Feature request: URL Comparison

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  • kcalman
    Enthusiast
    • Jun 2004
    • 32
    #1

    Feature request: URL Comparison

    Here's a feature I wish for every day: for BC to accept URLs as a comparison target. This would mostly apply to file comparisons, like:

    bc2 C:\tmp\file.txt http://host/file.txt
    bc2 C:\tmp\file.txt http://host/cgi/query?type=default

    but could apply to folder comparisons as well:

    bc2 C:\dev\site http://host/

    Has anyone figured out how do do this now with a plug-in or script?
    Tags: None
    • Chris
      Team Scooter
      • Oct 2007
      • 5538
      #2
      Re: Feature request: URL Comparison

      Thank you for the suggestion.

      BC doesn't have the ability to open HTTP urls in the current version, but it is on our wish list to include in a future version of Beyond Compare.
      Chris K Scooter Software

        Comment

        • kcalman
          Enthusiast
          • Jun 2004
          • 32
          #3
          Re: Feature request: URL Comparison

          Chris, Any idea when this might be available?

            Comment

            • Chris
              Team Scooter
              • Oct 2007
              • 5538
              #4
              Re: Feature request: URL Comparison

              This feature is on our wish list, but it isn't on our development calendar yet. It isn't likely to be added to BC until sometime after version 3.0 ships, which we're planning for early 2007.
              Chris K Scooter Software

                Comment

                • kcalman
                  Enthusiast
                  • Jun 2004
                  • 32
                  #5
                  Ok, BC3 has been out for a while now. Any idea when URL comparison might be available?

                    Comment

                    • Zoë
                      Team Scooter
                      • Oct 2007
                      • 2666
                      #6
                      If I had to guess, I'd say April 2009.
                      Zoë P Scooter Software

                        Comment

                        • Aaron
                          Team Scooter
                          • Oct 2007
                          • 16000
                          #7
                          Hello,

                          That feature is available in the current version of BC3 for the Text Compare session type. Simply type the http address to the file to display the text.

                          The Folder Compare still requires FTP access, and does not support http browsing.
                          Aaron P Scooter Software

                            Comment

                            • kcalman
                              Enthusiast
                              • Jun 2004
                              • 32
                              #8
                              Originally posted by Aaron
                              The Folder Compare still requires FTP access, and does not support http browsing.
                              Will it ever?

                                Comment

                                • Aaron
                                  Team Scooter
                                  • Oct 2007
                                  • 16000
                                  #9
                                  It is still on our wishlist to support this behavior. As you can see, some things can be on our wishlist for quite some time before implementation, but since there is not a set schedule for wishlist items I can't predict an ETA for http folder browsing.

                                  Most Http sites also support FTP access. Could you give more detail on your specific case where Http access is preferred to FTP access?
                                  Aaron P Scooter Software

                                    Comment

                                    • kcalman
                                      Enthusiast
                                      • Jun 2004
                                      • 32
                                      #10
                                      In my workplace, we use various tools with web interfaces; for example, for issue tracking and code review. Many of these tools have dynamically generated content rather than simple static html pages. It would be Really Useful to use Beyond Compare to compare things only addressable as non-FTP URLs, such as
                                      - compare one Bugzilla bug to another
                                      - compare a captured web page to the current dynamic one
                                      - compare the interface of a web application under development through two different access paths (inter- vs. intra-net), or through different browsers

                                      In addition, there may be several ways of comparing these items depending on the intent. For example,
                                      - When comparing different pages like the Bugzilla bugs example, you might want to see html source in a text comparison
                                      - When comparing the same page under differing conditions like the other examples, you might want to see a bitmap comparison of how the pages appear rendered by different browsers
                                      - or you may want to compare the URLs' metadata, like an analysis of address, server info, access time, etc.
                                      Last edited by kcalman; 26-Mar-2010, 06:04 PM.

                                        Comment

                                        • jeremy@beweb.co.nz
                                          Visitor
                                          • Jul 2008
                                          • 6
                                          #11
                                          I could really do with this feature too

                                          I've got a clunky solution though!

                                          see attachment for a vbs that will do it.
                                          Last edited by Aaron; 27-May-2010, 04:07 PM.

                                            Comment

                                            • kcalman
                                              Enthusiast
                                              • Jun 2004
                                              • 32
                                              #12
                                              Can you provide some idea of how to use this or how it works?

                                                Comment

                                                • Aaron
                                                  Team Scooter
                                                  • Oct 2007
                                                  • 16000
                                                  #13
                                                  Thanks for the template. It looks like a decent skeleton, but seems to have some code in it customized for you personally, such as URL locations and emailing a log to jeremy@beweb. I've commented out a few lines and reattached it.

                                                  I would not recommend our users simply run this vbscript. However, if you are familiar with VBScript, feel free to modify the code to your purposes. This file is *NOT* supported by Scooter Software, and I would only recommend its use if you are familiar with VBScript and are comfortable modifying and using another programmers code.
                                                  Attached Files
                                                  Aaron P Scooter Software

                                                    Comment

                                                    • kcalman
                                                      Enthusiast
                                                      • Jun 2004
                                                      • 32
                                                      #14
                                                      Originally posted by Aaron
                                                      That feature [URL comparison] is available in the current version of BC3 for the Text Compare session type. Simply type the http address to the file to display the text.

                                                      The Folder Compare still requires FTP access, and does not support http browsing.
                                                      I am currently using 3.3.5 build 15075 on Windows. I tried the following:
                                                      1. start BC3, get session screen
                                                      2. select Session -> New Session -> Text Compare
                                                      3. get empty text comparison screen
                                                      4. Enter two different URLs in the file name entry fields
                                                      5. Press enter to start the comparison
                                                      6. Both panes in the comparison show message, "File Not Found (<URL from that pane>)"


                                                      If URL comparison is currently available, then what am I doing wrong?

                                                        Comment

                                                        • Aaron
                                                          Team Scooter
                                                          • Oct 2007
                                                          • 16000
                                                          #15
                                                          That sounds like an appropriate method. Are you able to paste in an easily testable website, such as:
                                                          http://google.com
                                                          Aaron P Scooter Software

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