Feature Request: Command 'Copy To...'

[AlexMannW]

Right now there's the command 'Compare To (F7)' available in Folder Compare.

I need a similar command 'Copy To...' to support following use case:

1. User selects single file at one side and chooses command 'Copy To...'.
2. User selects single file with different file name [could be in different (sub-)folder] at [other or same ] side.
3. BC3 then copies content of first file into second file.

Thank's for your great tools!
Alexander

[Chris]

Alexander,

The best way to do this in the current version of BC is to select the folders containing both files, and use "Actions > Compare In New View". In the new view, copy the files.

[Michael Bulgrien]

Once you have opened the folders in a new view, you can use the Align With... option in the context menu to align files of different names to copy the contents from one to the other.

[AlexMannW]

Chris,
Michael,

thank's for your help.

Using your tips in conjunction with option 'View\Ignore Folder Structure' , which I haven't noticed until yet, does exactly what I want.

BC3-Pro is really the best diff/merge-tool currently available!

[AlexMannW]

Cannot copy to other side with renaming

Hello,

I could swear that Michael's hint worked:
Use case: In Folder Compare session I want to copy a file from left side and replace an existing file on the right side by its content, so I want to overwrite/replace it.

I used Micheal's hint (see above in this thread): After enabling options View/View all, View/Ignore folder structure I aligned both files (with different names) and then just used command "Copy to right". Job done.

Now (Version 3.1.8 build 11096) I cannot align the two files with different names. After using the command (no matter selecting both and click 'Align' or clicking first file, Align... and clicking 2nd file) the files aren't getting aligned.

I reverted to two older versions and it doesn't work either, but I'm sure it worked two weeks ago. I'm really helpless.

[Michael Bulgrien]

The files you align must be in the same relative folder structure on both sides of the folder compare. If you are trying to align two files whose relative paths to their respective base folders differ, try selecting the folders containing the two files and opening them in a new folder compare tab first... or simply select the folders and set them as your new base folders. Either way, once the files are in the same relative path to their respective base folders on both sides of the compare, you should be able to align the files.

[AlexMannW]

Thanks for your explanation and help, Michael.

Do you think it would be a good feature if BC would support the alignment without this restriction (same relative paths)? Are there any restrictions for supporting this?

[Zoë]

FYI, if you flatten folders you can align files in different paths if they have different names and those names are unique. Michael, your case didn't work because the two files you wanted to align had the same names.

The manual align works by scanning each left folder for filenames that match the "Align left file" mask, and then trying to match them up with a file on the right side named based on the "with right file" mask. The "Limit to this folder" is checked against the current folder's path, so overrides are skipped on a folder-by-folder basis, rather than file-by-file. When I say folder, I mean the list of all files to be aligned as a group, so when "Ignore folder structure" is on, there's only one, which contains everything, with an empty relative path, so the "Limit to this folder" setting won't work.

Now, as for the suggestion to allow alignment overrides that span folders in the non-flattened case, it is on the wishlist, but I honestly don't see it happening anytime soon. It is an obvious and requested enhancement, but it would make the implementation much more complicated, and I can't imagine how we'd represent it visually.

[AlexMannW]

Only Michaels solution works at my site. In my example tree I cannot align A.txt and B.txt (flattened view, comparing c:\test\1 to c:\test\2). The files are not in the same row (see ScreenShot007.png) although in the filter dialog the alignment seems to be registered (see ScreenShot006.png).

C:\TEST
├───1
│ └───11
│ A.txt
└───2
└───21
B.txt

[Zoë]

Make sure that "Regular expression" is unchecked and that "Limit to this folder" is empty, since that doesn't work for flattened folders.

[AlexMannW]

I'm beginning to understand. Thanks Craig.

Ideas/Proposals:

1) Wouldn't it better if BC left the field 'Limit to this Folder' empty when adding an alignment override being in View 'Ignore Folder Structure'.
Advantage:
Conclusive behavior to the user.

2) When adding an new alignment override BC should add it on top of the ordered list of alignment overrides instead of appending it. (When applying them to the view BC goes through from top to bottom, I assume.)
Advantage:
Example use case: When left file A.txt, right A.txt and B.txt and the user first wants to align A.txt<->B.txt, then user wants to align A.txt<->C.txt he currently must remove existing alignment overrides with A.txt<->* before BC does what he wants. With my proposal would BC behave 'last align wins'.

Do you think it's a good idea?

Best regards to the nice Wisconsin, Alex.

[AlexMannW]

Could you regard my proposal for the next release?