BinaryComparison Object

On this page:

• Description
• Properties
  • Active read/write, ICommonUI
  • AllUnresolvedConflicts read-only, IFileComparison
  • AutoSaveOnClose read/write, IFileComparison
  • ChangeLength read-only, IBinaryComparison
  • ChangeStartLine read-only, IBinaryComparison
  • ChangeType read-only, IBinaryComparison
  • ComparisonError read-only, IFileComparison
  • ComparisonResult read-only, IFileComparison
  • ErrorInfo read/write, IFileComparison
  • Height read/write, ICommonUI
  • Left read/write, ICommonUI
  • Maximized read/write, ICommonUI
  • Minimized read/write, ICommonUI
  • Modified read/write, IFileComparison
  • NumberOfBytes read-only, IBinaryComparison
  • NumberOfChanges read-only, IFileComparison
  • PromptForUnsavedFiles read/write, IFileComparison
  • ReadOnly read/write, IFileComparison
  • SaveFileName read/write, IFileComparison
  • ThreeWayMergeActions read-only, IFileComparison
  • Top read/write, ICommonUI
  • UnresolvedConflicts read-only, IFileComparison
  • ViewType read/write, IComparison
  • Visible read/write, ICommonUI
  • Width read/write, ICommonUI
• Methods
  • Close ICommonUI
  • Compare IComparison
  • CompareAsync IFileComparison
  • GiveUserControl ICommonUI
  • Print IComparison
  • Refresh IComparison
  • Report IComparison
  • Report2 IComparison
  • Restore ICommonUI
  • SaveComparison IComparison
  • SaveFile IFileComparison
  • SaveFileAs IFileComparison
  • SetPanelTitles IComparison
  • ThreeWayMerge IFileComparison
• Events
  • Close IFileComparisonEvents
  • ComparisonComplete IFileComparisonEvents

Description

This object represents a binary file comparison window. The window isn’t necessarily visible on screen and can be used either to perform file comparison services for a client, or to present file comparisons on the screen to the user.

Use the methods and properties exposed by this object to perform binary file comparisons, and to alter the appearance of a binary file comparison window.

Once the comparison represented by this object is closed, the handler for the Close event provides the final opportunity to access methods and properties. Accessing them after this time will result in an error.

Properties

Active read/write, ICommonUI

The active state of the comparison window.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Active([out, retval] VARIANT_BOOL* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Active([in] VARIANT_BOOL newValue)
.NET	Boolean Active[get, set]

AllUnresolvedConflicts read-only, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

AutoSaveOnClose read/write, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

ChangeLength read-only, IBinaryComparison

The number of lines in a change.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ChangeLength(     [in] long nChange,     [in] long nSide,     [in, optional] VARIANT nFilePair,     [out, retval] long* pValue)
.NET	Int32 get_ChangeLength(     Int32 nChange,     Int32 nSide,     Object nFilePair)

• nChange
  Specifies the change (0 based) for which the number of contained bytes is required. This value should be in the range 0 to NumberOfChanges-1.
• nSide
  Specifies the left (0) or right (1) side of the change.
• nFilePair optional
  Specifies whether to return results for files 0 and 1 (when nFilePair = 0, the default) or files 1 and 2 (when nFilePair = 1).

ChangeStartLine read-only, IBinaryComparison

The starting byte offset (0 based) of a change.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ChangeStartLine(     [in] long nChange,     [in] long nSide,     [in, optional] VARIANT nFilePair,     [out, retval] long* pValue)
.NET	Int32 get_ChangeStartLine(     Int32 nChange,     Int32 nSide,     Object nFilePair)

• nChange
  Specifies the change (0 based) for which the starting byte offset is required. This value should be in the range 0 to NumberOfChanges_-1.
• nSide
  Specifies the left (0) or right (1) side of the change.
• nFilePair optional
  Specifies whether to return results for files 0 and 1 (when nFilePair = 0, the default) or files 1 and 2 (when nFilePair = 1).

ChangeType read-only, IBinaryComparison

The type of a change. A change represents a block of inserted, removed, changed, or unchanged lines.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ChangeType(     [in] long nChange,     [in, optional] VARIANT nFilePair,     [out, retval] ChangeStyle* pValue)
.NET	ChangeStyle get_ChangeType(     Int32 nChange,     Object nFilePair)

• nChange
  Specifies the change (0 based) for which the type is required. This value should be in the range 0 to NumberOfChanges-1.
• nFilePair optional
  Specifies whether to return results for files 0 and 1 (when nFilePair = 0, default) or files 1 and 2 (when nFilePair = 1).

ComparisonError read-only, IFileComparison

The error (if any) that was encountered by the Compare method.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ComparisonError(     [in, optional] VARIANT nFilePair,     [out, retval] FileComparisonError* pValue)
.NET	FileComparisonError get_ComparisonError(     Object nFilePair)

• nFilePair optional
  Specifies whether to return results for files 0 and 1 (when nFilePair = 0, the default) or files 1 and 2 (when nFilePair = 1).

ComparisonResult read-only, IFileComparison

The result (fcrSame, fcrDifferent, fcrError) of the comparison performed by the Compare method.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ComparisonResult(     [in, optional] VARIANT nFilePair,     [out, retval] FileComparisonResult* pValue)
.NET	FileComparisonResult get_ComparisonResult(     Object nFilePair)

• nFilePair optional
  Specifies whether to return results for files 0 and 1 (when nFilePair = 0, the default) or files 1 and 2 (when nFilePair = 1).

ErrorInfo read/write, IFileComparison

Provides detailed information about errors encountered while loading/comparing one of the files. If nFile is -1, then errors that applied to all three files (for example, out of memory errors) are returned.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ErrorInfo(     [in] short nFile,     [out, retval] BSTR* pValue) [propput] HRESULT ErrorInfo(     [in] short nFile,     [in] BSTR newValue)
.NET	String get_ErrorInfo(     Int16 nFile) void set_ErrorInfo(     Int16 nFile, String newValue)

• nFile
  The file (0, 1, or 2) to get error information for. A value of -1 can also be specified to denote all files.

Height read/write, ICommonUI

The height of the comparison window in pixels.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Height([out, retval] long* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Height([in] long newValue)
.NET	Int32 Height[get, set]

Left read/write, ICommonUI

The location of the left edge pixel coordinate of the comparison window.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Left([out, retval] long* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Left([in] long newValue)
.NET	Int32 Left[get, set]

Maximized read/write, ICommonUI

The maximized state of the comparison window.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Maximized([out, retval] VARIANT_BOOL* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Maximized([in] VARIANT_BOOL newValue)
.NET	Boolean Maximized[get, set]

Minimized read/write, ICommonUI

The minimized state of the comparison window.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Minimized([out, retval] VARIANT_BOOL* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Minimized([in] VARIANT_BOOL newValue)
.NET	Boolean Minimized[get, set]

Modified read/write, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

NumberOfBytes read-only, IBinaryComparison

The number of bytes in one of the compared files.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT NumberOfBytes(     [in] short nFile,     [out, retval] short* pValue)
.NET	Int16 get_NumberOfBytes(     Int16 nFile)

• nFile
  Specifies the file in question (0, 1 or 2 for the first, second and third files respectively).

NumberOfChanges read-only, IFileComparison

The number of changes between two files.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT NumberOfChanges(     [in, optional] VARIANT nFilePair,     [out, retval] long* pValue)
.NET	Int32 get_NumberOfChanges(     Object nFilePair)

• nFilePair optional
  Specifies whether to return the number of changes between files 0 and 1 (when nFilePair = 0, the default) or files 1 and 2 (when nFilePair = 1).

PromptForUnsavedFiles read/write, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

ReadOnly read/write, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

SaveFileName read/write, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

ThreeWayMergeActions read-only, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

Top read/write, ICommonUI

The location of the top edge pixel coordinate of the comparison window.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Top([out, retval] long* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Top([in] long newValue)
.NET	Int32 Top[get, set]

UnresolvedConflicts read-only, IFileComparison

Not currently used.

ViewType read/write, IComparison

The comparison type (two way or three way layout).

IDL	[propget] HRESULT ViewType([out, retval] FileViewType* pValue) [propput] HRESULT ViewType([in] FileViewType newValue)
.NET	FileViewType ViewType[get, set]

Visible read/write, ICommonUI

The visible state of the comparison window.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Visible([out, retval] VARIANT_BOOL* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Visible([in] VARIANT_BOOL newValue)
.NET	Boolean Visible[get, set]

Width read/write, ICommonUI

The width of the comparison window in pixels.

IDL	[propget] HRESULT Width([out, retval] long* pValue) [propput] HRESULT Width([in] long newValue)
.NET	Int32 Width[get, set]

Methods

Close ICommonUI

Closes the comparison window.

IDL	HRESULT Close()
.NET	void Close()

Compare IComparison

Compares two or three files. This method is synchronous. An event ComparisonComplete is fired when the comparison is finished to report errors and results.

IDL	HRESULT Compare(     [in] VARIANT strFirstFile,     [in] VARIANT strSecondFile,     [in, optional] VARIANT strThirdFile)
.NET	void Compare(     Object strFirstFile,     Object strSecondFile,     Object strThirdFile)

• strFirstFile
  The fully qualified path to the first file
• strSecondFile
  The fully qualified path to the second file
• strThirdFile optional
  The fully qualified path to the third file

CompareAsync IFileComparison

Compares two or three files. This method is asynchronous (returns before the comparison completes). An event ComparisonComplete is fired when the comparison is finished to report errors and results.

IDL	HRESULT CompareAsync(     [in] VARIANT strFirstFile,     [in] VARIANT strSecondFile,     [in, optional] VARIANT strThirdFile)
.NET	void CompareAsync(     Object strFirstFile,     Object strSecondFile,     Object strThirdFile)

• strFirstFile
  The fully qualified path to the first file
• strSecondFile
  The fully qualified path to the second file
• strThirdFile optional
  The fully qualified path to the third file

GiveUserControl ICommonUI

Gives control over the lifetime of the comparison window to the user. Merge will not automatically close the window when outstanding automation references are released.

IDL	HRESULT GiveUserControl()
.NET	void GiveUserControl()

Print IComparison

Prints the file comparison.

IDL	HRESULT Print(     [in] VARIANT_BOOL bShowPrinterDialog,     [in] PageOrientation nOrientation)
.NET	void Print(     Boolean bShowPrinterDialog,     PageOrientation nOrientation)

• bShowPrinterDialog
  Defaults to FALSE. Whether to show the printer dialog to the user before printing.
• nOrientation
  Defaults to poLandscape. Whether to print in portrait or landscape mode.

Refresh IComparison

Recompares the files displayed in the window. This will cause any unsaved changes to be discarded.

IDL	HRESULT Refresh()
.NET	void Refresh()

Report IComparison

Not currently used.

Report2 IComparison

Not currently used.

Restore ICommonUI

Restores the comparison window from minimized or maximised state to its normal resizable state.

IDL	HRESULT Restore()
.NET	void Restore()

SaveComparison IComparison

Saves the comparison to a file. We recommend that you use the .cmp7 extension in the filename.

IDL	HRESULT SaveComparison(     [in] BSTR filename)
.NET	void SaveComparison(     String filename)

• filename
  The name of the file to which the comparison should be saved.

SaveFile IFileComparison

Not currently used.

SaveFileAs IFileComparison

Not currently used.

SetPanelTitles IComparison

Sets the titles shown above the file panels.

IDL	HRESULT SetPanelTitles(     [in] VARIANT strFirst,     [in] VARIANT strSecond,     [in, optional] VARIANT strThird)
.NET	void SetPanelTitles(     Object strFirst,     Object strSecond,     Object strThird)

• strFirst
  The title for the first file panel.
• strSecond
  The title for the second file panel.
• strThird optional
  The title for the third file panel.

ThreeWayMerge IFileComparison

Not currently used.

Events

Close IFileComparisonEvents

The file comparison window was closed by the user.

IDL	HRESULT Close()
.NET	void Close()

ComparisonComplete IFileComparisonEvents

Occurs when a file comparison completes. For comparisons between two files, only the first two arguments are defined. For comparisons between three files, all four arguments are defined.

IDL	HRESULT ComparisonComplete(     [in] FileComparisonError error1,     [in] FileComparisonResult result1,     [in, optional] FileComparisonError error2,     [in, optional] FileComparisonResult result2)
.NET	void ComparisonComplete(     FileComparisonError error1,     FileComparisonResult result1,     FileComparisonError error2,     FileComparisonResult result2)

• error1
  The error, if any, that occurred during the comparison of the first and second files.
• result1
  The result of the comparison between the first and second files.
• error2 optional
  The error, if any, that occurred during the comparison of the second and third files.
• result2 optional
  The result of the comparison between the second and third files.