This configuration dialog opens when using Configure on the Options menu and lets you see and change some program preferences. The following options may be edited from its pages:
Option | Meaning |
---|---|
Sizes are different | Treat as newer those source files that
have the same time stamps but different sizes (?
files). |
Attributes are different | Treat as newer those source files that
have the same time stamps but different attributes (-
files). |
Copy only attributes | Do not copy files when only the attributes are the same. Instead, copy just the attributes. |
Ignore time differences under | Time stamps are stored with very high precision under NTFS, but are rounded to the nearest multiple of 2 seconds when saved to a FAT volume or zip file. If you keep the source and target files on volumes with different file systems, even after and Update the next Scan might report that files are different because they have (slightly) different time stamps. To avoid this problem, you have to set this option to a value of 2 seconds. See FAT vs. NTFS for details. |
Ignore differences of one hour when comparing FAT and NTFS volumes | Daylight savings are dealt in different ways under NT and Win 9x. If you keep the original files under NT and their copies in a Windows 95/98 system, and the daylight savings changes is made automatically by the system, you should check this options. See FAT vs. NTFS for details. |
Ignore everything except file name and extension | Compare only names and extensions. This may be useful in some very special cases and was added because some users asked for it. |
External compare program | Use this if you want to specify an
external program to use when performing a detailed
comparison of files. For example, you could use FileComp
in my own Console utilities. The external program will be called when using Details in an Error dialog box which displays an error while comparing file contents. The source and target full file specifications (or the equivalent Windows 3.1DOS 6 short names) can be specified by means of the %s and %t
(%S and %T )
escape sequences. To insert a true percent sign (% )
enter %% . Remember that often you
have to use double quotes around long path names. |
Show command line before executing it | Select this to make Directory Compare show you the command line it is about to use when it needs to perform a detailed comparison of files. You have the opportunity to modify the command line at that time. |
Main list | Specify the relative order to sort the
symbols > < ? - ! # = when
listing files. |
Display icons | Show the icon corresponding to each item as in Explorer or My Computer (it will slow down the display of the main list). It is advisable to select Do not update while generating listto avoid annoying flicker. (But see zip files.) |
Do not update while generating list | The contents of the main list will be displayed only when it has been completely generated to avoid continuous update, which is specially annoying when icons are to be displayed. |
List, Copy and Delete directories | Treat directories as normal files and display them in the main list, so that they can be copied (even if they are empty) and deleted. Ignored with zip files. |
Automatically update main list after files are copied or deleted | The main list is automatically refreshed each time a file (or a group of files) is deleted or a synchronization is performed. If you find this annoying, deselect this option: the main list will be updated only when you explicitly ask for it by means of Scan. |
Use colors in main list | If this options is selected (user-defined) colors will be used in the main list (instead of an standard list view) to mark different types of entries (entries with newer Source, newer Target and so on). Changing this option will be taken into account only when a new session of Directory Compare starts. |
Choose a line type | Select here a line type and then Text color or Background color to customize colors used when the previous option is selected. |
When you double click on an item from the main list | Select from the list below the action to be performed when you double click on an item in the main file list. Ignored with zip files. |
Execute associated program | Using any Open command from the Edit menu or the shortcut menu starts the associated program to edit the file. |
Quick view the file | Using any Open command starts the associated quick view filter to view the file. |
Compression level | Select here the compression level (from 0 = no compression to 9 = maximum) to be used in zip files. |
Temporary directory | The temporary directory used for backup (see below) and temporary files. |
Backup zip file... | Canceling the adding (deleting) of an item to (from) a zip file may result in a corrupted zip file. Check this option to instruct the program to make a backup that allows recovering the original file after the Cancel command has been executed. This needs variable amounts of time and disk space (depending on the zip file size), but is safer. |
Try compressing special files... | Usually compressing already compressed files (such as those with extension .gif, .png, .Z, .zip, .zoo, .arc, .lzh, .arj, .taz, .tgz or .lha is a waste of time because very few space, if any, is gained. So, to speed up the compression operation you may deselect this option. |
If necessary, unzip file to get its icon | If you have selected the Display icons option (see
above) and the only copy of an item is in a zip file, to
speed up the list the item will not be extracted to get
its icon (![]() |
Use HTML help | Use this HTML help system (if not available on your computer, the standard help system will be used instead). |
Source...in context... | Add the "Source for Directory Compare" option on the context menu for folders and zip files. Selecting it, Directory Compare will start with that folder or zip file as Source. Under NT you need administrative privileges to change this setting; otherwise, a message suggesting you ask the system administrator to set this for you will be issued. |
Target...in context...... | Add the "Target for Directory Compare" option on the context menu for folders and zip files. Selecting it, Directory Compare will start with that folder or zip file as Target.Under NT you need administrative privileges to change this setting; otherwise, a message suggesting you ask the system administrator to set this for you will be issued. |
Ask the user before deleting files if they are at least | Before starting to delete or eliminate files, Directory Compare will issue a warning if the number of files is at least the value selected here. Use 0 to get no warning at all. |
Ask before deleting directories | If this option is selected, Directory Compare will issue a warning before starting to delete or eliminate directories. |
Start browsing folders from current directory | When using the Source and Target buttons the dialog box to search for the directory will open from the current directory. (If this is not selected it will start from My PC.) |
Start browsing Target from current Source | When using the Target button the dialog box to search for the directory will open from the current Source. If this is not selected it will start from the current Target, but if the previous entry is not selected, My PC will be the starting point. |
Allow only one instance of the program | If this option is selected and you try to launch it when another copy is already running, the latter will be brought to the foreground and no new copy will start. |