Litera Compare

Command Line
Comparisons
April 2025
Table Of Contents
Introducing command line comparisons ................................................................................ 1
Running comparisons using lcp_auto.exe ............................................................................. 1
Supported file types .......................................................................................................................... 1
Comparison styles file extensions .................................................................................................. 2
Run the command line ..................................................................................................................... 2
Exit codes .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Examples ........................................................................................................................................... 3
Running comparisons using individual executables ............................................................ 4
lcp_main.exe for Compare for Word ............................................................................................... 4
lcp_ppt.exe for Compare for PowerPoint ....................................................................................... 6
lcx_main.exe for Compare for Excel ............................................................................................... 6
lcp_pdfcmp.exe for Compare for PDF ............................................................................................ 8
Introducing command line comparisons
There are two ways to use the command line to run Litera Compare comparisons:

• Using lcp_auto.exe

• Using the individual executables for each comparison application:

◦ lcp_main.exe for Compare for Word

◦ lcp_ppt.exe for Compare for PowerPoint

◦ lcx_main.exe for Compare for Excel

◦ lcp_pdfcmp.exe for Compare for PDF

Running comparisons using lcp_auto.exe

lcp_auto.exe is installed automatically in the folder where Litera Compare was installed
(typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Litera\Compare).

Supported file types

The following file types are supported for command line comparison (input and output):

Type of comparison File types supported

Document comparison doc, docx, rtf, pdf, wpd, htm, html

Spreadsheet comparison xls, xlsx, xlsm, xlsb

Presentation comparison ppt, pps, pptx, pptm, ppsx, ppsm

Image comparison png, bmp, jpg, jpeg

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Comparison styles file extensions
Rendering styles created in the Litera Compare desktop application can be used in
conjunction with lcp_auto.exe:

Type of comparison File extension for rendering style files

Document comparison tpx

Spreadsheet comparison tpz

Presentation comparison tpp

Image comparison Not applicable

Run the command line

Litera Compare command line comparisons are run as follows:

{path}\lcp_auto.exe -o {original file with full path} -m {modified file with full path}
{comparison options}

Use the following parameters (either short or long forms are acceptable):

Parameter Parameter Description

(short) (long)

-h --help Show list of available switches.

-o --original The full path and file name of the original document.

-m --modified The full path and file name of the modified document.

-r --redline The full path and file name of the comparison document
(output).

-s --style The full path and file name of the comparison style file. If
a comparison style file is not specified, the built-in default
comparison style is used.

-v --visible Run the comparison in the Litera Compare application

window. (-redline parameter will be ignored.)

-e --errors Show error dialog on comparison error.

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Exit codes
The result codes are returned. Refer to the following list for their meanings.

0 Files compared successfully

1 Command line error

2 Comparison error

3 Error loading original file

4 Error loading modified file

5 Different content types of files

6 File format is not supported

7 Result comparison file can’t be created

8 Litera Compare application is not installed

Examples
The following examples illustrate simple ways to use lcp_auto.exe.

Document comparison:

lcp_auto.exe –o “C:\Test.doc” –m “C:\Test.docx” –r “c:\TestRed.docm”

Compare documents in silent mode. When the comparison is finished the redline will be
saved to the destination path, that was passed with “r” parameter.

lcp_auto.exe –o “C:\Test.doc” –m “C:\Test.docx” –r “c:\TestRed.docm” –s “Black.tpx”

Compare documents with the specific comparison style, that was passed with “s” parameter.
When the comparison is finished the redline will be saved to the destination path, that was
passed with “r” parameter.

Presentation comparison:

lcp_auto.exe –o “C:\Test.ppt” –m “C:\Test.pptx” –r “c:\TestRed.pptm”

Compare presentations in silent mode. When the comparison is finished the redline will be
saved to the destination path, that was passed with “r” parameter.

lcp_auto.exe –o “C:\Test.ppt” –m “C:\Test.pptx” –r “c:\TestRed.pptm” –s “Black .tpp”

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Compare presentations with the specific comparison style, that was passed with “s”
parameter. When the comparison is finished the redline will be saved to the destination path,
that was passed with “r” parameter.

Spreadsheet comparison:

lcp_auto.exe –o “C:\Test. xls” –m “C:\Test. xlsx” –r “c:\TestRed. xlsm”

Compare spreadsheets in silent mode. When the comparison is finished the redline will be
saved to the destination path, that was passed with “r” parameter.

lcp_auto.exe –o “C:\Test. xls” –m “C:\Test. xlsx” –r “c:\TestRed. xlsm” –s “Black.tpz”

Compare spreadsheets with the specific comparison style, that was passed with “s”
parameter. When the comparison is finished the redline will be saved to the destination path,
that was passed with “r” parameter.

Running comparisons using individual

executables
The individual executables are installed automatically in the folder where Litera Compare was
installed (typically C:\Program Files (x86)\Litera\Compare).

lcp_main.exe for Compare for Word

Command line syntax

lcp_main.exe -org [original filename] -mod [modified filename] -auto [redline filename]

Command line options

Name Description

-org [filename] The full path and file name of the original document. Include
the file extension in the name.

-mod [filename] The full path and file name of the modified document.
Include the file extension in the name.

-auto [filename] The full path and file name for the redline (comparison)
document. Include the file extension in the name.

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Name Description

-autoredp [filename] The full path and file name for the changed pages only
redline document. The file type will always be PDF so need
to include a file extension.

-autorep [filename] Save a change report after the comparison. Add the full
path for the location and include the extension with the
report file name.

-autoorg [filename] Save the original document with a different extension. Add
the full path for the location and include the extension as a
parameter.

-automod [filename] Save the modified document with a different extension. Add
the full path for the location and include the extension as a
parameter.

-autotrch [filename] Save the redline with tracked changes. Add the full path for
the location and include the extension as a parameter.

-style [stylename] The full path and file name of the comparison style file
to apply to the comparison. Include the file extension in
the name. If the comparison style files are in the default
location, the full path isn’t necessary, just the file name and
extension.

-advanced Run Litera Compare in Advanced mode. When Litera

Compare is run in Advanced mode, the File > Settings panel
includes an additional Advanced section, where specific
troubleshooting options can be configured.

-silent Run Litera Compare in silent mode so no message boxes are

displayed.

-visible Show the Litera Compare main window and display the
redline in it. (By default, the window is hidden and
the redline is saved according to what is set for -auto
[filename].)

-cmp Automatically start the comparison when using the ‑visible

parameter.

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 Name Description

-prop [list of properties] Push comparison properties for Compare object.

-client [application The name of the client application that launches Compare
name] for Word.

lcp_ppt.exe for Compare for PowerPoint

Command line syntax

lcp_ppt.exe -org [original filename] -mod [modified filename] -auto [redline filename]

Command line options

The command line options are the same as those used for lcp_main.exe for Compare for
Word.

lcx_main.exe for Compare for Excel

Batch compare

The application window is minimized and closed after the comparison.

lcx_main.exe -b <original filename> <modified filename> <redline filename>

The command line options are:

Name Description

-b Run a batch comparison. This must be the first parameter.

Silent compare:

The application window is minimized and closed after the comparison.

lcx_main.exe -s -lorg <original filename> -lmod <modified filename> -lres <redline

filename> [-style <style.tpz>] [[-c] -m]

The command line options are:

Name Description

-s Run a silent comparison. This must be the first parameter.

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 Name Description

-lorg [filename] The full path and file name of the original document. Include the
file extension in the name.

-lmod [filename] The full path and file name of the modified document. Include the
file extension in the name.

-lres [filename] The full path and file name for the redline (comparison) document.
Include the file extension in the name.

-style [stylename] The full path and file name of the comparison style file to apply
to the comparison. Include the file extension in the name. If the
comparison style files are in the default location, the full path isn’t
necessary, just the file name and extension.

-c Use Aspose components for the conversion of Excel files to the

old XLS format. It's used only with the '-m' parameter. Chart
comparison will be disabled. If -c parameter is not set, Microsoft
Office Compatibility Pack is used.

-m Run multiple instances of Litera Compare. If not set, every

command line comparison will try to use a running instance of
Litera Compare. If -m is used, a new instance of Litera Compare is
launches for each command line comparison. This must be the last
parameter.

Simple launch

lcx_main.exe -lorg <original filename> -lmod <modified filename>

The command line options are:

Name Description

-lorg [filename] Original file name. Use the full path to the location and
include the extension with the original file name.

-lmod [filename] Modified file name. Use the full path to the location and
include the extension with the modified file name.

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lcp_pdfcmp.exe for Compare for PDF
Command line syntax

lcp_pdfcmp.exe -org [original filename] -mod [modified filename]

Command line options

Name Description

-org [original filename] The full path and file name of the original document.

-mod [modified filename] The full path and file name of the modified document.

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