Dev : Skipping CVS Folder In WinMerge

WinMerge is quite a powerful tool to compare text document and folders, and I am currently using WinMerge 2.4 for quite some time. Comparing folders content couldn't be easier.

But when it comes to comparing development folders with CVS, it could mean just one thing, a hell lot of files. If you have 100 subfolders, then you will see 200 CVS folders, and 200x6=1200 CVS config files. Add on with your original files, you could end up with 2000-3000 files at least.

So what other alternatives do I have to reduce the file compared and viewed? Yes you do. Firstly, use the WinMerge to compare 2 simple folder. After doing that, clickView. Uncheck "Show Identical Files" and "Show Skipped Files". Other than this, I have no idea how to show this menu without comparing anything, it wont even show if just comparing a file.

You wouldn't want to view identical files if you are to use WinMerge in the first place right?

Unchecking the "Show Skipped Files" need you to actually do this second step. Else, it will not take effect on anything. The second step is to create a filter. Click Open and a small window will appear as below.

Click Select beside the filter dropdown, and another window will appear to let you create your own filter. Click New. It will prompt you to choose whether the new filter will be used personally or share. Anyone will do. It doesn't matter. Create a new filter file name called "CVS Filter", and inside the filter file, edit it to look something like this (most importantly is the bolded part) :

## This is a directory/file filter template for WinMerge
name: CVS Filter
desc: CVS Filter

## Select if filter is inclusive or exclusive
## Inclusive (loose) filter lets through all items not matching rules
## Exclusive filter lets through only items that match to rule
## include or exclude
def: include

## Filters for filenames begin with f:
## Filters for directories begin with d:
## (Inline comments begin with " ##" and extend to the end of the line)

d: \\CVS$ ## CVS

Save it and there you go. Your new CVS filter is ready to be used with the unchecked of "Show Skipped Files".

Now, you will only see those files you really wish to see.