Deep Diff Manual

Deep Diff is a professional file comparison program. It can compare whole directories or individual files. Differences are highlighted with different colors. Deep Diff can compare both text files and binary files. The files can be displayed side by side or as a composite of both files. Deep Diff runs on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

License

Deep Diff comes with a six month evaluation license. After six months you must buy a real license if you want to continue using Deep Diff. You can order a license at the Deep Diff website.

Comparing Files

When two files are compared the contents of the files are examined. Identical and different parts of the files are identified. All differences are highlighted. It is possible to change how the differences are highlighted using the Edit - Customize menu.

Deep Diff assumes that the first file is an older version of the second file. This means that all parts that only exist in the first file are identified as removed. All parts that only exist in the second file are identified as added. Parts that exist in both files, but in different positions, are identified as moved.

If the File - Compare Files menu item is activated, the order in which Deep Diff compares the files is determined by the order in which the files are selected. If the comparison is triggered by another program, the order is determined by the order of the arguments on the command line. The time stamp of the files are not used in any way.

Comparing Directories

When two directories are compared all files and folders within the directories are examined and identified as either added, removed, modified or identical.

Files are identified as identical if a file with the same relative path exist in both directories and the content of the files are equal. Files are identified as modified if a file with the same relative path exist in both directories but the content of the files are not equal. Deep Diff assumes that the first directory is an older version of the second directory. This means that all files that only exists in the first directory are identified as removed. All files that only exist in the second directory are identified as added. The logic is the same for files and folders.

If the File - Compare Directories menu item is activated, the order in which Deep Diff compares the directories is determined by the order in which the directories are selected. If the comparison is triggered by another program the order is determined by the order of the arguments on the command line.

Files and folders are displayed using different icons. The icon for removed files and folders has a minus (-) sign. The icon for added files and folders has a plus (+) sign. The icon for modified files and folders is marked with "M". The icons can also be highlighted using different colors. You can select which color to use by selecting the Edit - Customize menu item.

Edit - Properties

The "properties" dialog controls how files and directories will be compared.

Text File Settings

Block Size

Limit

Tab Size

Ignore Case

Ignore Blanks

Binary File Settings

Block Size

Limit

Deep Diff will sacrifice accuracy to make the comparison go faster if the files are larger than this limit (bytes). You can increase the limit to get a more accurater comparison of big files if you have a fast computer.

Comparison of binary files can take a long time if they are similar but not identical. Files that are identical or very different tends to compare faster. To make the comparsion go faster, you can decrease the limit or increase the Block Size.

Byte per Row

Show Index

If this box is checked a hexadecimal index number will be displayed first on each line. The number indicates the offset to the first byte of the line.

If composite view mode is used the index will indicate the index in the real file rather than the index in the (imaginary) composite file. Since the first byte of a line may belong to any or both of the real files the index number may be a bit difficult to follow. If the first byte exist in both files the index in the first file will be displayed.

Show ASCII

Edit - Customize

The "customize" dialog controls how files and folders will be displayed.

Font

Size

Text Color

Background Color

Icon Color

Font Emphasis

View Properties

View - Files

Composite / Side by Side

Overview

View - Directories

Tree / List

Composite / Side by Side

Sort

Integration with other programs

Deep Diff integrates well with versioning programs such as WinCVS. If you wish to launch Deep Diff from another program, simply pass the paths to the files or directories to compare on the commandline.

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