Is there a utility to compare folders visually?

Compare Folder has been discontinued!

Like OP MurrayE, I'd prefer a visual utility. Not that command line options aren't fine, but we're looking for the most reliable procedure. And human/operator error is typically the source of errors as you said:

I've been using Linux and Mac a few years now, and still get it wrong sometimes.

Syncing can be very complex; situations/needs vary so different solutions will apply to different folks.

For now I've somewhat inelegantly gone with 2 approaches:

1) for situations where lots of interactivity, checking, diagnosing are required, I much prefer TotalCommander browser launching Sync It! . This is especially useful in letting me break a big problem into parts and syncing smaller subsets of the overall fileset: e.g. where I might have a screwy situation with latest updates on either source or target. Doing this by-hand with an elegant UI is easier for me. I could set up rules for a bidirectional sync (in either Sync It! or ChronoSync) but these are hopefully rare, one-off situations and specifying/testing the rules is not worth the effort. For me, Sync It! visually displays what I've asked it to do, and what actions it will take so clear and elegant fashion I have confidence I'm not making mistakes.

2) for standard cases where I dependably know I need a 1-way or whatever type sync, I will rely more on ChronoSync. Standard "production run" sync profiles can be created, named and saved. ChronoSync is designed for such batch runs, although you can be more exploratory if you wish. Running a trial sync produces only limited visual info. Opening the "Analyze" panel gives better visual depiction of what source & target differences are and what is going to be changed where.

I haven't yet needed ChronoSync's sophisticated timing & triggers for syncing. Kind of wish they'd sell just a manual version for less ;-) I don't mind the price, but it is 1 license per 1 mac. Of course, ChronoSync is clearly less hassle & expense if you don't already need to be running Win virtual machine all the time! If readers are interested in going beyond the 1 month free trial, a short term price break was recently announced:

we are running a secret special on ChronoSync. Get ChronoSync for $10 off the regular price of $40 until July 31, 2013. This offer is not posted anywhere on our website, so you need to click on the link below and the discount code will automatically appear at checkout. Feel free to forward this offer to anyone.

Click here to get ChronoSync for $30 Now

If the link doesn't work use a Jul10Off coupon code. Convinced me to get another copy recently ;-)

I would recommend www.kaleidoscopeapp.com

murrayE,

Wondering if you ever found a solution to your question. I just checked the scootersoftware sight - no luck for a mac version there yet. I sent them an email asking same.

also wondering if you have tried DeltaWalker and if so what you think of it.

Very cool. And only $4!

Behind the scenes, he is using the FreeBSD/Darwin DIFF command - which is an excellent choice. This allows him to focus on GUI layout and features, letting the Unix command do the heavy lifting. Aside from befing fast, the DIFF command is extremely well tested. If you go into Terminal and enter "man diff" you can see the details. At the end of the man-pages it says this version has been around since 2002.

I am making do with Visual Differ until Scooter Software comes to my rescue....

I also check-in my text (source code) files into Subversion. Which is also free, and there are a number of visual clients for MAC that let you compare the version you have now to any past version.

Time Machine might be able to do something simialr too. But TM and SVN are not intended for comparing simialr or synced folders. Its meant for comparing files in one (or more) fodlers against older versions.

Sorry if this has been suggested already, but I use carboncopycloner.app. Does all you have asked (including the convoluted "compare metadata" command if you ask it to.) It'll even destructively merge folders as well...
Deltawalker works well too though it is just a gui ribbon over a couple different command line programs (rdiff and rsync primarily)..

I was able to select certain files for copying in Kaleidoscope 2.0.2. You have to click in the middle pane. Arrows pop out and mark it as selected to go in certain direction. Both directions are possible at once. Therefore I find it adequate for such a task as you describe. Its handling of subfolders isn't perfect, but it is working.

Actually, it does... It's just buried in the settings. Also, to do this sort of a copy takes forever because it literally checks every single checksum of every single file then keeps the older/newer/whatever you tell it to on a third disk. It's especially good for creating a "master" osx install from two separate disks with installs on them.

The problem is you need to know a bit about the innards of the OS and how the 3+ separate files called "library" relate to each other. If you exempt the essential os components and just "compare and copy" the 2+ sources in to one destination, you will end up with no duplicates/ this is especially helpful if you download a lot of torrents or files from the various "0-day" file locker type sites or have multiple libraries of photos some of which have common file names like "dsc001, img006, mov002 etc". A lot of the "file compare" utilities do a "fuzzy" search for matching stuff which does not have a 100% effectiveness rate by necessity. They do this for a variety of reasons most of which have to do with time and user error mitigation.

Anyway, if you can get the hang of CCC it is one of the better utilities around for osx.

Oh and I haven't used kaleidoscope but have read it works rather well. I have used "delta walker" back in the day, and it used to be rather effective but I'm not sure if it's been updated to be able to handle newer versions of osx file system quirks and encryption.

DiffMerge? http://sourcegear.com/diffmerge/#