Does BC do these things?

[Steven Sudit]

I'm not sure if these are even features, but they would fill needs I currently have and seem to be in line with the general capabilities of the product. In particular, even though there are other tools that can do this, having the ability from inside BC would be especially handy.

1) Does it offer a general ability to search for a value across files? In other words, can it be used as a grep replacement?

2) I know how to compare any two files, but is there a mode in which it builds up digests (CRC's, I guess) of files on an entire volume (or across volumes) and reports on the duplicates?

[kengrubb]

1) Search, Replace

2) Are you looking for Folder Compare?

[Steven Sudit]

1) Search, Replace

I did check the Search menu, but that doesn't appear to be what I need, which is to be able to search across files for content. In directory comparison mode, it only lets me find a file by name. In file comparison mode, I can search for content but only within the current file.

2) Are you looking for Folder Compare?

No, I don't think so, unless there's some advanced mode that I'm missing. The use case would be searching one or more locations (such as drive roots) and coming up with a list of duplicate files. Is there something I'm missing here?

[Aaron]

Hello,

Beyond Compare does not currently offer the ability to search for a string within multiple files; a specific file or pair of files have to be opened first. We also do not currently support Duplicate Searching. We can Ignore Folder Structure, but the files will still align by filename first, and then compare their CRC (or other) values.

Both of these suggestions are on our Customer Wishlist.

[Steven Sudit]

Hello,

Beyond Compare does not currently offer the ability to search for a string within multiple files; a specific file or pair of files have to be opened first. We also do not currently support Duplicate Searching. We can Ignore Folder Structure, but the files will still align by filename first, and then compare their CRC (or other) values.

Both of these suggestions are on our Customer Wishlist.

Thank you, Aaron. I hope you choose to implement these features.

[kengrubb]

that doesn't appear to be what I need, which is to be able to search across files for content. In directory comparison mode, it only lets me find a file by name. In file comparison mode, I can search for content but only within the current file.

I agree that a good and useful enhancement to BC3 would be the ability to search the files being compared for a text string.

If you're wanting to search for content across the files in a folder, you might give TextPad a try. Find in Files function. I've been using it for 10+ years. Couldn't get along without it, and I'm fast approaching the same codependence on BC3. If you're already using some other text editor and are happy with it, then there should be a similar function.

The use case would be searching one or more locations (such as drive roots) and coming up with a list of duplicate files.

So are you looking for duplicate filenames in two different drive roots?

Right click on the first folder, and choose Select Left Folder for Compare.

Right click on the second folder, and choose Compare to "first folder name"

[tlscales]

Another editor that has this functionality is MultiEdit (see http://www.multiedit.com ); as an added bonus it has integrated BC as ait internal file comparison tool.

[Michael Bulgrien]

Another editor that has this functionality is MultiEdit (see http://www.multiedit.com ); as an added bonus it has integrated BC as ait internal file comparison tool.

UltraEdit also has a Find In Files option.

[aussieboykie]

UltraEdit also has a Find In Files option.

As does Notetab and the "Light" version is freeware.

Regards, AB

[kengrubb]

As I think about it, even Windows Search (since XP and perhaps since 2000) has the ability to search for text within files.

[Michael Bulgrien]

As I think about it, even Windows Search (since XP and perhaps since 2000) has the ability to search for text within files.

I don't recommend using Windows Search. XP and higher operating systems quietly omit a number of file types when searching for a text string within a file thus giving the user incomplete results.

[rgjordan]

Another product that can handle advanced serarch and replace. I can also search though binaries or archives like zip files.
http://powergrep.com

[Michael Bulgrien]

As does Notetab and the "Light" version is freeware.

FYI - According to the notetab web site, Disk Search and Replace is not available in the "Light" version.