ActiveState Community

VisualDiffer extension

Posted by dafi on 2008-05-02 06:51
OS: All / Any

Hi,

I've finished the first stable version of VisualDiffer.

VisualDiffer allows to compare directories and files and generates a visual (colored) result.
Actually it works only with local files but I'm working to interact with SVN and so on... but I will ask Todd to help me :P

Edit: Changed download link

You can download the preview version (not all features are enabled due to some bug) from VisualDiffer website

The version installs on Komodo 4.4 alpha.

VisualDiffer is accessible from Tools Menu

As soon as possibile I'll add other features
- file operations, copy/move/rename
- allow user to select comparision criteria, by modification time/by size/by content
Actually comparator is hard coded
- save settings as workbench (choosen folders and comparision criteria)
- add filters for folder and/or file to include and/or exclude
- full integration with Komodo, diffs on replace files and version controls
- improve performance on folder comparision (it is strange but array.sort() is the bottleneck)
- better font (any idea???)

Any idea as usual is very appreciated

Some screenshots are shown below.

Choose to find differences for folders or files

A result double clicking on files from folder dialog

Awesome, I'll check it
jeffg | Fri, 2008-05-02 08:45

Awesome, I'll check it out!

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JeffG

Good job, have a look at
adi | Fri, 2008-05-02 09:56

Good job,

have a look at Total commander, synchronize directories feature...

Better visual feedback
dafi | Sun, 2008-05-04 06:13

I've added other little improvements and fixed some bug.

Now folders indicate type of difference inside, below the legend

You can download from (or wait update notication)

http://dafizilla.sourceforge.net/visualdiffer/index.php

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dafi
Enhance KomodoEdit with MoreKomodo

Released v1.0
dafi | Wed, 2008-06-04 11:04

I've released a new version with many improvements.

New - File/Folder filters: It is possibile to choose file and/or folder to exclude from comparison
New - Comparison criteria: Compare file by time/size
New - Session List: It is possibile to save comparision sessions. Filters and criteria will be saved, too
New - Context menu: Folder Panel has a context menu
New - Set as base folder: Use can change comparison folder just right-click and choose Set as base folder menuitem

many bug fix

You can download from (or wait update notication)

http://dafizilla.sourceforge.net/visualdiffer/index.php

EDIT: I've added some new screenshot
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dafi
Enhance KomodoEdit with MoreKomodo

Nice update
ToddW | Wed, 2008-06-04 11:06

Hi Dafi,

Following on from:
http://community.activestate.com/forum-topic/problem-compare-files

I really like this extension for the visual folder diffing tools, but I'm finding the diff window to show individual file diffs is a little clunky, I think it's the listbox or treecell's that I'm finding too blocky... but maybe that's just me :) I certainly like the full file context on your diff window and the syntax coloring a lot better.

I've been recently playing around with the Thunderbird Colored Diffs extension, to see if it could be easily integrated to Komodo's Diff Window, and found that it seems it will overlay nicely on on this element, thus providing the side-by-side diff support (context and delta styles as well).

Is it possible to get VisualDiffer to use the Komodo diff window for showing file diff's (perhaps a pref), that way if Komodo's diff window starts supporting alternative styles it's easy for the user to choose their preferred style.

Cheers,
Todd

Sure, I can use Komodo diff window
dafi | Wed, 2008-06-04 11:18

I don't understand what is so clunky but I admit fonts are very ugly.

Switch diff directly to Komodo window it's easy I can add it

EDIT: I've found Colored Diffs after many VisualDiffer code was already written so I could not integrate it...
--
dafi
Enhance KomodoEdit with MoreKomodo

re: clunkiness
ToddW | Wed, 2008-06-18 12:57

Yes that was rather vague, here are some better descriptions of what bugs me about the listboxes diff UI:

  • listbox's will crop the text if it's too long to fit in the window, leaving you to either select the particular line or have to hover over the "..." to see the full line content
  • selection of text is hard - need to select the row and then select the text from the textbox. It seems impossible to select multiple lines
  • does not show line numbers

Cheers,
Todd