pdf comparison fails

[alberjuss]

Hi everybody:

I'm having trouble trying to compare 2 pdf files under BC4; I get this error message:

External program "/applications/Beyond compare.app/Contents/MacOS/pdftotext" not found

If I look inside the Contents of Beyond compare.app in Finder, the "pdftotext" file is there, and if I double-click it, it opens in Terminal, showing a help file

Thanks in advance

Alberjuss

[Aaron]

Hello,

Are you running the latest BC 4.0.7 or BC 4.1's beta? Our error handling messages for the PDF conversion has an issue where it will display this text for some other errors, like a failed conversion.

If you attempt to open a different PDF, does this load for you? You can also email specific PDF example files to [email protected] with your BCSupport.zip from the Beyond Compare menu -> Support dialog; Export. If you email us, please include a link back to this forum thread for our reference.

[Grizzly]

Has one of the files a (1) in the filename?
I always get this error when one of the files has this kind of filename.

[Aaron]

Hello,

I just attempted to copy and rename a PDF with an additional (1): MyFile (1).pdf
This still opens as expected.

For your files, is it a trailing (1)?: MyFile.pdf (1)
This would fail since the extension is no longer ".pdf"
To detect as PDF, the file would need to end with the .pdf extension.

If this doesn't explain what is happening for you, are you able to post or email two sample files? If you email us at [email protected], please include a link back to this forum thread for our reference and your BCSupport.zip from the Beyond Compare menu -> Support dialog; Export.

[Grizzly]

Hi!

Sorry I wasn't precise enough in my first post.
When I download a pdf file with Firefox the first time the file gets a normal filename like document.pdf.
When you download the same pdf file again Firefox renames this file to document(1).pdf.

When you try to compare document.pdf and document(1).pdf you will get exactly this error message.

[Aaron]

Hello,

Thanks for the more precise details. This appears to be an issue with the naming convention. I'll open a tracker to get this fixed. In the meantime, if you add a space between document and (1).pdf, this should help.

[Aaron]

Hello,

What would your file's name be? Do any PDF files open or is it trouble with a specific PDF that fails regardless of its name?

[Chris]

Comparison of PDFs with () in the filename on macOS is fixed in Beyond Compare 4.4.5, just released earlier today.