Detect Renamed Files

A directory comparison normally pairs files by name. A file that was renamed or moved to another folder therefore appears as two unrelated rows: a single file on the left side and another single file on the right. With Detect renamed files enabled (the default), Diffoniq tries to pair such leftover single files:

• Moved files — a file with exactly the same name in a different folder is paired. If several candidates exist, folders that already exchanged other files are preferred, then a candidate of equal size; an unresolvable tie stays unpaired. Folders whose contents moved together are paired as well.
• Renamed files — within the same folder, files with sufficiently similar names (roughly two thirds of the name unchanged) are paired; equal file size strengthens the match.

A detected pair is displayed on one row with the old and the new name side by side, and the changed part of the name is highlighted. The contents are still compared as usual: if they are identical, the row counts as equal and only the name (or folder) column differs — the classic “only the path changed” look. Different contents are shown as a normal difference.

The option is the “Detect renamed files” checkbox in the Directory Comparison Options dialog. Disabling it restores the plain name-only matching.

↑ Directory Comparison Options