Flaws of "Sychronize directories" (cm_FileSync)

[jb]

The command "Compare left & right" is the default command in the context menu of "Sychronize directories" (cm_FileSync), that is, the command is executable by a double-click on a file pair, but unlike designed by the Windows GUI standard the command is neither bold nor at the top of the context menu.

"Compare left & right" is associated with command cm_CompareFilesByContent which in turn can be associated with an external comparer by the option [Configuration]Comparetool.
On the one hand the external comparer may be more sophisticated than the internal one but usually takes a while to startup.
On the other hand the internal comparer is good enough in many cases and is faster than an external one.

So I suggest:

1. "Compare left & right with internal tool" (associated with cm_IntCompareFilesByContent) should be added to the context menu of "Sychronize directories" adjacent to "Compare left & right".
2. Option [Configuration]DefaultComparetool should be added to the ini-file with values 0 for cm_CompareFilesByContent (default) and 1 for cm_IntCompareFilesByContent.
3. The entry for the default compare tool (which is also the default command of the whole context menu) should be bold and at the top of the context menu.

If option [Configuration]Comparetool is empty then cm_CompareFilesByContent behaves like cm_IntCompareFilesByContent.
In this case "Compare left & right with internal tool" could be omitted from the context menu. On the other hand it gives the user a clue of the possibilties.


In the meantime there is a workaround. If you define a hotkey for cm_IntCompareFilesByContent it is also effective in the "Sychronize directories" dialog.

[ghisler(Author)]

Well, it's not really the default, because ENTER doesn't invoke the compare function. The official hotkey is Ctrl+F3.

For the internal compare tool (while an external is confirmed) the hotkey is Ctrl+Shift+F3.

[jb]

Well, it's not really the default, because ENTER doesn't invoke the compare function. The official hotkey is Ctrl+F3.

OK, it is only a "semi-default" command. But this point is the least important of my criticism. Much more important is that the invocation of cm_IntCompareFilesByContent is a HIDDEN feature. Generally I think that Total Commander has too many hidden features. And therefore I suggested to make cm_IntCompareFilesByContent visible directly where it can be applied, not just buried in the online help, if at all.

In the meantime it occurred to me that a checkbox "compare files with internal tool" in the "Sychronize directories" dialog would be a cheaper and maybe even more user-friendly solution.

For the internal compare tool (while an external is confirmed) the hotkey is Ctrl+Shift+F3.

Oops! Yesterday I did not find this hotkey in the online help. Then I defined exactly Ctrl+Shift+F3 for cm_IntCompareFilesByContent by coincidence and did not realize that is was already predefined.
Now I searched the online help for this hotkey again without success. Where is it documented?

[petermad]

2jb

Where is it documented?

history.txt:

13.11.06 Added: Synchronize dirs: Ctrl+Shift+F3 forces internal compare tool if an external was defined in wincmd.ini