VisualDiffer Support - Issues

0000196: Option to ignore white space differences in file comparison

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:53:32 +0100

It would be nice to have an option to ignore all whitespace differences when comparing files, not just line endings.

0000377: Line ending differences are not detected

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 07:27:31 +0100

Araxis (https://www.araxis.com) offers a free download of their product 'Merge' for trial purpose. Upon download, the app comes in a DMG file together with a set of sample files for testing/demonstrating the file comparison capabilities. When I tried comparing Test 1 file and Test 2 file with VisualDiffer, it detected all differences except one, which was the difference in line ending (between CR-LF pair and LF only. I wondered if there was a section in the settings where I can configure VisualDiffer to either ignore or detect the line ending differences, but I did not find it. So, I understand that VisualDiffer currently does not have the ability to detect the differences in line ending characters. I think the ability to detect this difference can be useful in certain situations, and I would like to request it to be added to VisualDiffer as a feature.

0000378: New Feature Request for supporting OpenDocument Format

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:27:53 +0100

I use VisualDiffer mainly for file comparison, and it works great for files in supported document formats, including text (.txt) and Word (.docx), but I see that OpenDocument Format (.odt) is not supported. I would find it convenient and helpful, if VisualDiffer could also support ODT format. (Plus, if I may say so, it only seems right for the open-source software like VisualDiffer to support the OpenDocument Format, if it already support Microsoft format.)

0000365: Can you make this app be open source?

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:19:20 +0100

Can you please make this app be open source? I would like to be able to view the source code. Nonprogrammers and those unqualified to use Xcode can continue to buy the compiled version on the app store. Thanks

0000375: Please come back

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:43:12 +0200

I am a digital imaging Tech with Local600. I have to just say that your Visual Differ App is a big part of my workflow when I am dealing with multiple copies of a project I am hired to work on. I have turned many DIT's in the industry to your application. I am really bummed to see that you no longer have this App available. I have many people who ask me about the app and where to get it. It's really hard to see you go away. I can only tell you that there are many professionals out there using your app and many that would love to be able to purchase and continue using the app. Our DIT community would love to see you come back and make it available to the new DIT"s coming into the business. I use to tell every DIT that this was a for sure app to have in the toolbox. Hopefully this can help change your mind and come back.
Thank you so much for truly making my workflow extremely efficient and making my life easier when it comes to comparing hard drives.

cheers

0000372: How do I migrate VisualDiffer one my old Mac to a new Mac

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 19:49:44 +0200

How do I migrate VisualDiffer one my old Mac to a new Mac.

I have the latest version (2024) of the App installed on my Intel iMAC Mojave (32bit) which has been my main computer. I now have an M4 Mac mini and would like to install Visualdiffer even if it is not now supported.

Can I please copy/move Visualdiffer elements from various folders from my old intel mac to my mac silicon machine. I believe the latest versions of Visualdiffer supported Mac silicon, but don't know if the right elements & components of Visualdiffer exist on my Intel iMac machine to make visualdiffer work on my my silicon Mac.

I am not asking to redownload the App as I have seen you have said it is not available anymore.

Perhaps you can help please with how to migrate to a newer machine and in my case from an installation on Intel to Mac Silicon.

Thanks
Jools

0000371: VisualDiffer is no longer available on the Mac App store from U.S.

Fri, 16 May 2025 05:34:55 +0200

VisualDiffer is no longer available on the Mac App store from U.S.

0000369: Where's the app in macOS App Store or on website?

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 06:07:56 +0200

Did development stop for this? Suddenly, since macOS Sequoia, I can't find a link to download my favorite (longtime user) file comparison tool.

0000370: Apps missing from the Polish App Store

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 06:12:16 +0100

Some time ago I have bought VisualDiffer and VisualGrep apps in the Polish App Store. Recently noticed that those apps disappeared from the Polish store. The message at the App Store says: "This app is currently not available in your country or region". Is it by mistake? I am now not able to check for the potential updates to those apps, etc.

0000368: German Umlauts not displayed as expected

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:33:43 +0200

In the file compare window, the German umlauts are displayed as a comma.

0000366: Add feature to compare all extended attributes

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 19:06:26 +0100

Can you please enable Visual Differ to detect differences in extended attributes of both files and folders that go beyond the "Check Resource Forks" option which I assume only checks for com.apple.ResourceFork?

Maybe an option "Check all xattr" could be added next to the "Check Resource Forks" option that compare sizes, existence, and content (if content option is also selected) of all types of extended attributes.

0000358: Proposal for Efficient Compare over network

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 04:19:20 +0200

I often use Visual Differ to compare a local folder on one Mac to a folder on another MAC on my LAN (Local Area Network) hosting an AFP or SMB share. I find the scan/compare of the file metadata is much slower over the network. I believe this is because when Visual Differ walks the directory trees it sends many small network requests to the Mac hosting the file share to query the file attributes of each file such as date, size, tags, labels, etc. When there are thousands of files to hundreds of thousands of files, this time adds ups, even if done over Ethernet instead of Wifi.

It would be nice if a compare over the network could work more efficiently as follows:

1) Visual Differ would be enhanced to include a background process that is able to receive requests from other copies of Visual Differ running on the same LAN.
2) If user starts a compare and Visual Differ detects that a folder to be compared is on another MAC on the LAN (SMB or AFP share)...
3) Check if that Mac hosting the file share also has Visual Differ software installed
4) If the Hosting Mac has Visual Differ software installed, the Mac performing the compare sends a request to the background process running in the Hosting Mac, indicating a folder on the share.
5) The background process would enumerate the contents of that folder creating a list of all files, sizes, dates, labels, resource sizes, etc and create a data blob to send over the LAN as a single object back to the Visual Differ instance that needs it.
6) The Visual Differ running the compare can then use the blob of data received in step 5 for all comparison matching tasks, making new network requests only if file content comparison is requested, or when a user acts on the result of the comparison to copy or delete files.

Thanks

0000364: Would really like macOS "Drag & Drop" functions between VisualDiffer left and right windows

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 10:37:51 +0200

You could sell a lot more copies of VisualDiffer if you added full drag-and-drop functions between left and right VD window panels..... seriously.

I and perhaps many other MacOS folder diff users want to quickly copy or move files or folders from one window panel location to the other window panel location. Dragging and dropping is the fastest method in most cases. The app Beyond Compare which I also own has many great features but provides no Drag & Drop functions between left and right window panels for folder comparisons, though it has been a much requested feature by BC users for years. I spent $5-US just to see if VisualDiffer provided Drag & Drop functions between window panels that allowed copying or moving files/folders.... yet unfortunately it does not.

Many "Beyond Compare" users would pay $5 if "Drag & Drop" of files or folders between window panels was the only feature VisualDiffer provided.

0000362: Add excluded filters like "node_modules" in global settings

Sun, 07 May 2023 13:52:57 +0200

When I add a filter like for example the node_modules folder of nodejs. When I compare 2 folders the application also scans that folder, therefore I lose many seconds scanning.

0000361: Error in Help file & Wiki re command line

Sat, 04 Mar 2023 07:46:19 +0100

In Help (and wiki) article "Unix Shell Scripting Support" is states the visdiff helper is found at: `/Applications/VisualDiffer.app/Contents/Resources` Using that pathy the process fails. Checking inside the app package that actual path is `/Applications/VisualDiffer.app/Contents/Helpers`.

0000359: Current MacOS compatibility

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:08:22 +0100

Hello
My VisualDiffer copy (last one) is operating correctly with Big Sur (macOS 11.7)
But since this macOS version, Monterey (12.0) and Ventura (13.0) has been released.
Is your software compatible with these versions and if not, for when is it planed ?
Thanks.

0000167: Please add option to rename files and folders

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 03:02:17 +0100

Feature Request: I would like a new right-click option to be added in the comparison results window to rename selected item. Also would like feature to select a single item in left side and a single item in right side, to copy the name from left item to right item, or from right item to left item.

0000352: Would like feature to rename file or folder

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 02:59:24 +0100

When I perform a comparison of two folders and see the differing files, I can right-click to see a list of options, such as to copy a file to the other side. I would like a new option, "Rename" that can be applied to a file or folder.

Once I enter the new name, the comparison should update immediately for that change:
1) If I rename a file and it aligns with an orphan file on the other side, the two files should immediately be matched.
2) If I rename a folder so that its name matches an orphan folder on the other side, the two folders should immediately be compared and that portion of the report updated, without fully refreshing the entire report.

0000356: No visible files after switching to 'hide filtered'

Sun, 10 Jul 2022 09:41:31 +0200

Switching between visualization (All, only matches, only orphans, ....) can produce an empty and incorrect list

0000354: Unnecessary rescanning of folder contents

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:13:58 +0200

As there was no trial version, I've bought and started to use VisualDiffer.

I'm comparing two versions of music folders to identify any differences in contents, there are about 28K files in each folder.

Whenever I switch between the filter options (All | Only Mismatches | Only Matches | No Orphans | Only Orphans)
it takes two minutes display the result, and folder names flash by at the bottom of the window.

It seems that whenever the filter changes, VisualDiffer is rescanning the folders - rather than just filtering the display of an in storage table that was built during the initial scan.

Is my understanding correct? Is there a way to avoid this rescanning?

Thanks

0000355: App crashes when at startup try to restore sessions

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:08:48 +0200

This bug is random and is present into Apple Crash Report Opt-In very oftern but it's difficult to reproduce

Quitting the app with saved session open and successive relaunch the app crashes

0000353: Folder icon color is wrong when it contains 'newer' children and orphan

Sat, 07 May 2022 09:02:14 +0200

Comparing folders containing newer and orphan files should show the folder colored to reflect its content but the color used is for 'changed' non 'newer'

0000351: When copying files, write protected files copy with current date.

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 16:03:21 +0100

If I have differences in files between left and right and I copy a write protected (locked) file by right clicking and choosing "Copy to Right", the copy is created with the current date and time.

0000350: Move Entire Folder Structure At Root

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:37:36 +0100

Hello, I'm trying to move an entire folder structure, which contains several other folders within it, to another drive. When I do this, it seems like VisualDiffer always separates the folders out during the copy. Is there a tutorial / page I can read how to do this?

Thanks,
Dan

0000349: Comparison Method for Checksum

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 06:01:25 +0100

Hi,

This isn't really an issue, but I wasn't sure how else to contact someone here. I'm trying to figure out which comparison method will not only compare file sizes, but also the file content? Sometimes the file sizes are the same, but a few pieces of metadata are wrong. I've had this happen with one file transfer on a PC with a video clip. The clip wouldn't play after the transfer. Luckily, I caught it and was able to transfer it again.