Compare three or more Word documents (*.docx)












0















I've seen multiple questions and answers for how to compare two Word documents, and I've seen some questions and answers for how to compare three or more raw text files, but I'm struggling to find a method to compare three or more Word documents.



I don't need the formatting compared, and I don't mind if I can't edit them or merge them, but I would like to be able to see the files' differences highlighted. I know I can copy the text into text files and use that in raw-text-only diff tools, but some of the Word docs I need to compare are quite large.










share|improve this question

























  • What version of Word are you using?

    – Rich Michaels
    Oct 6 '18 at 16:26











  • @RichMichaels I'm using Word 2010.

    – zarose
    Oct 7 '18 at 1:46
















0















I've seen multiple questions and answers for how to compare two Word documents, and I've seen some questions and answers for how to compare three or more raw text files, but I'm struggling to find a method to compare three or more Word documents.



I don't need the formatting compared, and I don't mind if I can't edit them or merge them, but I would like to be able to see the files' differences highlighted. I know I can copy the text into text files and use that in raw-text-only diff tools, but some of the Word docs I need to compare are quite large.










share|improve this question

























  • What version of Word are you using?

    – Rich Michaels
    Oct 6 '18 at 16:26











  • @RichMichaels I'm using Word 2010.

    – zarose
    Oct 7 '18 at 1:46














0












0








0


1






I've seen multiple questions and answers for how to compare two Word documents, and I've seen some questions and answers for how to compare three or more raw text files, but I'm struggling to find a method to compare three or more Word documents.



I don't need the formatting compared, and I don't mind if I can't edit them or merge them, but I would like to be able to see the files' differences highlighted. I know I can copy the text into text files and use that in raw-text-only diff tools, but some of the Word docs I need to compare are quite large.










share|improve this question
















I've seen multiple questions and answers for how to compare two Word documents, and I've seen some questions and answers for how to compare three or more raw text files, but I'm struggling to find a method to compare three or more Word documents.



I don't need the formatting compared, and I don't mind if I can't edit them or merge them, but I would like to be able to see the files' differences highlighted. I know I can copy the text into text files and use that in raw-text-only diff tools, but some of the Word docs I need to compare are quite large.







microsoft-word microsoft-word-2010 diff comparison file-comparison






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share|improve this question













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share|improve this question








edited Oct 7 '18 at 1:46







zarose

















asked Oct 5 '18 at 21:47









zarosezarose

196213




196213













  • What version of Word are you using?

    – Rich Michaels
    Oct 6 '18 at 16:26











  • @RichMichaels I'm using Word 2010.

    – zarose
    Oct 7 '18 at 1:46



















  • What version of Word are you using?

    – Rich Michaels
    Oct 6 '18 at 16:26











  • @RichMichaels I'm using Word 2010.

    – zarose
    Oct 7 '18 at 1:46

















What version of Word are you using?

– Rich Michaels
Oct 6 '18 at 16:26





What version of Word are you using?

– Rich Michaels
Oct 6 '18 at 16:26













@RichMichaels I'm using Word 2010.

– zarose
Oct 7 '18 at 1:46





@RichMichaels I'm using Word 2010.

– zarose
Oct 7 '18 at 1:46










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















0














There is not a way that I know of to compare more than two documents at a time, onscreen side by side.



If you have multiple revision documents you can combine them into one new document, but you probably are already aware of that feature.



If you have multiple revision documents and you want to "automate" the process a bit to cut down on some of the manual input you have to do, you can use a macro like the one below.



Sub CompareDocs()
Dim doc As word.Document, iDoc As word.Document, rDoc As word.Document
Dim selFiles() As String, strFolderPath As String
Dim Sep As String, i As Long
On Error GoTo errHandler

Sep = Application.PathSeparator
Set doc = ActiveDocument
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
.Title = "Select the files to compare to your source document"
.InitialFileName = curDir
.AllowMultiSelect = True
If .Show = 0 Then
Exit Sub
End If
ReDim Preserve selFiles(.SelectedItems.Count - 1)
strFolderPath = Left(.SelectedItems(1), InStrRev(.SelectedItems(1), Sep))
For i = 0 To .SelectedItems.Count - 1
selFiles(i) = .SelectedItems(i + 1)
Next
End With
For i = 0 To UBound(selFiles)
Set iDoc = Documents.Open(selFiles(i))
Set rDoc = Application.CompareDocuments(OriginalDocument:=doc, RevisedDocument:=iDoc, _
CompareFormatting:=False, CompareComments:=False)
rDoc.SaveAs2 strFolderPath & "Compared_" & iDoc.Name
rDoc.Close
iDoc.Close
Next
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
MsgBox "Document Compares Complete"
Exit Sub
errHandler:
MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Compare Docs"
Err.Clear
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub





share|improve this answer































    0














    The software http://winmerge.org/ has the option to do a 3-way File Comparison.
    Link to screenshot.



    There are some Plugins available that might help you with the Word part of your question.



    However, comparing text is probably most performant.






    share|improve this answer























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      2 Answers
      2






      active

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      2 Answers
      2






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      0














      There is not a way that I know of to compare more than two documents at a time, onscreen side by side.



      If you have multiple revision documents you can combine them into one new document, but you probably are already aware of that feature.



      If you have multiple revision documents and you want to "automate" the process a bit to cut down on some of the manual input you have to do, you can use a macro like the one below.



      Sub CompareDocs()
      Dim doc As word.Document, iDoc As word.Document, rDoc As word.Document
      Dim selFiles() As String, strFolderPath As String
      Dim Sep As String, i As Long
      On Error GoTo errHandler

      Sep = Application.PathSeparator
      Set doc = ActiveDocument
      Application.ScreenUpdating = False
      With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
      .Title = "Select the files to compare to your source document"
      .InitialFileName = curDir
      .AllowMultiSelect = True
      If .Show = 0 Then
      Exit Sub
      End If
      ReDim Preserve selFiles(.SelectedItems.Count - 1)
      strFolderPath = Left(.SelectedItems(1), InStrRev(.SelectedItems(1), Sep))
      For i = 0 To .SelectedItems.Count - 1
      selFiles(i) = .SelectedItems(i + 1)
      Next
      End With
      For i = 0 To UBound(selFiles)
      Set iDoc = Documents.Open(selFiles(i))
      Set rDoc = Application.CompareDocuments(OriginalDocument:=doc, RevisedDocument:=iDoc, _
      CompareFormatting:=False, CompareComments:=False)
      rDoc.SaveAs2 strFolderPath & "Compared_" & iDoc.Name
      rDoc.Close
      iDoc.Close
      Next
      Application.ScreenUpdating = True
      MsgBox "Document Compares Complete"
      Exit Sub
      errHandler:
      MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Compare Docs"
      Err.Clear
      Application.ScreenUpdating = True
      End Sub





      share|improve this answer




























        0














        There is not a way that I know of to compare more than two documents at a time, onscreen side by side.



        If you have multiple revision documents you can combine them into one new document, but you probably are already aware of that feature.



        If you have multiple revision documents and you want to "automate" the process a bit to cut down on some of the manual input you have to do, you can use a macro like the one below.



        Sub CompareDocs()
        Dim doc As word.Document, iDoc As word.Document, rDoc As word.Document
        Dim selFiles() As String, strFolderPath As String
        Dim Sep As String, i As Long
        On Error GoTo errHandler

        Sep = Application.PathSeparator
        Set doc = ActiveDocument
        Application.ScreenUpdating = False
        With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
        .Title = "Select the files to compare to your source document"
        .InitialFileName = curDir
        .AllowMultiSelect = True
        If .Show = 0 Then
        Exit Sub
        End If
        ReDim Preserve selFiles(.SelectedItems.Count - 1)
        strFolderPath = Left(.SelectedItems(1), InStrRev(.SelectedItems(1), Sep))
        For i = 0 To .SelectedItems.Count - 1
        selFiles(i) = .SelectedItems(i + 1)
        Next
        End With
        For i = 0 To UBound(selFiles)
        Set iDoc = Documents.Open(selFiles(i))
        Set rDoc = Application.CompareDocuments(OriginalDocument:=doc, RevisedDocument:=iDoc, _
        CompareFormatting:=False, CompareComments:=False)
        rDoc.SaveAs2 strFolderPath & "Compared_" & iDoc.Name
        rDoc.Close
        iDoc.Close
        Next
        Application.ScreenUpdating = True
        MsgBox "Document Compares Complete"
        Exit Sub
        errHandler:
        MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Compare Docs"
        Err.Clear
        Application.ScreenUpdating = True
        End Sub





        share|improve this answer


























          0












          0








          0







          There is not a way that I know of to compare more than two documents at a time, onscreen side by side.



          If you have multiple revision documents you can combine them into one new document, but you probably are already aware of that feature.



          If you have multiple revision documents and you want to "automate" the process a bit to cut down on some of the manual input you have to do, you can use a macro like the one below.



          Sub CompareDocs()
          Dim doc As word.Document, iDoc As word.Document, rDoc As word.Document
          Dim selFiles() As String, strFolderPath As String
          Dim Sep As String, i As Long
          On Error GoTo errHandler

          Sep = Application.PathSeparator
          Set doc = ActiveDocument
          Application.ScreenUpdating = False
          With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
          .Title = "Select the files to compare to your source document"
          .InitialFileName = curDir
          .AllowMultiSelect = True
          If .Show = 0 Then
          Exit Sub
          End If
          ReDim Preserve selFiles(.SelectedItems.Count - 1)
          strFolderPath = Left(.SelectedItems(1), InStrRev(.SelectedItems(1), Sep))
          For i = 0 To .SelectedItems.Count - 1
          selFiles(i) = .SelectedItems(i + 1)
          Next
          End With
          For i = 0 To UBound(selFiles)
          Set iDoc = Documents.Open(selFiles(i))
          Set rDoc = Application.CompareDocuments(OriginalDocument:=doc, RevisedDocument:=iDoc, _
          CompareFormatting:=False, CompareComments:=False)
          rDoc.SaveAs2 strFolderPath & "Compared_" & iDoc.Name
          rDoc.Close
          iDoc.Close
          Next
          Application.ScreenUpdating = True
          MsgBox "Document Compares Complete"
          Exit Sub
          errHandler:
          MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Compare Docs"
          Err.Clear
          Application.ScreenUpdating = True
          End Sub





          share|improve this answer













          There is not a way that I know of to compare more than two documents at a time, onscreen side by side.



          If you have multiple revision documents you can combine them into one new document, but you probably are already aware of that feature.



          If you have multiple revision documents and you want to "automate" the process a bit to cut down on some of the manual input you have to do, you can use a macro like the one below.



          Sub CompareDocs()
          Dim doc As word.Document, iDoc As word.Document, rDoc As word.Document
          Dim selFiles() As String, strFolderPath As String
          Dim Sep As String, i As Long
          On Error GoTo errHandler

          Sep = Application.PathSeparator
          Set doc = ActiveDocument
          Application.ScreenUpdating = False
          With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
          .Title = "Select the files to compare to your source document"
          .InitialFileName = curDir
          .AllowMultiSelect = True
          If .Show = 0 Then
          Exit Sub
          End If
          ReDim Preserve selFiles(.SelectedItems.Count - 1)
          strFolderPath = Left(.SelectedItems(1), InStrRev(.SelectedItems(1), Sep))
          For i = 0 To .SelectedItems.Count - 1
          selFiles(i) = .SelectedItems(i + 1)
          Next
          End With
          For i = 0 To UBound(selFiles)
          Set iDoc = Documents.Open(selFiles(i))
          Set rDoc = Application.CompareDocuments(OriginalDocument:=doc, RevisedDocument:=iDoc, _
          CompareFormatting:=False, CompareComments:=False)
          rDoc.SaveAs2 strFolderPath & "Compared_" & iDoc.Name
          rDoc.Close
          iDoc.Close
          Next
          Application.ScreenUpdating = True
          MsgBox "Document Compares Complete"
          Exit Sub
          errHandler:
          MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Compare Docs"
          Err.Clear
          Application.ScreenUpdating = True
          End Sub






          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered Oct 8 '18 at 12:16









          Rich MichaelsRich Michaels

          1,2812210




          1,2812210

























              0














              The software http://winmerge.org/ has the option to do a 3-way File Comparison.
              Link to screenshot.



              There are some Plugins available that might help you with the Word part of your question.



              However, comparing text is probably most performant.






              share|improve this answer




























                0














                The software http://winmerge.org/ has the option to do a 3-way File Comparison.
                Link to screenshot.



                There are some Plugins available that might help you with the Word part of your question.



                However, comparing text is probably most performant.






                share|improve this answer


























                  0












                  0








                  0







                  The software http://winmerge.org/ has the option to do a 3-way File Comparison.
                  Link to screenshot.



                  There are some Plugins available that might help you with the Word part of your question.



                  However, comparing text is probably most performant.






                  share|improve this answer













                  The software http://winmerge.org/ has the option to do a 3-way File Comparison.
                  Link to screenshot.



                  There are some Plugins available that might help you with the Word part of your question.



                  However, comparing text is probably most performant.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered Feb 20 at 4:33









                  sebseb

                  1861211




                  1861211






























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