Old method of folder compare not available in win7?

[Sema4]

Hi guys,

Under Win XP (remember that?) it was possible to select a folder for compare by right clicking on the tiny folder icon in the very top left corner of the open folder window, shown here with a red circle around it...



Right clicking this tiny folder used to give you the standard contextual menu from which you could select 'select left folder for compare'

In Win7, this tiny folder is no longer visible on the top left of the open folder window, it appears to have moved to the start of the address line, however right clicking on this folder at the start of the address line does not give you a pop up menu like it used to on XP.



This was a very nice feature in XP that I used often and it was very simple to compare the whole folder while it was open, but now in Win7, if I have two folders open and I decide I wish to compare them, I must 'go up a level' from each folder so I can right click on the actual folder icon it's self before I can execute a compare...

Is this loss of functionality expressly due to the change in Win7 ? is there any way we can get that back so that it is possible to compare the entire folder while is already open ?

I tried right clicking in the address bar for the window and that does give a menu but there is no BC functionality on it..

Having to back up a level can be a pain when the 'up a level' folder has hundreds of files in it and you then need to locate the folder you were just in...

Keep up the great work!

[Aaron]

Hello,

I am running Windows XP, but I cannot click the little folder icon next to address and get our context menu. The Windows Shell extension is controlled by Windows. If you can get the standard list of Copy, Cut, Properties, Send To, etc, by right clicking on a folder or file, then our shortcuts should also appear.

[Sema4]

Sorry, I didn't explain it well, I'm talking about the folder with a red circle around it in the pic below, right click on it and you get the standard contextual menu which in turn allows you to 'select left folder for compare' and it will select the folder, even though it's open...



Once you have a left folder selected, you can use the same trick to access the 'Compare to' menu, meaning you never have to move from the open folder in order to compare them...

You were not aware of this behaviour ? I use it ALL the time.... well I did before Win7 :-/

The only other way to select the entire folder is to go back 'up a level' so you can see the folder icon, but this is not as simple as just right clicking on the folder that's already visible while the folder is open...

Any way to restore this functionality in Win7 ?

[Aaron]

I am not sure, changing the theme to Classic did not seem to bring back that functionality, but a quick double-check revealed you can right click in the lower left corner's folder icon (in your screenshot, next to "6 items." How does that work for you?

[Sema4]

Hmm, if I click on the folder in the bottom left, or for that matter anywhere inside the folder window that has no icon on it, I get the same menu as shown here, but there is no BC functionality on this menu, if it is possible to add it here that would work great!

[Aaron]

Sorry about that. If you have a selection, then the lower left icon represents the selected folder (which is why I stumbled across the menu down there). I've played around with a couple of theme choices, but don't see a way to access the menu the same way as you did in XP.

This is more of a Windows 7 interface design choice than a Beyond Compare 3 issue. Windows Shell extensions are available if you select an item and then right-click on it. If there is a shortcut to get to this menu (like the one available in XP), then Beyond Compare's shell extension will also appear with the other items (Open, Copy, Create Shortcut, other 3rd party extensions, etc).

If you go to the Control Panel, Appearance and Personalization, Folder Options: under the General tab you can "Automatically expand to Current folder" to show the current folder in the left side menu. This is clickable and access the context menu.

[Sema4]

Ah, gotcha, I'm with you now..

Not as easy as it is in XP, but still better than having to go up a level, very much obliged to you for your time and help, thanks!

[Zoë]

In addition to what Aaron said, I can confirm that we are looking into adding the menu items if you don't have a selection, like you suggested. Probably won't make it in for a while though.

[Sema4]

Thanks for the info Craig, that would be yet another great feature in an already brilliant program, I'll watch out for it on the 'new in this version' list at some point in the future.

Much obliged to you and the team for doing what you do.