Creating a Folder Comparison Report

Merge provides several different ways to generate a report from a folder comparison. A report is a static representation of a folder comparison in a format that is suitable for storage on disk or on a website.

Folder comparison reports can optionally include reports for files appearing within the folder comparison.

Creating a report

To create a report for a folder comparison, click the Report toolbar button. You can also select the FileReport… menu item, or press Shift+Cmd+E. A window similar to the one shown below will appear.

A list of available report types is displayed along the top of the window. Click on a report type to display a page of configuration options for that report type. Click the ? button for information about the options for the currently selected report type.

Use the radio buttons within the window to include file reports within the folder comparison report. The type of file comparison report that will be generated can be chosen from the File comparison report type drop-down list.

When you have configured or reviewed the options for the selected report type and chosen the location to which the report is written, click the Save… button to create the report.

Report types

HTML

HTML reports contain information about the compared folders, and a side-by-side presentation of the comparison results. They can be opened in many different web browsers.

Generate reports for no files

Check this option to prevent reports being generated for files within the folder comparison window.

Generate reports for all files

Check this option to generate file comparison reports for all rows within the folder comparison window.

Generate reports for changed files

Check this option to generate file comparison reports for changed rows within the folder comparison window.

Generate reports for selected files

Check this option to generate file comparison reports for rows that are selected within the folder comparison window.

File comparison report type:

This list shows the types of file comparison report that can be generated as part of a folder comparison report.

Configure…

Click this button to configure options for the file comparison reporters that can be used when generating reports for folder comparisons.

XML

XML reports contain information about the compared files and the data for a side-by-side presentation of the comparison results.

Generate reports for no files

Check this option to prevent reports being generated for files within the folder comparison window.

Generate reports for all files

Check this option to generate file comparison reports for all rows within the folder comparison window.

Generate reports for changed files

Check this option to generate file comparison reports for changed rows within the folder comparison window.

Generate reports for selected files

Check this option to generate file comparison reports for rows that are selected within the folder comparison window.

File comparison report type:

This list shows the types of file comparison report that can be generated as part of a folder comparison report.

Configure…

Click this button to configure options for the file comparison reporters that can be used when generating reports for folder comparisons.