Tab behaviour on comparisons of files vs folders

[boar24]

Imagine my comparison result is like this:

From the naming, I assume that the files Hartingplatte.JPG and Harting.JPG might be identical, but to make sure, I do a non-horizontal comparison by selecting the menu item as shown in the screenshot:

1. The non-horizontal file comparison of the two files opens in a new tab, which gets focus, so that I can see the comparison result.
2. After checking, I close the tab and are back in the previous tab.
3. I can continue to compare the next similarly named files, and so on.

That's great!

Now, imagine we have to do with folders, rather than with files. My comparison result be like this:

From the naming, I assume that the Folders Docs and Documents might have the same contents, but to make sure, I do a non-horizontal folder comparison by selecting the menu item as shown in the screenshot:

1. The non-horizontal folder comparison opens in the same tab. I can see the comparison result.
2. After checking, I want to continue with the next similarly named folders, but cannot easily. Rather, I will have to select the two parent folders again and repeat the comparison for these.

That's not comfortable.

A) Is there a trick to make the folder comparison open in a new tab that gets focus, so that the current tab is preserved?
B) Is there a reason, why in these cases the comparison of folders behaves differently than that of files?
C) Do you agree that the behaviours should in both cases be like for files?

[sdottaka]

A) Is there a trick to make the folder comparison open in a new tab that gets focus, so that the current tab is preserved?

Holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on the menu item works as you would expect.

B) Is there a reason, why in these cases the comparison of folders behaves differently than that of files?

This is because we want WinMerge to behave in the same way as when double-clicking a subfolder in Explorer.

However, in recent versions, except for the "Compare Non-horizontally" menu, I've changed the behavior to compare in a new tab only when 　enabling 'Include Subfolders' option.

The "Compare Non-horizontally" menu doesn't behave that way simply because I forgot to change it.

C) Do you agree that the behaviours should in both cases be like for files?

I will fix it so that comparisons are made on new tabs only if the 'Include Subfolders' option is enabled.

[boar24]

A) Oh, cool, that works!
B) Ah, got it.
C) Thanks a lot!

[sdottaka]

Fixed in commit 984f068
Thank you for the report.