The best comparison tool and VS2008 integration

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:

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