The best comparison tool and VS2008 integration

posted

I love Beyond Compare. It is definitely my favourite comparison tool.

The thing that separates a part from other comparison tool is the fact that you can align two lines manually. Most comparison tool I know just simply fall short on this feature. The cheap price tag helps as well.

To optimally use it, assign it as a default comparer tool in your favourite IDE/Source Control client. In my case, Visual Studio 2008 (Update 13/06/2010: this also applies for VS 2010), these are the steps :

  1. tools -> options -> source control -> visual studio team foundation server -> "configure user tools" button
  2. Add:

    Extension: .*

    Operation: Compare

    Compare: C:\Program Files\Beyond Compare 3\BComp.exe

    Arguments: %1 %2 /title1=%6 /title2=%7

  3. Add:

    Extension: .*

    Operation: Merge

    Compare: C:\Program Files\Beyond Compare 3\BComp.exe

    Arguments: %1 %2 %3 %4 /title1=%6 /title2=%7 /title3=%8 /title4=%9

    For more info:

    https://blogs.msdn.com/jmanning/articles/535573.aspx

  1. says:
    2008-11-26 13:29:00 -0500

    Ditto! Use the same tool for comparing flex mxml or actionscript files. Really good tool. Too bad flexbuilder don't have the integration option like VS.

  2. ronaldwidha says:
    2008-11-28 09:46:00 -0500

    @Ardian I've never done anything to do with flex before. Any good resource to read about flex?

  3. says:
    2008-12-20 03:01:00 -0500

    Well I never used B.C. before..but by nature I am a person that likes to try out new things so...Beyond Compare here I come....and you made the configuring very easy..and as I hear that is suppose to be the most annoying part..

  4. says:
    2008-12-20 03:35:00 -0500

    Not at all...the only thing that takes a bit of getting used to is the 3 way merge. I'll put some screen shots in once i got the time.

  5. says:
    2008-12-20 03:37:00 -0500

    @Erik Cox just saw your company's website. very interesting.

  6. says:
    2009-03-02 00:06:00 -0500

    Oh man... this is much better. Thanx a LOT. Beyond compare kicks a*s.

  7. says:
    2009-04-10 06:07:00 -0400

    @Freek Bos glad you enjoy it to!

  8. Thankyou says:
    2009-12-17 05:20:00 -0500

    Thank you very very very much.

  9. Bill O says:
    2010-07-30 08:22:00 -0400

    Thank you for putting this information out here.

  10. elias says:
    2012-04-18 15:48:00 -0400

    Thank you

  11. Scott says:
    2012-07-13 16:13:00 -0400

    Thanks!

  12. Abid says:
    2013-02-04 08:17:00 -0500

    thanks a lot, specialy for ... Arguments