File Align Ignores Filename Case

[UFTimmy]

So we are comparing a large number of files between two Linux servers, where filename case is of course an important difference. And there are files with the same name, but different cases. I can't seem to figure out how to tell BC to not align files with different filename case.



I have check the filename comparison box. I have done a full refresh. And still it's aligning two files (seen at the bottom of the screenshot) with different cases together.

What am I doing wrong?

[Chris]

To make filenames on an FTP server line up on separate lines if they have different character case, you'll need to change your FTP profile settings.

Select "Tools > FTP Profiles".
Select the profile for your server.
In the General tab, check "Filenames are case sensitive".
Save the changes.

[UFTimmy]

To make filenames on an FTP server line up on separate lines if they have different character case, you'll need to change your FTP profile settings.

Select "Tools > FTP Profiles".
Select the profile for your server.
In the General tab, check "Filenames are case sensitive".
Save the changes.

Thanks, but I forgot to say that these are not FTP connections. I am mapped to Linux drives via Samba.

[Chris]

Sorry, the current BC 3.2.4 only supports listing files with case differences on separate lines for FTP servers. For Samba servers it will always list the files on the same line.

An option to force files on Samba shares to line up separately when they have character case differences is on our wish list for a future version of Beyond Compare.

[UFTimmy]

Ahh well, thanks for the fast replies!

[Zoë]

Actually, no, we aren't going to support splitting that alignment. The Windows API doesn't differentiate between case differences, even if the underlying filesystem does. If you create a pair of files or folders that only differ in case and give them different contents, when you comparing/copy/delete them, BC will be opening the same file for both names. Opening the folders in Explorer or the files in Notepad will similarly show the same contents for both names.

Basically, even if we didn't align them, if you tried copying the files it would still overwrite the "matching" file, and we can't change that. SFTP doesn't have the same limitation, and that's really the only safe workaround.

[chrisjj]

Actually, no, we aren't going to support splitting that alignment. The Windows API doesn't differentiate between case differences

It differentiates sufficiently for BC to show differences. Hence why could BC align not at least properly differentiate their names?

[Zoë]

It differentiates sufficiently for BC to show differences. Hence why could BC align not at least properly differentiate their names?

For the exact reason I said:

Basically, even if we didn't align them, if you tried copying the files it would still overwrite the "matching" file, and we can't change that.

If a file is shown as an orphan copying across should not overwrite another file. It's better to "incorrectly" align them than to not do so and let someone accidentally overwrite files without realizing what they're doing.

Anyone using Samba to access their Linux servers must accept the limitations imposed by the protocol. It doesn't support pipes, symbolic links, or Unix permissions either. If that's a problem you need to use something else (like SFTP).

[chrisjj]

For the exact reason I said:

"Basically, even if we didn't align them, if you tried copying the files it would still overwrite the "matching" file, and we can't change that."

Sure you can change that Craig: make BC bar the copy operation it cannot get right.

[Zoë]

Sure, we could block copy and move, but it's Whac-a-mole past that. The "Save As" dialog wouldn't work right, "Copy To Folder" would need special behavior, rename might not work right, "Open With" could cause problems for other applications, etc.

Windows is case insensitive. I'm not going to bend over backwards subverting that. If you use Samba, you accept the limitations that involves.

[chrisjj]

Sure, we could block copy and move, but it's Whac-a-mole past that.

Or just let out the bathwater whilst keeping the align baby.

[Zoë]

We also have a Linux version that knows all about case sensitive filesystems. The other workaround would be to run it on one of the servers using a remote X session, which would probably work even better than SFTP.