Find Differing Lines

Menu: Search > Find Differing Lines

Default Shortcut Key: Ctrl+D

Macro function: FindDifferingLines()

The Differing Lines command can be used to locate differing lines among two or more similar files.  The cursor will be advanced in each open file to the next line whose text is not identical in each of the files.

Find Differing Lines is useful for locating and resolving small differences between different versions of the same file, as sometimes occur when files are edited at two different sites or by two different parties.

This command will be most efficient when used as follows: open the files to be compared and select Window | Tile Across to arrange the windows in a left-to-right tiled arrangement.  Position the text cursor in each file to line 1, or to the line at which the comparison is to begin.  In any case, the text on each of the starting lines should be identical among all the files being compared.  When the Find Differing Lines command is issued, the text cursor will be advanced in each file until a line is found which differs among the files.

The first point of difference in the line will be highlighted, and the operation is complete.  You can make any corrections that might be needed and then issue the command again to find the next difference.  If the difference involves the addition or deletion of lines, the files will need to be re-synchronized manually before proceeding.  That is, the text cursor must be moved in each file to a line with identical content so that a new comparison can begin.

Find Differing Lines ignores minimized files during its comparison, so if there are any files open which should not be compared they can simply be minimized before beginning.