, and orphans from both sides.

Show No Orphans

Filters out orphans from both sides.

Show Differences but No Orphans

Filters out matches and orphans from both sides.

Show Orphans

Filters out matches, older, and newer or different from both sides.

Show Left Newer

Filters out matches, orphans, older on left (newer or different on right) from both sides.

Show Right Newer

Filters out matches, orphans, newer or different on left (older on right) from both sides.

Show Left Newer and Left Orphans

Filters out matches and older on left (newer or different on right) from both sides and orphans on the right side.

Show Right Newer and Right Orphans

Filters out matches and newer or different on left (older on right) from both sides and orphans from the left side.

Show Left Orphans

Filters out matches, older, and newer or different from both sides and orphans on the right side.

Show Right Orphans

Filters out matches, older, and newer or different from both sides and orphans on the left side.

Show None *

Hides all files.  Useful in conjunction with Always Show Folders to copy folder structures.

Always Show Folders

Shows all folders, except those excluded by file filters.

Compare Files and Folder Structure

Shows folders containing files or folders that match the current display filter.  Orphan folders will follow the same filtering rules as orphan files.

Compare Files Only

Shows only folders containing files to be shown.

Ignore Folder Structure

Compares filenames regardless of which subfolder they may be in.  (Also called Flatten Folders.)

Ignore Unimportant Differences

Treats unimportant differences as same.

Suppress Filters

Temporarily suppresses file filters and display filters.


Columns

Shows or hides view columns.


Legend

Displays a window that lists what the different folder colors mean.


Log

Shows or hides the log panel.


Toolbar

Shows or hides the toolbar.

* Hidden by default.