Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > Help: Comparing 2 large folders...

Help: Comparing 2 large folders...
Thread Tools
memory-minus
Senior User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Lost in a "plus" world
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 1, 2005, 06:47 PM
 
I have 2 very large folders each containing hundreds of directories and thousands of files. The folders are exactly alike EXCEPT one of them contains exactly 2 less files than the other. Is there utility or terminal command I can use to compare these two folders and get the names of these 2 rogue files? Thanks!
     
bbales
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: suburban Chicago
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 1, 2005, 07:03 PM
 
There's a "compare folders" application. I've never used it, so I can't comment on how it works; I just know about it. Check on versio tracker.

There may well be another solution, too. This is just an applilcation I've toyed with investigating further. (But obviously, I haven't done so yet.)
     
memory-minus  (op)
Senior User
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Lost in a "plus" world
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 1, 2005, 07:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by bbales
There's a "compare folders" application. I've never used it, so I can't comment on how it works; I just know about it. Check on versio tracker.
LOL Google is my friend. Thanks!
     
Laurence
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Portland, Oregon, United States
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 1, 2005, 09:14 PM
 
you could also do a ls -laR > first.txt and ls -laR >second.txt from the command line in both directories this will create two text files with a directory listing of the corresponding directories. Then use the FileMerge utility (/Developer/Applications/Utilities/FileMerge.app) to compare the two files. The FileMerge application works great for this kind of thing.
--Laurence
     
SLam
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 2, 2005, 01:47 AM
 
You can try the diff command. It's very fast.

Code:
diff -r folder1 folder2
MacBook Pro 15" | 2 GB | 100 GB | 10.5.1stevelam.org
     
   
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:23 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,