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Bug 155472

Summary: diff between 2 files both outside NetBeans
Product: utilities Reporter: ddv36a78 <ddv36a78>
Component: DiffAssignee: Tomas Stupka <tstupka>
Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME    
Severity: blocker CC: markiewb
Priority: P2    
Version: 6.x   
Hardware: All   
OS: All   
Issue Type: ENHANCEMENT Exception Reporter:

Description ddv36a78 2008-12-15 14:08:52 UTC 
I have installed Cygwin on my laptop just in order to compare files on my hard drive.
I would be glad to use the diff NetBeans feature to do the same thing, while just staying in NetBeans and using a single
tool.

One idea to do so is to have the "Diff" entry always displayed into the "Tools" menu. If no file under NetBeans is
selected, then NetBeans would propose to select one file, and another one, on the hard drive in order to let it make the
diff.

PS : this idea is part of a bigger one about NB distribution written here :
http://www.jroller.com/dmdevito/entry/the_netbeans_missing_distributions
Comment 1 markiewb 2012-01-25 19:30:32 UTC 
(In reply to comment #0)
> One idea to do so is to have the "Diff" entry always displayed into the "Tools"
> menu. If no file under NetBeans is
> selected, then NetBeans would propose to select one file, and another one, on
> the hard drive in order to let it make the
> diff.

This is already possible in Netbeans 7.1 (perhaps also in earlier versions).

Step 1: "Menu File->Open File...", then choose file A -> editor with file A will be opened
Step 2: Open the context menu in editor, then choose "Tools->Diff to...", then  choose file B -> Diff of file A to B will be displayed

(Perhaps it is also scriptable via a macro / never tried this...)
Comment 2 markiewb 2013-09-22 15:30:25 UTC 
* you can add your root drive/arbitrary dirs/files to the favorites view
* in favorites view now you can select the files you want to compare
* context menu: "Tools->Diff" to diff them

So worksforme.