WinMerge 2.4 is an important update to 2.2. Great new features and
usability improvements. And bug fixes.
4.2.1. Multi-document support
Now it is possible to open (after enabled from Options) several
folder- and file-compare windows inside one WinMerge instance. This
changes the way work is done with WinMerge.
4.2.2. Limit to single-instance
WinMerge can be now limited to one instance. Opening new files
from commandline, shell extension or external application opens new
windows instead of new instances.
4.2.3. Active compare paths are shown in WinMerge caption
This helps when switching between different instances in Task
Manager or in Task Switcher (Alt-Tab).
4.2.4. Improved archive files support
Archive file support is greatly improved:
- Archive files can be opened from folder compare
- WinMerge can (optionally) detect archive files from file
signature. This allows for example Open Office files to be detected
as archive files and opened.
- Path to archive file and path inside archive is shown
instead of path to temporary folder
4.2.5. Faster folder compare
Lots of important improvements have been implemented:
- New Quick Contents -compare methdod
allows faster compares
- Available memory does not anymore restrict maximun
filesize
- Compare statepane shows progressbar and compared/total
amount of items
- Possible to re-compare only selected items (from context
menu)
- Items can be hidden from view
- Simple reports
4.2.6. More usable file compare
Showing line difference for all diffs (enabled from View-menu) is
the most important change. Others include:
- Character difference highlighting (more fine-grained
differences)
- Selecting syntax highligh colors
- Merge all selected differences with normal merge commands
(separate commands removed)
- Opening files to external editor from file
compare
- Punctuation characters can break diffs in line differences
(so numbers separated by commas get properly highlighted as
diffs)
4.2.7. Project files user interface
Project files can be loaded from menu ->. And project files can be saved from
Open dialog.
WinMerge 2.2 is distributed with an ANSI executable
(WinMerge.exe) for Windows 95/98/ME, and a Unicode
executable (WinMergeU.exe) for Windows NT /200/XP.
The unicode executable supports UCS-2 and UTF-8 files and
filenames.
![[Note]](images/note.gif) |
Note |
It is unfortunate that two executable files are needed. But there
is no current way to get only one executable working. MS Unicode layer
does not help WinMerge since WinMerge needs to be able to compare files
in different codepages.
|
WinMerge 2.2 can open and save several archive types. Archive
support requires installing 7-zip. Refer to Read
Me.rtf file for info about compatible 7-zip versions. 7-zip
can be downloaded from 7-zip.org.
WinMerge 2.2 can be integrated into the Windows Shell. Shell
integration adds a "" menuitem to
Windows Explorer's context menu for easy and fast comparing files and
directories.
4.3.3. Selecting filter from commandline
New -f commandline switch allows selecting used
filter or mask for files.
WinMerge can read paths to open from project files. Project files
are simple XML files storing one or two paths, and also possibly the
choice of which filter to use and whether to include subfolders.
4.3.5. Generating patches
GNU/diffutils
compatible patch files can be created from two files. Several formats
and compare options are supported.
Plugins are now supported to preprocess files before actual
comparison, or to extend editor functionality. Plugins can be programmed
using several languages supporting COM. Example plugins are
included.
4.3.7. Improved directory compare
Many new features and improvements:
- More columns have been added (e.g. file sizes and
attributes), and columns may be reordered, hidden, and
displayed.
- Filtered items now have a distinct category
(Skipped) and icons. Filtered items can be set
to hidden/visible from -menu.
- There is a new floating statusbar during the compare
process, and comparison may be aborted, and the the files/dirs
compared so far are shown.
- Newer file/directory is indicated with asterisk
(*) in date field.
- One or both directories can be set read-only, preventing
accidental overwriting.
- The number of selected items is shown in the
statusbar.
4.3.8. Improved file compare
Many new features and improvements:
- Rewritten undo/redo code.
- Fixed "Ignore blank lines"
feature.
- Enhanced EOL handling (files can contain different EOL
styles in one file).
- Linenumber, current column and char, line length and char
count shown in statusbar.
- One ot both files can be set read-only to prevent
accidental edits.
- Copy difference to left/right and advance to next makes
merging faster.
- Diff pane to show current difference in two vertical
panes.
- Highlight word differences in lines.
- Merge-mode (or 1.7 mode) to navigate and merge differences
easier and faster.
- Goto -dialog for moving fast to certain line or
difference.
- Location pane showing overall picture from files and
allowing moving to location by double-clicking.
- Moved lines detection. Moved lines can be shown with
different color in file area and location pane.
- More color options. Text color, missing line colors and
moved line colors can be configured.