# Common Commands

The main menu changes depending on what kind of view is active. However, the commands listed below are common across different view types. 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 Beyond Compare menu
| About Beyond Compare | Displays the About box with program version and license information.
| Settings | Opens the Settings dialog to set program preferences.
| File Formats | Opens the File Formats dialog to manage file format settings.
| Profiles | Opens the Profiles dialog to manage profile settings.
| Check for Updates | Checks to see if a newer version of Beyond Compare is available.
| Enter Key | Opens the Register dialog to accept your license key.
| Install Command Line Tools | Installs two shortcuts required to use Beyond Compare from Terminal or with version control (you will be prompted to provide your password): /usr/local/bin/bcomp - Starts the comparison and waits for it to complete. /usr/local/bin/bcompare - Starts the comparison and returns immediately.
The Session menu
| New Session | Opens a new view with an empty session of the specified type.
| New Tab | Opens a new tab in the current window and displays the Home view.
| New Window | Opens a new window and displays the Home view.
| Open Session | Opens a new view and displays the Home view.
| Load Workspace | Lists saved workspaces. Picking one closes any open views and restores the selected configuration.
| Load Workspace > Manage Workspaces | Lets you rename or delete saved workspaces.
| Save Workspace As | Saves the current configuration of windows and tabs as a named workspace.
The Tools menu
| Export Settings | Opens the Export Settings dialog to selectively save settings and sessions to a file.
| Import Settings | Opens the Import Settings dialog to selectively load settings and sessions from a file.
| Restore Factory Defaults | Opens the Restore Factory Defaults dialog to selectively reset settings to defaults.
| Save Snapshot | Opens the Save Snapshot dialog to create a snapshot of a folder structure.
| Edit Text File | Opens a new Text Edit view.
| View Patch | Opens a new Text Patch view.
The Window menu
| Minimize | Minimizes active window.
| Minimize All | Minimizes all application windows.
| Zoom | Maximizes or restores active window.
| Zoom All | Maximizes all visible document windows.
| Cycle Through Windows | Selects window after active one.
| Cycle Back Through Windows | Selects window before active one.
| Select Next Tab | Selects tab after active one.
| Select Previous Tab | Selects tab before active one.
| Move Tab to New Window | Removes active tab and makes it into new window.
| Merge All Windows | Moves all tabs onto active window.
| Bring All to Front | Brings all windows to the foreground.
| Arrange in Front | Arranges all visible windows.
The Help menu
| Beyond Compare Help | Displays help contents.
| Scooter Software on the Web | Opens the Scooter Software website in your browser.
| Support | Opens the Support dialog which lists instructions for reporting problems.