Comparing Files

While working with Eclipse, you might need to compare a file with another file to analyze the differences between the two.

This feature enables you to compare

• Any two files that you have opened in an editor

• Any two files from the OS 2200 File Explorer

•  Any two files from one or more projects under OS 2200 Explorer

• Any two files that are stored on the local system or on a configured server, that are neither opened in any editor nor listed in the OS 2200 File Explorer or OS 2200 Explorer view

• Any file opened in an editor with a file on the file system

Notes:

• You cannot compare a file from OS 2200 File Explorer with a file from OS 2200 Explorer. To do that, you have to open both files in the editor.

• If the comparison is performed from the OS 2200 Explorer, then the elements are compared from the local cache.

• While configuring the comparison tool, do not open two editors or select two files.

• After you configure a tool as the default one, you do not need to select a tool for comparison the next time you want to perform the compare operation, and OS 2200 IDE for Eclipse directly displays the comparison results upon selecting two files.

To compare a file with another file

1. Perform one of the following:

• To compare files that you have opened in an editor

1. Click on the tool bar.
   
   The Compare window listing all open editors appears. OS 2200 IDE for Eclipse automatically selects the file that is currently active in the editor as the base file.
   
   Note: To select a different file as the base file, click located near Base File to browse to the location of the base file and select the file.

2. Select the second file from the list of all open files from the Compare window.
   
   Note: To select a different file as the second file, click located near Compare File to browse to the desired location of the second file and select the file.
   
   As you scroll through the files in the Compare window, the path of the file dynamically appears in the Compare File text box.
   If you have opened only one file, click located near Compare File to browse to the location of the second file and select the file.

• To compare files listed in the OS 2200 File Explorer view or the OS 2200 Explorer view

1. Select any two files from the list, and then right-click.

2. On the context-sensitive menu, click OS 2200 Compare.
   
   Note: You can select files from multiple projects also.
   
   If you have selected only one file, click located near Compare File to browse to the location of the second file and select the file. If you have selected more than two files, the first file appears in the Base File field and the second file appears in the Compare File field. You can scroll through the selected files displayed in the Compare window to select a different file as the second file.
   
   Note: If you have previously configured a tool for comparison, OS 2200 IDE for Eclipse directly displays the comparison results upon selecting two files.

• To compare files that are stored on the local system or on a configured server that are neither opened in any editor nor listed in the OS 200 File Explorer or OS 2200 Explorer view

1. Click on the tool bar.

2. In the Compare window, click located near Base File to browse to the location of the desired file and select the base file.

3. Once you select the base file, click located near Compare File to browse to the location of the desired file and select the second file.

2. Click Swap in the Compare window if you want to interchange between the base file and the compare file.
   
   The path of the base file and the path of the compare file appear in the Base File and Compare File fields, respectively.
   
   Note: If you have opened the files from OS 2200 File Explorer or OS 2200 Explorer, the path of the files appear in the OS 2200 format. If you have opened the files from your local system, the path of the files appears in the Windows format.

3. Select a tool for comparison from the Compare Tool list, and click OK.

The differences between the base file and the compare file appear in a new window.

To configure compare tools, refer to Configuring Compare Tools.