Folder Compare with diff results on same screen (IntelliJ)

[sjivan]

Hi,
I've been using IntelliJ and I really like the interface they present for diffs. I'd like a Folder Compare view that is split vertically and horizontally. The Top Area would contain the left and right folder selections. Simply selecting a file in this view displays the deltas of the left and right file in the bottom split view.

This way one can simply click the down or up arrow and see the deltas right in-place without needed to double-click to open the differences in a new tab and lose context and have to switch back to the folder view to resume reviewing differences. This has significant usability benefits. Can you consider addition this feature as an option?

Thanks,
Sanjiv

[Aaron]

Hello,

A large interface change is something we can consider, but we also have a similar workflow if you double click on a single file pair from a folder compare, then use the Next Difference commands to jump to the next differences within the file, and the Next Different File (Ctrl+M, which also pops up if you hit the last difference in a file view) to hop to the next file.

You can also open the child file view as a new window instead of a new tab, or right-click the tab and Move Tab To New Window, and position the two windows however you would like on your monitor to see both views at the same time.

[sjivan]

Thanks. I've tried those options but I find the usability of the interface I described without the need to double click (up / down arrow or single click) to be much more intuitive. As screen sizes and resolutions increase, real estate for such an interface is not an issue.

Here's a picture illustrating the IntelliJ interface. I hope you don't mind but IntelliJ is a programming IDE and not primarily a comparison tool but it does have a great interface with simple diff capability, and not a full fledged diff tool like BC

[Aaron]

Thanks for the trying those workflows, and for the sample screenshot. We don't support this type of interface, and I'll add your idea to our wishlist. The closest BC4 supports now, if you use the two separate windows (Folder Compare and a child File view launched from a double click to a new Window instead of new Tab, controlled in the Options dialog), you can use the hotkey Ctrl+M in the child view to hop between files while keeping the main Folders in view. The Folder's selection will move as you hop between files with Ctrl+M in the file window.