# Compare/Patch

The following preferences can be changed on the General > Compare/Patch preference page.

## General Options

Option | Description | Default
--- | --- | ---
Open structure compare automatically | This option controls whether a structure compare is automatically performed whenever a content compare is done. Turn this option off if you don't want to see the structural differences. | On
Show structure compare in Outline view when possible | If this option is on, structure compare will be displayed in the Outline view whenever it is possible. | Off
Ignore white space | This option controls whether or not whitespace change are shown in the compare viewer. Turn this option on if you want to see changes in whitespace. | Off
Automatically save dirty editors before browsing patches | This option controls whether any unsaved changes are automatically saved before a patch is applied. Turn this option on if you want to save changes automatically. | Off
Added/Removed lines | These options control which lines should be counted as added and removed lines when applying a patch. Both options are based on regular expressions. |
Filtered Members | This option allows you to filter members that should be excluded from 'Compare With Each Other'. Note: The names in the list must be separated by a comma. |

## Text Compare Options

Option | Description | Default
--- | --- | ---
Synchronize scrolling between panes in compare viewers | The two comparison viewers will "lock scroll" along with one another in order to keep identical and corresponding portions of the code in each pane side-by-side. Turn this option off if you do not want the compare viewers to lock scroll. | On
Initially show ancestor pane | Sometimes you want to compare two versions of a resource with the previous version from which they were both derived. This is called their common ancestor, and it appears in its own comparison pane during a three way compare. Turn this option on if you want the ancestor pane to always appear at the start of a comparison. | Off
Show pseudo conflicts | Displays pseudo conflicts, which occur when two developers make the same change (for example, both add or remove the exact same line of code or comment). Turn this option on if you want pseudo conflicts to appear in compare browsers. | Off
Connect ranges with single line | Controls whether differing ranges are visually connected by a single line or a range delimited by two lines. | On
Highlight individual changes | Controls whether the individual changes inside conflicts are highlighted. | On
Disable capping when comparing large documents | The capping mechanism is used to speed up finding differences in large files. In case where the capping happens the result can either be correct or it can display too many changes, but it never misses any change. Turn this option on, if you prefer a precise result in favour of possibly longer calculation time. | Off
Swap left and right | Controlls wether the Compare editor swaps left and right sides of the display. | Off

When the end/beginning is reached while navigating an element

Use this option to configure what occurs when the end/beginning is reached while navigating an element.

- Prompt: If this option is on and you selected to compare a single element you will be asked whether you want to go to the beginning/end of the element after the end/beginning is reached. If you are comparing two or more elements you will be asked whether you want to go to the beginning/end of the current element or to go to the next/previous element. Moreover, if you choose to remember your decision, this option will be changed to one of the below respectively.
- Got to the beginning/end of the element: When this option is on, the selection will be moved back to the beginning/end after you reach the end/beginning of an element.
- Go to the next/previous element: If you are comparing two or more elements and this option is on after you reach the end/beginning of an element the next/previous element will be opened.
- Do nothing: If this option is on, nothing will be done when the end/beginning is reached.

Prompt

### Related Reference

Compare Editor