Compare Text Without files

[nycmetro]

Hi,

Is anyone aware of a freeware utility, (or in this case even a website
can acheive this IMO), that can compare text, without requiring the
use of two text files? Like I should be able to copy and paste some
text and be able to see the differences right away.

All the existing freeware file comparison utilities require that we
have to have the contents saved in two text files.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Al Klein]

Is anyone aware of a freeware utility, (or in this case even a website
can acheive this IMO), that can compare text, without requiring the
use of two text files? Like I should be able to copy and paste some
text

From ... a file? (Text doesn't exist in a vacuum. Where are you
copying it FROM?)

 

[Adrian Carter]

Hi,

Is anyone aware of a freeware utility, (or in this case even a website
can acheive this IMO), that can compare text, without requiring the
use of two text files? Like I should be able to copy and paste some
text and be able to see the differences right away.

All the existing freeware file comparison utilities require that we
have to have the contents saved in two text files.

Thanks in Advance.

AsciiDiff has a pair of "Paste" buttons at its entry panel, one beside
each filename box. They are only active if your clipboard contains
text when the front panel gets focus. The clipboard text can come
from anywhere - spreadsheet, WP document, web page, whatever.
Whatever you "Paste" will be remembered as the contents of a
virtual file, and when you have done it for each button, it will be
just as if you had nominated 2 filenames.

http://www.homestead.com/adriancarter/Compare.html

HTH,
Adrian Carter

adriancarterau (AT) yahoo (DOT) com (DOT) au

 

[jacaranda]

From ... a file? (Text doesn't exist in a vacuum. Where are you
copying it FROM?)

I could be wrong, but maybe the OP means a program that does away with the
need to "browse" for two separate text files on your disk. Instead, you
could just copy and paste some text into the program, and you'll get a
comparison.

 

[nycmetro]

Jacaranda is correct. Some program that will allow us to compare
without requiring to "Browse..." two text files. I'll try the
suggestion mentioned above by others. Thank you.
need to "browse" for two separate text files on your disk. Instead,
you
could just copy and paste some text into the program, and you'll get a
comparison.

 

[Lou]

From ... a file? (Text doesn't exist in a vacuum. Where are you
copying it FROM?)

OP may only want to compare a small part of two large files.

 

[David]

OP may only want to compare a small part of two large files.

He actually stated that he didn't want to use files. However it is
hard to imagine where the text would be stored if it wasn't in a file.
Of course those files do not need to be actual .TXT files. The text
could be contained in .EXE files, for example, in which case a binary
search would be the best option in my opinion. Compressed files would
need the appropriate uncompressor to assist the search.
--
David
Remove "farook" to reply
At the bottom of the application where it says
"sign here". I put "Sagittarius"
E-mail: justdas at iinet dot net dot au

 

[Gary R. Schmidt]

David wrote:
[SNIP]

He actually stated that he didn't want to use files. However it is
hard to imagine where the text would be stored if it wasn't in a file.
Of course those files do not need to be actual .TXT files. The text
could be contained in .EXE files, for example, in which case a binary
search would be the best option in my opinion. Compressed files would
need the appropriate uncompressor to assist the search.

It was obvious to me that what the OP wanted was something that would
let him compare, for example, a page from one document with a page from
another (or possibly the same) document.

Don't know of any software that will do this, when I've had to do it
I've usually just created the two minimal files and diff'ed them.

If I was a GUI programmer I'd write one, this is a bloody good idea, but
if I tried it would be a disaster!

Cheers,
Gary B-)

 

[J. Yazel]

Hi,

Is anyone aware of a freeware utility, (or in this case even a website
can acheive this IMO), that can compare text, without requiring the
use of two text files? Like I should be able to copy and paste some
text and be able to see the differences right away.

All the existing freeware file comparison utilities require that we
have to have the contents saved in two text files.

Thanks in Advance.

===============================

This is the oddest thread that I've seen for a long time.

It's not possible to compare nothing.

You must compare something against something else.

In a computer "something" is a file (or part of one).

Also "something else" is a file (or part of one).

If anyone has a different definition of "comparing", I would
be interested in hearing about it.

Jack

 

[Al Klein]

This is the oddest thread that I've seen for a long time.

It's not possible to compare nothing.

That's what I thought too (too many years cutting code?), but I guess
you can compare the text in one window with the text in another
window. Although, considering drive sizes and speeds these days, why
bother writing a program to do that when it makes more sense to write
a file compare utility?

 

[Terry Russell]

===============================

This is the oddest thread that I've seen for a long time.

It's not possible to compare nothing.

You must compare something against something else.

In a computer "something" is a file (or part of one).

Also "something else" is a file (or part of one).

If anyone has a different definition of "comparing", I would
be interested in hearing about it.

webpages
or cutnpaste segments from any on screen representation,
stored or sourced to/from somewhere not conveniently known to you

comparison ultimately is from cpu register/memory against cpu
register/memory
( actually, there is no comparison, just an operation and a result )
files are just a logical construct in software, there are no
hardware files.

ommmm

 

[Gary R. Schmidt]

===============================

This is the oddest thread that I've seen for a long time.

It's not possible to compare nothing.

You must compare something against something else.

In a computer "something" is a file (or part of one).

Until it is in memory, or, strictly, a register, it is nothing.

Go review numerical representation methods, specifically the case of -0
and +0. There's a comparison of "nothing" that is very important.

Cheers,
Gary B-)

 

[jacaranda]

That's what I thought too (too many years cutting code?), but I guess
you can compare the text in one window with the text in another
window. Although, considering drive sizes and speeds these days, why
bother writing a program to do that when it makes more sense to write
a file compare utility?

I thought it was a logical request. It's a PITA having to "browse" for two
different files, when you can more quickly just copy and paste from each
open window. I'm glad the OP found a solution...I'ts a capabiliy I've been
wanting too.

 

[Al Klein]

I thought it was a logical request. It's a PITA having to "browse" for two
different files, when you can more quickly just copy and paste from each
open window.

Or just paste into 2 windows in, say, Textpad, save them to a temp
folder or the desktop, and compare them.

 

[Gary R. Schmidt]

Or just paste into 2 windows in, say, Textpad, save them to a temp
folder or the desktop, and compare them.

Hmm, let's see...

Disk-based diff...

Things to compare are already running, multi-pane editor already
running, diff program already running.

Activate window 1
Select text from window 1
Activate editor
paste to editor pane 1

Activate window 2
Select text from window 2
Activate editor
paste to editor pane 2

save pane 2 to file 2

save pane 1 to file 1

Activate diff
tell diff to open file 1
tell diff to open file 2
diff.
----------
No-file diff....

Things to compare are already running, diff program already running.

Activate window 1
Select text from window 1
Activate diff
paste to diff pane 1

Activate window 2
Select text from window 2
Activate diff
paste to diff pane 2
diff.
---------

5 operations cheaper...

Now, if someone wrote it in Java I could use it on my Solaris boxes...

Cheers,
Gary B-)