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I would like to be able to compare files or directories by multiple-selecting them and then right clicking (for example, if there was a "compare" option in the context menu).

On Ubuntu with Nautilus, I would install the package nautilus-compare. How can I get this ability in Xubuntu? (in Thunar in Xubuntu - I don't mean by installing Nautilus)

The comparison program I use is meld, but a general answer would be most useful.

Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy
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Eyal
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3 Answers3

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The accepted answer is very close, but not entirely correct.

In order to compare multiple files / directories, create a new Action with the following command:

meld %F

Only using "meld %f" will only allow you to open one object in meld.

See attached screenshots for an example.

Basic Action Seetings

Action Appearance Conditions

I would have made this a comment, but I am not yet allowed to do so.

Dawodo
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Apparently, Thunar makes it easy to do this. It has something called "custom actions". An answer to this question about customizing context menus in Thunar contains a tutorial of how to do this.

I added a new custom action called "Compare" by going to edit->configure custom actions. For using meld, like I wanted, I used the command meld %f, and in the "Appearance Conditions" tab, I chose text files and directories.

Community
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Eyal
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I'm an xubuntu user but not a Thunar user. As you may have noticed it isn't brimming with features. Sometimes light can be TOO light.

My solution to disliking Thunar is to use Dolphin, which is a KDE app and my favorite file manager, hands down. Installing it pulls in a shedload of KDE dependencies but that doesn't bug me.

You could just try installing nautilus. If doing a web search on "xfce thunar compare files" or something similar I yielded nothing I'd definitely do it.

user138156
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