Solved Need app to compare 2 text documents and delete duplicates

JAK · Mar 23, 2026

Need an app to compare 2 text documents and delete duplicates.
Used note ++ to create 2 'Docs' one with current list of my music titles, DOC1 the other DOC2 with a list of new to be added. Not ++ dies have compare and compare + plugins, but only highlights duplicates, although doesn't seem easy to understand. Hoped for away to delete the duplicates on DOC2 to leave only the different music titles.
Unless there's a better App to achieve this. Searching gives a multitude of online options, which I'm not comfortable with.

Thank you

Edwin · Mar 23, 2026

JAK said:
Hoped for away to delete the duplicates on DOC2 to leave only the different music titles.

Edit/Line Operations/Remove Duplicate Lines

billmcct · Mar 23, 2026

I use ExamDiff works very well.

ExamDiff - The freeware visual file compare tool

prestosoft.com

billmcct · Mar 23, 2026

It would be easier if you use EditPad text editor.
You can then just add the entries in doc2 to doc1 open it in EditPad then
on the extra tab at the top select sort alphabetically and then use delete duplicate lines.

Windows Text Editor Free Download

www.editpadlite.com

KevTech · Mar 23, 2026

I use WinMerge to compare files.

JAK · Mar 23, 2026

Re ExamDiff free, will this compare 2 files and also auto delete all duplicates from one (user choice) of the files.

Edwin · Mar 23, 2026

Notepad++

Blue: Moved line.
Green: Added line (exists only in the new file).
Red: Deleted/Removed line (exists only in the old file).
Orange/Yellow: Changed/Modified line (same line, different content).

jimbo45 · Mar 23, 2026

@Edwin
good answer - other solutions available too.

With Linux - easy enough even in command line -- just use diff or even easier the comm command !!!
However if you want a gui with a wysiwyg type of application.
Even from a VM -- 7 ways to compare text files on Linux

For Windows - not sure but doesn't Office (Word) etc have some type of file compare if you have Office. LibreOffice (Free) has some sort of comparison if you don't have Ms Word. Notepad ++ also does the job as stated by @Edwin

Comparing Versions of a Document

help.libreoffice.org

cheers
jimbo

JAK · Mar 23, 2026

Re notepad ++
Do like this app, especially with the plugins, can't see an option with compare + plugin to delete duplicates, unless I'm missing something.

Edwin · Mar 23, 2026

JAK said:
Re notepad ++
Do like this app, especially with the plugins, can't see an option with compare + plugin to delete duplicates, unless I'm missing something.

Post #2

Edwin · Mar 23, 2026

jimbo45 said:
... doesn't Office (Word) etc have some type of file compare if you have Office.

Yes.

jimbo45 · Mar 23, 2026

Edwin said:
Yes.

Thanks

I like though(again from Linux which I know you use from time to time ) for text files if you use KDE desktop is kdiff3.

KDiff3

A file and folder comparison and merge tool

apps.kde.org

However for most who want only Windows solutions the notepad++ for Windows is probably the best solution for reasonably simple edits and compares.

Cheers
jimbo

Edwin · Mar 23, 2026

jimbo45 said:
... notepad++ for Windows is probably the best solution for reasonably simple edits and compares.

Yup. Word will do it, but it's a convoluted mess!

nostromov · Mar 23, 2026

JAK said:
Re notepad ++
Do like this app, especially with the plugins, can't see an option with compare + plugin to delete duplicates, unless I'm missing something.

Of course "with the plugins", because, how else..

EDIT: "Ported" KDiff3, Windows Binaries, KDE - Experience Freedom!
@

Code:

https://download.kde.org/stable/kdiff3/?C=M;O=D

JAK · Mar 27, 2026

KDiff3 looks good, cant see a way to hide all duplicates, must be easy just cant see it

billmcct · Mar 27, 2026

JAK said:
Re ExamDiff free, will this compare 2 files and also auto delete all duplicates from one (user choice) of the files.

No it wont automatically delete the duplicates.
If you would use EditPad as I mentioned above and merge both files and use the
Extra Tab to sort Alphabetically then use the Extra tab to delete duplicate lines, you will have one file from two.
To do that takes about two minutes.

JAK · Mar 27, 2026

Will give that a try thanks

JAK · Mar 27, 2026

Hi
Just realised that I've not made myself clear.
I have 2 text files

1-original music collection
2-new music

What I actually need is a modified file or list of the new music file, with any tracks that exist in the original file removed.

So if the original file has

-Coldplay yellow
-Elton John Rocket man
-Beatles abbey road
-Beatles Love me do
-Beatles hey Jude
-Monkees daydream believer

And the new music file has

-Beatles abbey road
-Beatles Love me do
-Beatles hey Jude
-Monkees daydream believer
-The move blackberry way

Then the 'modified' new music file would only have

-The move blackberry way

'So that the 'modified' new music file Only has any entries that are Not in the 'original' file

Edwin · Mar 28, 2026

JAK said:
What I actually need is a modified file or list of the new music file, with any tracks that exist in the original file removed.

Kind of hard to hit the nail on the head, but, I think this is as close as we're gonna get:

Vovsoft Compare Two Lists

Intersection shows identical items in both,
Only #1 shows unique items in 1 that are not in 2,
Only #2 shows unique items in 2 that are not in 1

JAK · Mar 30, 2026

Vovsoft compare two lists is the perfect solution
Thank you

Solved Need app to compare 2 text documents and delete duplicates

Active member

My Computer

♦ ♦

My Computers

Active member

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

♦ ♦

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

♦ ♦

My Computers

♦ ♦

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

♦ ♦

My Computers

Member

Attachments

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

Active member

My Computer

♦ ♦

My Computers

Active member

My Computer

Similar threads