Merge integrates with Finder, adding menu items to Finder’s context menus that enable you to launch Merge comparisons for selected files and folders. The method of integration differs depending on your machine and operating system:
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On Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard running on 64-bit machines (even if you are running with a 32-bit kernel), Merge provides services to the system that Finder can use.
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On earlier versions of Mac OS X, and with Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard on 32-bit machines (i.e. those with Intel Core Duo and Core Solo processors), Merge offers a plugin for Finder.
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (64-bit machines)
When enabled, Merge services will appear in Finder’s Services menu and in the Services sub-menu of the context menus that appear when you right-click (or Ctrl-click) on selected files or folders. The following services are available:
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Compare Items | Opens a comparison window in Merge to compare the selected items. |
| Compare with Previous Versions | Opens a comparison window for each selected item. Use the Time Machine buttons at the top of the comparison window to choose previous versions to compare. |
| Queue Items for Comparison | Adds the selected items to a queue of items held by Merge. These queued items are included when you choose Compare Items or Compare Queued Items. You can use this service to compare items located in different Finder windows. |
| Clear Comparison Queue | Removes any items from the queue. |
| Compare Queued Items | Opens a comparison window for the items you have added to the comparison queue. |
To enable or disable Merge services:
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From within Merge, choose Araxis Merge > Services > Services Preferences… menu item.
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The Mac OS X System Preferences will open to the Services section of the Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts page.
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To enable a Merge service, check its box in the Files and Folders services category.
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To disable a Merge service, uncheck its box in the Files and Folders services category.
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard (32-bit machines), Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard and Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger
The Araxis Merge installation disk image contains a plugin for Finder. This enables files and folders to be compared from the context menus that appear when you right-click (or Ctrl-click) upon selected files or folders in Finder.
The plugin works with Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger and Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, but only with Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard on 32-bit
machines (i.e. those with Intel Core Duo and Core Solo processors). This is because Apple have removed support in Snow Leopard
for Finder context menu plugins in 64-bit applications. (As an alternative to the Finder plugin on Snow Leopard, Merge instead
provides the system services described above.)
To install the plugin:
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Ensure that the Contextual Menu Items folder exists within the Library folder in your home folder (i.e. ~/Library/Contextual Menu Items). If not, create it.
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Copy the AraxisMergeCMP.plugin file from the Contextual Menu Items folder in the Merge installation disk image into the Library/Contextual Menu Items folder under your home folder.
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The plugin will become active the next time you log in to Mac OS X.
To make the plugin available to all users, use /Library/Contextual Menu Items instead of ~/Library/Contextual Menu Items above.
When the plugin is installed, Finder will display some additional commands in its context menus. The new commands can operate on selected file and folder items in Finder.
Comparing files and folders
To compare one or more items in a Finder window, select them, right-click to display the Finder context menu, and then select the Compare with Araxis Merge command.
To compare items spread across different Finder windows, use the Add to Queue command on each one in turn, and then Compare with Araxis Merge (+ # in queue) on the final item to open a comparison for the items.
Time Machine
The Versions section of the Application Preferences page in Merge enables you to activate the plugin’s support for Time Machine. This support is disabled by default because building a list of backed-up versions of a file or folder can slow down the display of the context menu, particularly if you are backing-up to a network drive.
Once enabled, a list of backed-up versions of a selected item in Finder will be shown in the Compare with Version sub-menu in the Finder context menu. You can choose a version from the list, and a comparison will be launched between the item you selected and the version you chose from the list.
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