Utilities: Comparing Text/PDF Files, Converting File Types

Hi,

My current job requires me keep on checking a specification document for changes and incorporating the changes in the software.. This is good when the specifcation is spawning over a few 10s of pages.. But still, I didnt wanted to do it manually though... Reading the new specification over and over again and identifying the word changes, however stupid it might be... That was a painful job to do it manually.. I wanted to do this automatically. I wanted a program where I can give the two copies of a document and boom, I should get the differences whatever it is....

So far, I have using a cute little software called WinMerge. It was good. I could compare two text files, compare contents of two folders, I could merge the text files in addition to just reviewing them.. Above all, it is a sourceforge project, which will explain its credibility to most of us. But this time, my challenge was a bit different. I had to deal with PDF files... Since Winmerge didnt support pdf files (well, as of July 2006, it didn't), what I did was copy the text contents of the pdf file to a text file and then again use winmerge. Yeah, I can hear you saying "How Stupid!!". Well, I was not so for long. I realized that there should be a utility to compare pdf files as I did with text files.

I googled it and bingo! I got myself into this, DiffDoc. Well, Its not just for comparing PDF files. It has a big list of utillity softwares for comparing different type of files, converting file types to other types you want. Trust me, you might want to take a look at this beauty of a software...

I tried only 'DiffDoc' from that set for comparing my pdf files. The interface is quite simple and neat and above all, very configurable...That is the part I like the most, Configurable. I dont like to stick to the way that somebody liked. I have my own taste and will want to change the way it looks, if not the way it works. Ok then, why dont you go ahead and take a look at it, while I get some work done...

Chill out!!!

Cheers
Joe

PS: Just in case if you didnt know, Sourceforge offers a big list of softwares that you might want to check out. Find it here.