How to run external tool to add Diff compare or Hex Edit support

[Stefan]

Update to  External Tools: Idea collecting thread--Reply #8 on: 20 February 2009


HippoEDIT 1.42 Beta Version 622:

New. Added OpenFiles and OpenFilesInteractive template tags.
OpenFiles inserts list of open file pathes,
OpenFilesInteractive does the same but brings dialog with list of open files where you can adjust list by selecting/deselecting items

WOW 

Now we are able
to add tools  (which can handle command line arguments/parameters)
to HippoEDIT tools menu
and pass this tool     one        or more        or all open files     as parameter.

This way we can add diff and hex support  and more  to HippoEDIT
(there are many freeware tools, if you find nothing ... just ask)

If you would edit one or another file and came back to HippoEDIT,
HippoEDIT will prompt you that the file is modified external.

To your aid you may take an look on this picture to understand better how to add an tool:
   

[Stefan]

For example use >Universal Viewer< with HippoEDIT

- download  "Universal Viewer"  as Freeware and portable version => http://www.uvviewsoft.com/download.htm

- unpack the downloaded ZIP
- copy the whole folder "UniversalViewerFreePortable"  in HippoEDIT folder (or wherever  you want,
i have an TOOLs folder inside the HE folder)

- go to   HippoEDIT "Tools > Manage Tools" and add an tool (see picture)
- (read the Universal Viewer Help file to customize this tool,  i add '/Mode=3'  to open the file in hex mode)

.

[Stefan]

Or take an look at Total Commanders  stand alone Lister.exe ==> http://www.ghisler.com/lister/

- Download  "32-bit Lister English"

- unpack "lister32.zip"  f.ex. into an sub folder of HippoEDIT

- go to HippoEDIT "Tools > Manage Tools" and add an new tool

- as parameter add   "/I=.\lister.ini   /T3  %FileName%"

This parameters means:

/I=.\lister.ini  is to use an ini-file in folder of Lister.exe  (instead of C:\Windows\wincmd.ini)

/T3  is to start Lister in Hex mode  (read Lister.txt)

%FileName%  is an HippoEDIT parameter to pass the current file to the tool

[Stefan]

There is also View64
http://www.totalcmd.net/plugring/view64.html
http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=87934

and ListXP
http://www.ghisler.ch/wiki/index.php/ListXP
http://digilander.libero.it/karmaproductions/downloads/ListXP_1.01.zip


Here are some links to Hex Editors  ==> http://forum.hippoedit.com/index.php/topic,233.0.html

[Stefan]

For example use >WinMerge< with HippoEDIT

- download  "WinMerge"  (3,5MB)  as Freeware and portable version => http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/winmerge_portable


- double click the downloaded EXE
- "install" to  "C:\temp\WinMergePortable"
- (check the folder "c:\temp\WinMergePortable\App\WinMerge\..."  to delete
unneeded EXE (1MB )
and languages (3MB)
and maybe DLLs  mfc71 *.dll  (2MB)
will save 6MB )

- copy the whole folder "WinMergePortable" (4 or 10MB) in HippoEDIT folder (or wherever  you want,
i have an TOOLs folder inside the HE folder)


- go to   HippoEDIT "Tools > Manage Tools" and add an tool (see picture)

Title: WinMergePortable interactive   (or what YOU like)
Command: E:\a\HippoEDIT\tools\WinMergePortable\WinMergePortable.exe
or
Command: .\tools\WinMergePortable\WinMergePortable.exe    to be portable
Arguments: %OpenFilesInteractive%


(maybe read the c:\temp\WinMergePortable\App\WinMerge\Docs\WinMerge.chm >>  Command line section)


Note you can use all tools who accept command line arguments,
like
BeyondCompare.   $30/$50  http://www.scootersoftware.com/index.php
DiffMerge               Free        http://www.sourcegear.com/diffmerge/
CSDiff                     Free        http://www.componentsoftware.com/products/csdiff/
ExamDiff                Free/$35 http://www.prestosoft.com/edp_examdiff.asp
Just check there help.

F.ex. you could use ExamDiff from http://www.prestosoft.com/ps.asp?page=edp_examdiff
There is no edit function, it's NOT portable, but its only an 300kB EXE