Changes in UltraCompare - Where did the Difference Summary Go

YSLGuru · Sep 10, 2009#12009-09-10T16:14+00:00

I just installed the latest UC version and noticed that one of the menu items I use frequently, the Difference Summary (located in the VIEW menu) has disappeared. I did a search on this board and found no posts and the list of changes for the latest UC version doesn't say anything about this missing menu item.

Does anyone have any insight on this?

Thanks

Mofi · Sep 10, 2009#22009-09-10T16:46+00:00

The difference summary is now displayed in the output window. Press Ctrl+Shift+O or use View - Show Output Window to toggle this view.

It was very easy to get this information. I just opened the help of UltraCompare, selected the tab Index, entered Difference Summary, pressed RETURN and the appropriate help page was opened showing me that the differences are now printed to the output window while the background thread is comparing the files or folders. Please use the help. You can also search in help.

YSLGuru · Sep 10, 2009#32009-09-10T17:00+00:00

Mofi - Thanks for replying. I had searched in the help but used the "SEARCH" tab and not the INDEX tab. I have followed the directions and now I do get in the output window some summary info.

I assume there is no way to get back the DIFFERENCE SUMMARY menu link; the output window is the only option now. I even tried to see if one could add it back to the menus thru menu customization but it appears this menu item is now gone. Shame. Maybe no one else minds but I prefer not having to give up desktop space (to show the output window) to now get something I used to get via a separet popup window.

Thanks

Mofi · Sep 11, 2009#42009-09-11T05:12+00:00

There is no Difference Summary popup window because the compare process has completely changed. In previous versions UltraCompare did first the complete compare and you had to wait until the comparison finished. Then the difference summary report was shown which could be also opened later again. Now the comparison is done in a background thread and the UltraCompare window shows you the file contents or folder contents while comparison is still in progress. The background comparison thread writes the differences into the output window.

However, you don't need to have the output window permanently open. You can toggle the visibility of the output window via the menu item, a click on the toolbar symbol (most right one on the Merge toolbar) or by hotkey. You can enable auto hide mode of the output window to save space and it opens when you move the mouse pointer of the "tab" of the output window. And finally you can undock the output window by double clicking on the title bar of the window which results in a floating window and is practically the same as the popup window in the previous version.

YSLGuru · Sep 11, 2009#52009-09-11T17:31+00:00

Thanks for ths tips Mofi. I'm getting ready to move to multiple monitors again and so screen realestate won't be the problem it is now and therefore having extra windows open will be no big deal.