The drop-down lists of recently compared files/directories in the ExamDiff Pro Compare dialog are helpful, but sometimes they simply provide too many options when you're trying to recreate a specific comparison.

For instance, suppose that you're trying to rerun a comparison between _test1 and another file, but, looking at the list shown below, you either can't find or simply can't remember the files that you've previously compared _test1 against.

ExamDiff Pro 5.0 will provide a simple option for dealing with situations like this. Simply go to the Options | Global panel and check Only show second items that have already been compared to the first item:

Click OK. Now only the files that previously been compared to _test1 are shown in the second drop-down box in the Compare dialog, making it much easier to rerun a past comparison.

ExamDiff Pro 5.0 will provide a more user-friendly way of sorting columns in directory comparison, by combining sort results from both panes.

The screenshot below shows how ExamDiff Pro's new default sorting behavior will work. Note that, even though it is the left pane that is being sorted by size, two files that are solely in the right pane appear as well, and occupy the correct place in the order given their size.

Combining sort results from both panes, as opposed to only sorting items appearing in one pane, is useful if you're looking for files that match certain criteria in both of the compared directories, as well as providing a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing diff view.

This behavior is controlled by a new option, Combine first and second directory sort results, that is enabled by default and appears in the Options | Dir Comparison panel:

Disabling the option makes ExamDiff Pro revert to the classic sorting behavior for versions 4.5 and under: only items in one pane are sorted, with the leftover items appearing in the end in no specific order (or, more accurately, retaining the previous sort order for these items):