Comparing Files

The default Files->Compare menu action initiates a byte comparison of two files using an external file comparison program. The keys Alt+? may be used to start the comparison.

The default FS/2 installation associates the OS/2 file compare program, text based COMP.COM, to make the comparison. However, this option is much more useful when used with one of the widely available graphical PM file compare programs (PMDiff is an excellent choice) under the control of FS/2. An external program link may be set in the Paths->External Programs page of the setup notebook to the file compare program of your choice.

A binary comparison of any two files (one file in each Files window or two files in the same Files window) may also be performed though a internal CRC comparison function.

The method of selecting the files to compare is as follows;

• If there are selected files in both the active and inactive file windows, the file compare program will start with a comparison of these two cursored, selected files.

• If there is no selected file in the inactive window, a search is made of the inactive window for a file of the same name as the cursored file in the active window. If one is found, the comparison is performed on these two files.

• If there are two selected files in the active window and none of the same name and no file is selected in the inactive window, the two files selected in the active window are compared. The cursored file is the first file passed to the external program in this case.