Scripted Document Differencing
A while back I posted a tip about using the Difference blend mode to compare documents. This method can reveal even the most subtle differences at a glance, but it is rather labor intensive…until now. Kasyan Servetsky, the InDesign scripter who took Find-Change scripting to a new level, has created a script to automate document differencing. It’s called Compare Two Documents, and it takes most of the time and effort out of visual differencing.
The script places all the pages from two documents you choose into a new third document and applies the Difference blend mode. You also get to choose whether differences show up against a white or black background.
Once it’s done, the differences have nowhere to hide.
One tip: make sure your links are up to date before you run the script, since InDesign will ask you if it’s OK to place each page with missing or modified links.
Thanks for another great script, Kasyan!
That is a seriously excellent and simple piece of work. Thanks a lot, Kasyan!
Olaf
And by simple I don’t mean the scripting–I mean how it simplifies a tedious but often necessary task so it’s something I’ll never again postpone or skip.
this script rocks out… it’s for winners!
Nice!!!
In my CS4 I encountered the same bug you’ve described for CS3 : “These open documents have not been saved since they were created, please save them and try again.” — though all the documents actually have been saved.
Anyway, it’s great piece of work! I say, a masterpiece. Thank you!
Nadya-
I think Kasyan has fixed the “save” bug in the latest version of the script (1.4).