# Folder Compare Commands

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 Beyond Compare > Settings 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 With / Align | Allows you to select one item, and then click on a second item to force them to be side-by-side. If two items are selected, they will be forced to be side-by-side. Items' parent folders must 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.