"Use View Filter": separate setting for files/fold

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MudGuard
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"Use View Filter": separate setting for files/fold

Post by MudGuard »

Hi,

I like to only see differences when comparing folders, but prefer to see everything when comparing files.

Right now I have to switch the "Use View Filter" thing quite often - ExamDiff Pro uses the setting from the folder comparison for the file comparison opened from there ...

I wish there were two separate settings - one for folders, one for files (or three: one more for binary file comparison).

(it wouldn't need extra icons in the toolbar - the icon could represent a different setting depending on which type of comparison is active)

Also, in the startup dialog (where one selects file/folder comparison, the files ...) it would be nice to have three options instead of the two (Files, Directories): Text Files, Binary Files, Directories.

Andy/MudGuard
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psguru
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Post by psguru »

I wish there were two separate settings - one for folders, one for files (or three: one more for binary file comparison).
Actually, there are already two separate view filters: one for file comparison and another -- for directory comparison. I'm not sure what the problem is.
Also, in the startup dialog (where one selects file/folder comparison, the files ...) it would be nice to have three options instead of the two (Files, Directories): Text Files, Binary Files, Directories.
The problem with is that not all users know what files are text and what are binary. EDP has a functionality to determine it based on file contents, considering that files also may be UTF-8 or Unicode. On top of this there are plug-ins that may convert binary files to text, and the ability to treat binary files as texts and vice versa.
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MudGuard
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Post by MudGuard »

Filter:

I am speaking about the View - Use View Filter feature which toggles whether all is displayed or just the differences
When I compare two folders, I switch to "differences only" (as I am not interested in loads of identical files).
From the result list, I use "Compare matched" to see what is different in a file pair.
When the file comparison is opened, the "Use View Filter" for the file is set to "differences only".

When I switch Use View Filter to "all" in the directory comparison and then do a "Compare Matched", the "Use View Filter" is set to "all" for the file as well.

==> for me, it looks like the "Use View Filter" setting for the file comparison follows the setting for the directory comparison.




Compare Dialog:

I quite often switch between binary comparison and text comparison for some text files (for control characters, where differences are easier to be found in binary mode, and for the rest of the text where differences are better found in text mode)
For that it would help if I could choose in the dialog without having to go to options ...

Maybe this is a possible solution:
just the two radiobuttons as they are, and an additional dropdown with "autodetect" (pre-selected for those users who don't know), "text" and "binary"
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Post by psguru »

When I switch Use View Filter to "all" in the directory comparison and then do a "Compare Matched", the "Use View Filter" is set to "all" for the file as well.

==> for me, it looks like the "Use View Filter" setting for the file comparison follows the setting for the directory comparison.
This is exactly what I wanted to advise you to do. And it works for me, at least in the latest 3.4. Here's what I did:
1. Set file view filter to show all, set directory view filter to show only diffs.
2. Run directory comparison, click on Use View Filter -- is shows diffs only
3. Double-click on a file. This spawns file comparison that still uses view filter but since it's set to show everything, complete files are shown.
Maybe this is a possible solution:
just the two radiobuttons as they are, and an additional dropdown with "autodetect" (pre-selected for those users who don't know), "text" and "binary"
Well, auto-detect is there: Options | Compare | Force text/binary file comparison
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Post by MudGuard »

Filter problem seems to be solved.
After a complete uninstall - including manually deleting the folder and the registry entry, and a new install, the filter so far works as I prefer it ("all" for files, "differences only" for folders).

Might this be a problem of the changed license? (I recently left my previous company which had given me a license, but now I have my own license)



Yes, I know I can switch between "autodetect", "text" and "binary" in the options. But as I change the setting quite often, I'd like to have it available in the Compare dialog.
I wouldn't need the "autodetect" there, I suggested the additional "autodetect" because you said many users don't know when to use "binary" and when to use "text" - for me one additional radiobutton "binary files" in the "files"/"folders" group would be fine as well - all I want is quick access to the choice between "text" and "binary"...
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Post by psguru »

Might this be a problem of the changed license? (I recently left my previous company which had given me a license, but now I have my own license)
No, this is not possible. I'm not sure why it happened but I'm glad it works for you now.
Yes, I know I can switch between "autodetect", "text" and "binary" in the options. But as I change the setting quite often, I'd like to have it available in the Compare dialog.
I wouldn't need the "autodetect" there, I suggested the additional "autodetect" because you said many users don't know when to use "binary" and when to use "text" - for me one additional radiobutton "binary files" in the "files"/"folders" group would be fine as well - all I want is quick access to the choice between "text" and "binary"...
Perhaps one day... In the meantime you could have separate sessions so that in one the setting is set to Auto, and in the other -- to Force Binary.
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