Tree compares miss empty folders

[stc]

It seems that BC misses *some* (not all) empty folders
when doing a straight compare between directory trees.
'Always show folders' is checked, and the icon is
highlighted (indented). After doing a compare, all
upper-level folders are grey, indictating no differences.
But doing a binary compare of the same tree gives msgs
'2 folders only on right' or similar.

Unfortunately, without having color highlighting or a
message about exactly which folders are only on the right,
it's a matter of doing a binary search to narrow down
where the difference is: Compare half of the previous
two trees and see if the difference is there...etc.

This seems like a bug, at least in that I'd like to
make sure that the trees are identical *with* empty
folders included. BC includes some empty folders
but excludes others--no apparent pattern to it.

Am I missing something?

[Chris]

Re: Tree compares miss empty folders

The current version of BC misses empty folders. If Always Show folders is turned on, it will color orphan empty folders blue, but it won't mark them as a difference.

Right now differences are calculated for files, but not for folders. Better handling of empty folders is on our wish list for a future version of Beyond Compare.

[stc]

Re: Tree compares miss empty folders

The current version of BC misses empty folders. If Always Show folders is turned on, it will color orphan empty folders blue, but it won't mark them as a difference.

Right now differences are calculated for files, but not for folders. Better handling of empty folders is on our wish list for a future version of Beyond Compare.

That seems like an easy addition. I don't remember this happening in the previous version(s) but it could be that I just never noticed it. An orphaned empty folder itself may be colored blue, but the containing folder 'above' will still be gray, so it would be necessary to open all folders to visually check for orphans.

I keep empty folders as 'markers' for items that have been offlined/burned to CD so this is one I'd like to see fixed. I may have already thrown away a lot of those folders without realizing it (damn).

The other mystery is...Why does BC catch/copy some empty folders but doesn't react to others? That's why I thought this was a bug rather than an omission.

STC

PS: I know this will probably be corrected, but in the interim, do you know of a program that will simply compare directory trees while showing empty folders? I need something easier than my current 'binary search' method.

[Chris]

Re: Tree compares miss empty folders

I think BC only catches orphan empty folders to color them blue if it expands them. By default, BC only looks at the contents of a folder if there is a corresponding folder to compare it to. If the folder is an orphan, BC only looks at the contents if you select View|Expand All or double click it to expand the folder.

I don't know enough to recommend something else for better comparison of empty folders, but you might have luck testing some of the other comparison products listed at download.com or tucows.