Whether you’re a developer, writer or data analyst, the need to compare two text files to see the difference is a regular liability. A popular free text editor called notepad++ for windows makes it very easy to do this using the compare plugin. In this guide, we’ll give you a walkthrough on how you should install and use the Compare plugin for successful comparison of two files in an efficient way.
What Is the Compare Plugin?
Notepad++ has a Compare plugin which is useful for a user to view two files side by side, the difference in the text content. It highlights the difference between the files to more easily determine changes, additions or deletions. This tool is of invaluable use for tasks like code review, content editing or checking for data integrity.
Installing Compare Plugin
Before you will be able to compare files, you need to install Compare in notepad++ plugin. Here’s how:
- Open Notepad++ opens notepad++ application on your windows pc or notepad++ on any MS handheld operating system computer.
- Access Plugins Admin: Navigate to the menu bar and select the Plugins menu
- Look for the Compare_plugin: You can look for the Compare plugin in the Plugins Administration window by searching “Compare” in the search box.
- Install the Plugin: Next to the Compare plugin check box is the Install button
Once installed the Compare plugin will be available from the Plugins > Compare menu.
Comparing Two Files
With the Compare plugin installed we can now compare between two files:
- Open the Files: Now in notepad++ open the two files which you want to compare.
- Plugins Initiative: Go To Plugins > Compare > Compare. The plugin will display the files side by side, and point out which things are different in the files.
The differences are mostly indicated by different colours:
- Red: Lines that are in the first file, that are not in the second.
- Green: Lines which are present in second file, but absent in first file.
- Yellow: Lines that are similar, but differing slightly.
This coloring helps make it easy to see at a glance what they discrepancies are.
Navigating Differences
The Compare plugin offers you a number of features to help you work your way through the difference(s):
- Navigation Toolbar: This toolbar is displayed at the top throughout the Notepad++ window, you can jump to the next or the next difference with a click of a mouse.
- Context Menu: Right mouse clicks on a difference brings up options to copy a differing line to the other file, to merge differences or ignore a difference.
- Settings: The comparison settings can be adjusted by navigating to Plugins> Compare> Settings. Here, you can change things like whether not to be sensitive to wavelength and case and so on.
Advanced Features
The Compare plugin is also engaged in advanced functionality in the aspects of doing more complicated comparison jobs:
- Compare Parts of Files: Select a portion of text in each file and select Plugins -> Compare -> Compare Selected to only compare the highlighted portions of the files.
- Ignore Whitespace: In the settings menu, you can opt to ignore any differences in whitespace, which is particularly helpful when comparing code, as whitespace differences, such as indentation, may vary.
- Line Numbering: By turning on line numbering in the settings you will be able to keep track of line numbers in the two files themselves.
Troubleshooting
If you have issues with the Compare plugin the following should be taken into consideration:
- Plugin Not Visible: Check the plugIn to make sure it is installed using the Plugins Admin. If not, reinstall it.
- Files Not Highlighting: Check to make sure both of your files are open and active in notepad++. The plugin requires for both files to be loaded in order to do a comparison.
- Performance Issues: If the files are big then the time needed to compare the files However, you need a lot of patience and act a ide to never open more than one big file at a time ever.
Conclusion
Comparing two files in notepad++ is quite an easy task using compare plugin. Whether you’re reviewing code, editing website content, or validating data, this tool can help you save time and effort by quickly identifying differences between files. By taking advantage of the steps provided within this guide, you can efficiently compare files and take the proper decisions based on any file differences found.
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