Compare

Compare uses two images, both have to be loaded first. Settings are stored on image that is currently loaded and displayed in Image Editor. This is the Source image. Image chosen in bDiff > Image panel to compare with will be the Target.

If Target image pixel dimensions are different than Source, Target will be scaled to fit Source.

Set desired settings and click Compare! button or E shortcut while mouse cursor is inside Image Editor.

Difference

Difference Demo

Source Image Target Image
Source and Target images from demonstration above

Absolute difference at pixel level between two images. Pixels that have the same values will be drawn as black. Any difference will show as color. With Threshold you can limit how big the difference need to be to show on screen.

  • Mode - Main image data-block mode setting. Default value can be set automatically. See Preferences for more info.
  • Target - Another Image data-block to compare with.
  • Type - Drawing style.
  • Threshold - Difference threshold, difference values less than threshold are considered equal.
  • Boost - Multiply difference colors to be more visible.
  • Draw - Draw override for this Image data-block.
  • Compare! - Operator to start bDiff Image Data-Block Engine. Image Editor global shortcut to toggle engine is E. If engine is running, becomes Stop button.
  • Render Screen - Render screen image to a PNG file.
  • Refresh - Refresh all images in bDiff Image Data-Block Engine if they have been modified from outside. Image Editor global shortcut is R.

Difference Panel

Map

Map Demo

Source Image Target Image
Source and Target images from demonstration above

Mark areas with different pixel values with solid color. With Threshold you can limit how big the difference need to be to show on screen. Color marking difference can be customized with Color.

  • Mode - Main image data-block mode setting. Default value can be set automatically. See Preferences for more info.
  • Target - another Image data-block to compare with.
  • Type - Drawing style.
  • Threshold - Difference threshold, difference values less than threshold are considered equal.
  • Color - Difference marker color.
  • Draw - Draw override for this Image data-block.
  • Compare! - Operator to start bDiff Image Data-Block Engine. Image Editor global shortcut to toggle engine is E. If engine is running, becomes Stop button.
  • Render Screen - Render screen image to a PNG file.
  • Refresh - Refresh all images in bDiff Image Data-Block Engine if they have been modified from outside. Image Editor global shortcut is R.

Map Panel

Slider

Slider Demo

Source Image Target Image
Source and Target images from demonstration above

Before/after Slider, source image as before, target as after. Comes with interactive tool in Image Editor toolbar that controls dividing line, LMB to set dividing line location and drag to move it. Can be activated with S key while mouse is in Image Editor. will swap Source and Target data-blocks. will swap between showing whole source or whole target image.

  • Mode - Main image data-block mode setting. Default value can be set automatically. See Preferences for more info.
  • Target - another Image data-block to compare with.
  • Type - Drawing style.
  • Factor - Dividing line X location.
  • Animate - Animate to before/after views and set custom animation duration for this data-block.
  • Draw - Draw override for this Image data-block.
  • Compare! - Operator to start bDiff Image Data-Block Engine. Image Editor global shortcut to toggle engine is E. If engine is running, becomes Stop button.
  • Refresh - Refresh all images in bDiff Image Data-Block Engine if they have been modified from outside. Image Editor global shortcut is R.

Slider Panel

Shortcuts

Select tool in toolbar S
Animate/Toggle to show Source A
Animate/Toggle to show Target D
Animate/Toggle to show halfway W

Slider Animation
Animation invoked by shortcuts

Slider tool header

Settings are accessible from tool header as well.

Slider Tool Header

Compare Render Slots

Render Result image will have all its render slots to choose from when used both as Source and Target to compare between slots. If slot has no rendered image, error message will be displayed.

Slots Demo

If Source is different image (e.g. loaded from file), and Target is Render Result, only first slot can be used, other slots will be unavailable.

Blender has shortcuts for cycling through render slots forwards J and backwards ALT + J and to select slot directly 1, 2, 3, etc. Those will work when Render Result is set as source. If Result Result is set also as Target, bDiff adds another set of shortcuts for it. SHIFT + J and SHIFT + ALT + J for cycling and SHIFT + 1, SHIFT + 2, SHIFT + 3, etc. to set slot directly.

Compare Sequences and Movies

If Source image is still image and Target is a file sequence, Blender will not update sequence frame number and will report it as path to 0000.EXT file, regardless of the current frame. If sequence is used as Source, this problem does not occur. If that happens (on screen error about missing file), use button to swap Source and Target data-blocks, so sequence is Source and frame file path is updated on frame change.

Movie can be both Source and Target without issues.