compare file utility

I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

An old utility named COMPARE.EXE does but it doesn't recognize
long-file-names.

This will be used on Win 98 and earlier.

Thanks for any help. Google didn't.

Jack

wrote:
I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

An old utility named COMPARE.EXE does but it doesn't recognize
long-file-names.

This will be used on Win 98 and earlier.

Thanks for any help. Google didn't.

Jack


Ok, perhaps it might help if you further define what this is needed
for, such as for general files, data style files, or ALL filetypes;
whether for a return to some VB, or other internal scripting; or just
perhaps generally into a common text like file; or does it return this
to some special application you are developing, if so, what are you using?

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org/ref/windows-main.htm
Windows Info, Diagnostics, Security, Networking
http://peoplescounsel.org
The "real world" of Law, Justice, and Government
___---

wrote:
I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

An old utility named COMPARE.EXE does but it doesn't recognize
long-file-names.

This will be used on Win 98 and earlier.

Thanks for any help. Google didn't.

Jack


Ok, perhaps it might help if you further define what this is needed
for, such as for general files, data style files, or ALL filetypes;
whether for a return to some VB, or other internal scripting; or just
perhaps generally into a common text like file; or does it return this
to some special application you are developing, if so, what are you using?

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org/ref/windows-main.htm
Windows Info, Diagnostics, Security, Networking
http://peoplescounsel.org
The "real world" of Law, Justice, and Government
___---

wrote in message ...

I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

You could pipe the FC output to FIND and use the resulting string to produce
a FIND errorlevel. Example:

@echo off
fc /b foo.txt bar.txt|find /i "no differences"nul
if errorlevel 1 echo no match
if not errorlevel 1 echo match

wrote in message ...

I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

You could pipe the FC output to FIND and use the resulting string to produce
a FIND errorlevel. Example:

@echo off
fc /b foo.txt bar.txt|find /i "no differences"nul
if errorlevel 1 echo no match
if not errorlevel 1 echo match

On Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:56:25 -0400, MEB wrote:

wrote:
I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.
Win 98 FC doesn't do that.
An old utility named COMPARE.EXE does but it doesn't recognize
long-file-names.
This will be used on Win 98 and earlier.
Thanks for any help. Google didn't.
Jack

Ok, perhaps it might help if you further define what this is needed
for, such as for general files, data style files, or ALL filetypes;
whether for a return to some VB, or other internal scripting; or just
perhaps generally into a common text like file; or does it return this
to some special application you are developing, if so, what are you using?

From time to time I copy hundreds or thousands of files within one machine
and/or between machines.

I wrote a program (I'm a professional programmer, retired) to generate a
batch file from a DIR command file that, for each file to be compared, it
runs the compare program and then tests the errorlevel for whatever values
the compare program sets. It works great on XP by using FC but I spend most
of my time on a few Win98 machines. FC on a Win98 machine chokes on
errorlevels.

Therefore, my request just involves a "make life easy" part of my
programming life.

Thanks for asking.

I'm not interested at the present time in upgrading Windows.

Jack

On Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:56:25 -0400, MEB wrote:

wrote:
I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.
Win 98 FC doesn't do that.
An old utility named COMPARE.EXE does but it doesn't recognize
long-file-names.
This will be used on Win 98 and earlier.
Thanks for any help. Google didn't.
Jack

Ok, perhaps it might help if you further define what this is needed
for, such as for general files, data style files, or ALL filetypes;
whether for a return to some VB, or other internal scripting; or just
perhaps generally into a common text like file; or does it return this
to some special application you are developing, if so, what are you using?

From time to time I copy hundreds or thousands of files within one machine
and/or between machines.

I wrote a program (I'm a professional programmer, retired) to generate a
batch file from a DIR command file that, for each file to be compared, it
runs the compare program and then tests the errorlevel for whatever values
the compare program sets. It works great on XP by using FC but I spend most
of my time on a few Win98 machines. FC on a Win98 machine chokes on
errorlevels.

Therefore, my request just involves a "make life easy" part of my
programming life.

Thanks for asking.

I'm not interested at the present time in upgrading Windows.

Jack

On Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:57:33 -0400, "Bill Blanton"
wrote:

wrote in message ...

I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

You could pipe the FC output to FIND and use the resulting string to produce
a FIND errorlevel. Example:

@echo off
fc /b foo.txt bar.txt|find /i "no differences"nul
if errorlevel 1 echo no match
if not errorlevel 1 echo match

--------------------------------------------------------------------

That looks very good. I will try it.

Thanks very much.

Jack

On Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:57:33 -0400, "Bill Blanton"
wrote:

wrote in message ...

I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.

Win 98 FC doesn't do that.

You could pipe the FC output to FIND and use the resulting string to produce
a FIND errorlevel. Example:

@echo off
fc /b foo.txt bar.txt|find /i "no differences"nul
if errorlevel 1 echo no match
if not errorlevel 1 echo match

--------------------------------------------------------------------

That looks very good. I will try it.

Thanks very much.

Jack

wrote:
On Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:56:25 -0400, MEB wrote:

wrote:
I'm looking for a compare program similar to Win FC. The program must
return an ERRORLEVEL at the end.
Win 98 FC doesn't do that.
An old utility named COMPARE.EXE does but it doesn't recognize
long-file-names.
This will be used on Win 98 and earlier.
Thanks for any help. Google didn't.
Jack
Ok, perhaps it might help if you further define what this is needed
for, such as for general files, data style files, or ALL filetypes;
whether for a return to some VB, or other internal scripting; or just
perhaps generally into a common text like file; or does it return this
to some special application you are developing, if so, what are you using?

From time to time I copy hundreds or thousands of files within one machine
and/or between machines.

I wrote a program (I'm a professional programmer, retired) to generate a
batch file from a DIR command file that, for each file to be compared, it
runs the compare program and then tests the errorlevel for whatever values
the compare program sets. It works great on XP by using FC but I spend most
of my time on a few Win98 machines. FC on a Win98 machine chokes on
errorlevels.

Therefore, my request just involves a "make life easy" part of my
programming life.

Thanks for asking.

I'm not interested at the present time in upgrading Windows.

Jack


It looks like Bill may have what you need, however, if there is still
difficulty you might be able to use one of the long file name utilities
[TSR style, OD] in conjunction with your batch.

Since you're a programmer, these may or may not be valuable:
VB styled might look similar to this, as modified to your needs:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320346

C would look similar to this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320348

DOS or DOS Box would require you extend and return long file names
WITHIN quotes - somecommand{directive}"C:\this is a long\file
name\example" though some tools/commands will still reject this format.

IF, however, you are comparing files and only copying those changed or
missing, Briefcase, or some of the other like programs may better suit
your needs.

The freecountry has several files and libraries related to file
comparison available:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/progra...mparison.shtml

--
MEB
http://peoplescounsel.org/ref/windows-main.htm
Windows Info, Diagnostics, Security, Networking
http://peoplescounsel.org
The "real world" of Law, Justice, and Government
___---