File Comparison utility

UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users
1

Hi All,

Can anyone tell good file comaparison utilities used in HPUX.
The file size would be 20 MB approx and number of files would be in thousands
so i am in need of a good utility which can give me the difference

Your help is much appreciated .

2

The choice of compare utility or compare program will depend on many factors:

1) Whether these are unix format ascii text files?
2) Whether both files are already in sorted order?
3) Whether you just want to know whether they are different?
4) Whether one file is considered to be the "master" and you want to know the differences relative to the "master" file?
5) Whether there is always a file of the same name (but in a different directory) to compare with?
6) In summary, what's your input and output requirement?

3

Hi,

Thanks for the response.

-Its going to same filename in different directories.
-The idea is to check and find the differences between two files with the same in different directory
-we are migrating from one application to another applciation so want to compare the output generated by both applications and find out if there is any difference
-Files are not going to be sorted

In summary I have 2 files with the same name in different directories and i want to compare the difference between the 2 files

4

Hi.

On:

OS, ker|rel, machine: HP-UX, B.11.11, 9000/712
Distribution        : GenericSysName [HP Release B.11.11] (see /etc/issue)

I found dircmp, which is a fairly common *nix utility:

 NAME
      dircmp - directory comparison
 DESCRIPTION
      dircmp examines dir1 and dir2 and generates various tabulated
      information about the contents of the directories.  Sorted listings of
      files that are unique to each directory are generated for all the
      options.  If no option is entered, a sorted list is output indicating
      whether the filenames common to both directories have the same
      contents.

-- excerpt from man dircmp

Best wishes ... cheers, drl

5

Assuming that these files are unix format ascii text files.

If you expect them to be identical, then use "cksum" to produce a list of checksums and compare both lists.
The files are too big for a sensible compare with "diff". You'll probably have to sort both files then use "comm" to find the differences.