Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope overview
Kaleidoscope spots differences in text and image files.
Features
- General
- Single window workflow: One tab per comparison
- Compare two+ files: Add any number of files per tab
- Always up to date: Auto-refreshes when files change
- File Shelf: Quickly go from file to file
- Path Bar: See where your files are
- Keyboard shortcuts: Every action has a shortcut
- Text Scope
- Supports any text file: Plain text, source code, HTML, etc.
- Clear comparisons
- Three layouts: Blocks, Fluid, and Unified
- Compare documents: Imports text from .doc and .rtf files
- Instant search
- Change Stepper: Quickly jump from change to change
- Highlights: Added, deleted and changed text
- Image Scope
- All popular image file formats: JPEG, TIFF, PNG, PSD and more.
- Four connected layouts: Two-Up, One-Up, Split, and Difference
- Comprehensive image support: RGB/CMYK/LAB, alpha, any size.
- Multi-touch support: Smooth scrolling and pinch to zoom
- Customizable environment: Change background color, difference mask and checkerboard settings
- Two difference mask modes: Spot absolute or relative changes
- Integration
- Git, Mercurial, SVN, and Bazaar: Integrate with a couple of clicks
- Versions
- TextMate SVN
- Cornerstone
- ksdiff Command-line tool: Integrate with practically anything
What’s new in version 3.6.1
Updated on Aug 12 2022
Fixes:
- git difftool/mergetool invoked inside a repository subdirectory.
- ksdiff launched directly out of the application bundle.
Information
App requirements
- Intel 64
- Apple Silicon
- macOS 11.1 or later
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Comments
User Ratings
Jun 17 2020
Version: 2.3
such a shame what happened to this once great app. Ever since Black Pixel acquired the app, development was minimal. Now Black Pixel got acquired from another company, so I don't have much hope that things will improve.
Oct 10 2018
Version: 2.2.2
I paid too money for this app ( version 2.2.2/Sierra): it does'nt work well! It crashes continuosly when I compare folders or big lists of documents. Sometimes only moving a file between the lists of comparison. Why they do not update the app? I do need to compare big amount of simple text or image files (before the backup on NAS) and this app is unuseful. It works well only with single documents, but the price -only for this function- is too high.
Aug 21 2018
Version: 2.2.2
I've been using Kaleidoscope for years and loved it. It's sad that there's hardly any development done.
Aug 17 2017
Version: 2.2.1
These latest calling home "features" are extremely uncool.
May 22 2017
Version: 2.2.0
The 2.2.0 update has the same problem. It's a great app if all you want to do is compare two text files. For anything else, it's a bug ridden, dysfunctional app. You simply cannot compare the contents of two folders on two different drives without the app hanging and/or crashing. The developers are not willing to deal with this problem for months.
Fake reviews about how nice the UI is, and how wonderful it is to compare two images are simply useless. The app does not pass the mustard in the real world. And frankly, you rating the app 5 stars because you can compare 2 files!? That basically means you paid 70 dollars for that single feature a lot of free app does. So your review is basically completely void and makes no sense.
Fake reviews about how nice the UI is, and how wonderful it is to compare two images are simply useless. The app does not pass the mustard in the real world. And frankly, you rating the app 5 stars because you can compare 2 files!? That basically means you paid 70 dollars for that single feature a lot of free app does. So your review is basically completely void and makes no sense.
Apr 13 2017
Version: 2.1.1
Super easy to use, good intuitive interface. Direct integration with visual version control tools, like Tower. Extremely stable and reliable - love it.
Mar 22 2017
Version: 2.1.1
The UI is very nice. However, DO NOT buy this app! Kaleidoscope v2.1.1 is crashing A LOT! I have contacted the developers twice in the past 6 months and they just shrug it off with nonsense replies that "...we are looking into it". Are they "looking" for over 6 months!? The problem is really simple. If you have two drives (say USB) and you want to compare the content of folders on one drive with the contents of another drive (using same folder structure), the first comparison passes, but after that, with each comparison the app will become increasingly unstable and eventually crashes. Who knows, it might even corrupt your drive(s) eventually. Does not worth 70 bucks for an abandoned app!!!
Jul 29 2016
Version: 2.1.1
It looks fairly nice and does have some useful features but the price is just ridiculous. Couple that with the fact Black Pixel seem to have NO interest in developing this and Versions any further (Versions still doesn't even render it's buttons correctly and hasn't done so for some time) I really would not recommend buying this.
Jun 19 2015
Version: 2.1.1
Bought the app a few years ago based on good reviews. It looks better than it’s usefull. There’s hardly any development taking place. I quess Black Pixel just uses it for cashing the sales based on the reputation from the past. Big functionality miss is that you cannot edit the files. It’s an expensive app and I regret buying it. Switched to Deltawalker.
Feb 14 2015
Version: 2.1.0
The MacUpdate format of the above Features is formatted terribly for me. Anyone else seeing this problem: http://cl.ly/image/1G2B3o390O1I
Apr 7 2014
Version: 2.1.0
Looks great, but without inline editing I can't use it. I bought it but use kdiff. It's ugly but has a complete feature set.
Mar 5 2013
Version: 2.0.1
However good this may be, be aware that the direct purchase from the site adds VAT if you're in the UK, making it 20% more expensive than the MAS version. Black Pixel don't mention this in their description of the differences between their and the MAS version.
Jan 21 2013
Version: 2.0.0
Congratulations to Black Pixel for finally getting text merging implemented. This is major news for this app and in my testing it seems to work a treat (haven't tested on larger files yet). Well done.
Because of this, I had no second thoughts buying this app (again), since it's just so damn good looking and pleasant to use.
The one little missing piece for me, is being able to edit text inline (is that what it's called?). I.e. making quick edits in one of the (writable) files would be great for even speedier operation! Technically, that would be all the files that you can merge *to*.
Jan 18 2013
Version: 2.0.0
Could not find which files were supported pre-purchase. I had hoped that PDFs would be, but they're not.
Nice software.
Jun 25 2012
Version: 1.1.6
I downloaded the demo of Kaleidoscope over 30 days ago and the demo no longer works for me since I've gone past the 30 days.
I was in need of some text comparison software on my mac and I went ahead and paid for and downloaded Kaleidoscope. Color me disappointed.
First and foremost, I'm used to Beyond Compare on Windows..which is really one of the best file compare programs out there. Kaleidoscope is missing BASIC merge functionality which makes it worthless to me. In BC one simply has to click a directional arrow to merge a block of text from left to right or right to left. Can't do that with Kaleidoscope! I wish I could get a refund on Kaleidoscope.
Until they add the most basic of functionality to K, I'd hold off on purchasing it.
Nov 29 2011
Version: 1.1.5
N.B. This app is no longer maintained by Sofa. Since Facebook's acquisition of Sofa, Kaleidoscope along with Versions has been transfered to a company called Black Pixel: http://blackpixel.com/
Despite the fact Black Pixel prefer white text on a pitch black background on their website, which is always a bad thing (and might signal bad design choices ahead of Kaleidoscope's path), there could be hope for the app's survival.
Black Pixel: my apologies this comes out a bit like a rant, but if there's one thing the web needs to get rid of, it's such accessibility flaws where I can't read your site due to pain in the eyes and flashing phantom text, caused by high contrast in text/background. This is obviously a bit over-exaggerating, but you might want to consider the fact that you will inherit a userbase that has grown to appreciate Sofa's attention to detail and well-designed outcomes – so as not to cause a void between such expectations and your own presentation.
Nov 2 2011
Version: 1.1.5
I don't care how nice this looks. Bring on some real merging functionality. I would also love to see support for directories.
May 11 2011
Version: 1.1.3
Although I'm a huge mourner when it comes to this app's lack of simple text merging, there is one GREAT feature that's probably often overlooked due to peoples' anger on the missing merge:
The image comparison facility in Kaleidoscope. I find it actually justifies the price, easily. I didn't anticipate it would be so useful, but it really is when you're reaching some 40 design iterations and need to see what went where from file to file. Is the sense of change between files only placebo, or did some small glitch occur somewhere, and so on.
To Sofa: credit for this feature. I really hope the app has diff merging up its sleave next, and that you give it #1 priority – user opinion is __overwhelming__. I recommend you respond to this.
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