next difference option suggestion

[cyberchicken]

I personally would find useful an option in "Next Difference", under "When no more differences"
like "go to next different file".
That is: treat all different files as a unique stream of differences to scroll with Ctrl-N and Ctrl-P

Of course this would be in alternative to "Show Message Panel".

What do you think?

Thank you

[Aaron]

Hello,

In which view are you referring? In the Text Compare, we show the overall comparison status in the bottom status bar to know if the file contains any differences or set the Display Filter to Show Differences, and you can switch to the Next Different File with Ctrl+M (customizable hotkey) or Prev Different Files (Shift+Ctrl+M).

[cyberchicken]

Yes Aaron, in the Text compare.

I wish I can just scan with Ctrl-N, looking at the bottom compare box, without caring which file I'm inspecting.
Some times I have few very similar updates in tens or hundreds of files, therefore I have to keep on swtiching between Ctrl-N and Ctrl-M, risking to skip something.

Thank you

[Aaron]

Hello,

If you have a similar update you don't need to review, you can configure it as Unimportant Text in the Session Settings of the Text Compare (at the bottom of the Session Settings dialog, set from Use only for these files -> Use for all files in parent session), which would remove this text change from the Text comparison. You can then Rules-based scan your folders, with Ignore Unimportant Differences enabled, to reveal only files that have changes that are not this change.

You can then disable Ignore Unimportant Differences to review the files that contain the Unimportant differences.

This way, with a single toggle, you can switch between reviewing the Important differences and the Unimportant Differences.

[cyberchicken]

Sorry, I let myself misunderstood.
I said I have lots of very simliar differences, but I want to manualy review all of them, not to ignore them! Also they are similar but not the same, I cannot filter them out in any sort of automated process.

That's why I would find useful a single-keystroke view-next-difference along the whole branch.

To explain better: I scanned the whole branch of a php webapp, gather most file and directory names; calculated a canonical version of that name (mainly changing casing) and then substituted all strings the "appeared" like the file/dir name in the whole code base.
This semi automated process is error prone (but always better than before when sloppy coders carelessly mixed casing in a windows environment). So I wanted to scan manually all the changes to have a chance to spot the majority of errors, or at least systematic errors I didn't imagine. Eg: folder "List" produces the substituion "\list\myfile.php" (correct) but also "\listfile.exe" (wrong).

[Aaron]

If all changes are important to review, you can either leave them as Important, or toggle off Ignore Unimportant Differences. Blue Unimportant Differences are still counted as Differences if the toggle is disabled.

To hop between all changes, you would use Ctrl+N or Ctrl+Shift+N. Once the file is complete, you then do need to use the Next Difference (Ctrl+M); we do not combine these commands. Only use Ctrl+M after you hit the bottom, which we show an info panel Pop-Up, to avoid missing information or click the link instead of using Ctrl+M.

[cyberchicken]

Back to square one. I know how BC works now.
I find it unconfortable because I have to keep on switching from M to N, in an irregular pattern.

Since there already is an option branch "When no more differences" I suggested to add a third option.
I don't want to wrap around, and I don't want to Show the message panel, I would like to simply get to the next file.
The reason is: I want to manually and visually scan ALL different lines, one by one, not in a file but in an entire branch.

To me it's not a dangerous option, especially considering that it would be default off. It's not even a costly one, the hooks are already there; just the setup of the check box, the config variable, and then add an IF just below the other two.

Thank you for listening Aaron

[Aaron]

Thanks for the feedback. I did add your earlier feedback to our Customer Wishlist. This is an enhancement we'll consider. Our Customer Wishlist is not currently scheduled projects, but a place our developers go for ideas for future features and enhancements. I'll update it with your most recent notes.

[cyberchicken]

Thank you Aaron, I'm sorry I wasn't able to explain at once.