visual side by side text comparison tool/routine for use in asp.net app

Question

I am sure a general routine, or library must exists to do this, but I need to be able to show the user a "before" and "after" comparison of two versions of a string/text file.

For example the old visual source safe had a great tool where it show both files and highlighted the adds, deletes and changes.

I don't want to re-invent the wheel, anyone know of a routine in VB or C# that I could use or use as a starting point? If not, is there a general search term for this types of comparisons so that I can search for one myself...not sure what to call it, so have had a hard time google-ing it...

BTW: These will be rendered as HTML in an asp.net app.

-Thanks.

Answer 1

I don't know of a VS plugin, but perhaps you're looking for something like Beyond Compare?

Answer 2

I guess you are looking for a diff algorithm I would read diff and its algorithms. There was another discussion about it on another forum as well.