Comparing Directories


dirview.gif (24997 bytes)

If the comparison objects you have chosen (as described in Getting Started) are directories,  WinMerge displays the Directory Comparison Results window, shown above.  This is a listing of each item that was encountered in both directories, and includes the name of the item, the relative location, and the results of the comparison.   The following comparison results are possible:

Result Icon
Files are identical equal.gif (88 bytes)
Files are different notequal.gif (95 bytes)
File only in <right dir>... rfile.gif
File only in <left dir>... lfile.gif
Directory only in <right dir>... rfolder.gif (115 bytes)
Directory only in <left dir>... lfolder.gif (115 bytes)
Non-text files are equal binary.gif (74 bytes)
Non-text files are different binarydiff.gif
Error unknown.gif (69 bytes)

Depending on the comparison result for a given file, you have a few options:

  1. If the files are different, double-click the item to show the File Comparison View for that file
  2. If the file exists in only one of the specified directories, you can right click the list item and copy the file to the other side using the popup menu that appears.