Beyond Compare: how to compare all files shown in "folder compare" in separate tabs?

Question

Usually when I perform "folder compare" in Beyond Compare, I would like to compare content of each file in separate tabs. If I do right click -> open (or double click) on a specific file, it indeed opens a new tab and compares the content of this file.

The problem: How can I do that for all files instead of double click each file manually?

If I select all files and then right click -> open, it opens tab of "TextMerge".

Selecting the files in Windows Explorer and right click -> Compare is not possible

Answer 1

There is a solution provided at https://forum.scootersoftware.com/forum/beyond-compare-4-discussion/general/90953-feature-request-open-multiple-files-at-once

You need to make the following configurations:

1. Tools menu -> Options -> Open With section:
   Create a new entry:
   Description: Compare multiple files
   Command line: "C:\Program Files\Beyond Compare 5\BCompare.exe" %f1 %f2
   (adjust the path to your actual BCompare.exe location)
   Mark the following checkboxes:
   * Accepts files
   * Multiple instances.

2. Tools menu -> Options -> Tabs section:
   Open Session in: A new tab.
   Mark the following checkbox: Open new tab next to active tab

NB! You need to select files on BOTH sides in order for this command to work properly. If you have several pairs of aligned files, then you select all of them on both sides and then launch with the Open With -> Compare multiple files.

Answer 2

Beyond Compare doesn't provide a way to open all selected files in tabs from the Folder Compare.

Alternative workflow:

1. Edit > Expand All.
2. Double click to view the first pair of different files.
3. Use the Search > Next Difference Files (Control + M) and Search > Previous Difference Files (Shift + Control + M) to cycle through files.

The default settings only cycle through files in the current subfolder, to make it cycle through all subfolders:

1. Open Tools > Options (Windows, Linux) or Beyond Compare > Preferences (macOS).
2. Go to the Next Difference section.
3. Uncheck Limit "Next Difference Files" to current folder.

Answer 3

CTRL + A to select all files, then right click on mouse and select "Compare Content" , select "Binary compare" and select "Show result dialog", it will compare all files and popup will show details.