Feature request: xdocdiff integration

[sten.frostholm]

A WinMerge plugin exists, that can compare many document formats - including MS word, MS Excel and Adobe pdf files.

xdocdiff plugin: http://freemind.s57.xrea.com/xdocdif.../en/index.html

I would very much request some similar functionality in BC. The easiest and most flexible way to include it would probably be to simply add support for running WinMerge plugins (if that is even possible). Then users can install the xdocdiff plugin themselves.

I'm actually considering switching from BC to WinMerge as compare tool in TFS because of this lack.

[Zoë]

Beyond Compare can already compare MS Word, Excel, PDF, and OpenOffice files with its built in support. What does that plugin provide that we don't?

[Aaron]

In addition to Zoe's comments, that most of these features are built-in, BC3 also supports defining custom File Formats that can use any command line as an External Conversion.

You could even, theoretically, download this plug-in which uses xdoc2txt.exe and then define a BC3 external conversion that uses it (xdoc2txt.exe -f %s -o %t). Looking through the readme, I am unsure what this would provide beyond our current capabilities, but the readme appears to mostly be in Japanese.

Here is a KB article that details the steps of defining a custom File Format and then plugging in a custom Command Line:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/suppo...rnalconversion

[Peter_Hodges]

The use case is that one should be able to see the graphical differences between two PDFs. Beyond Compare differences are only of the text. I want to see that text is bolded, a larger font, right aligned, in red, etc... I am looking for a Picture-like difference of the Two PDFs. Except if the two PDFs are generated separately (not the same PDF, but altered) the picture differences should show how the two presentations (perhaps of the same text) vary.

[Chris]

Peter, thank you for the suggestion.

Comparing PDF files as images in the Picture Compare is on the feature wish list for a future version of Beyond Compare.

[Peter_Hodges]

Great.. Thanks
I meant to say EVEN in the case of the two PDFs being generated separately (not the original PDF having been altered) - I would want the picture differences should show how the two presentations vary.