Keeping multiple versions of an ODT document synchronized can quickly become a headache for developers who need to spot changes and combine edits automatically. Aspose.Words Cloud SDK for .NET makes comparing and merging ODT files programmatically in .NET simple and reliable. This guide walks you through uploading two ODT files to Aspose Cloud storage, generating a diff document, accepting all revisions to produce a merged file, and retrieving the result. You will also see the equivalent REST calls using cURL, and learn how to configure the SDK in your .NET project.

Full Working Example for Comparing and Merging ODT Files Programmatically in .NET

This example demonstrates how to compare two ODT files, generate a revision document, accept all revisions, and download the final merged ODT.

using System;
using System.IO;
using Aspose.Words.Cloud.Sdk;
using Aspose.Words.Cloud.Sdk.Model;
using Aspose.Words.Cloud.Sdk.Model.Requests;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // ==== Set up Aspose.Words Cloud SDK ====
        var clientId = "YOUR_CLIENT_ID";
        var clientSecret = "YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET";

        var config = new Configuration
        {
            ClientId = clientId,
            ClientSecret = clientSecret
        };

        var wordsApi = new WordsApi(config);

        // ==== Define file names and storage folder ====
        string storageFolder = "Documents";
        string originalFile = "original.odt";
        string revisedFile = "revised.odt";
        string compareResultFile = "compareResult.odt";
        string mergedFile = "merged.odt";

        // ==== Upload local ODT files to Aspose Cloud storage ====
        UploadFile(wordsApi, Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, originalFile),
            $"{storageFolder}/{originalFile}");
        UploadFile(wordsApi, Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, revisedFile),
            $"{storageFolder}/{revisedFile}");

        // ==== Perform comparison (diff) ====
        var compareData = new CompareData
        {
            Author = "Comparer",
            CompareOptions = new CompareOptions
            {
                IgnoreCaseChanges = false,
                IgnoreComments = false,
                IgnoreFormatting = false,
                IgnoreHeadersAndFooters = false,
                IgnoreTables = false,
                IgnoreFields = false,
                IgnoreFootnotes = false,
                IgnoreTextboxes = false,
                IgnoreInsertedParagraphs = false,
                IgnoreDeletedParagraphs = false
            },
            FileReference = new FileReference($"{storageFolder}/{revisedFile}")
        };

        var compareRequest = new CompareDocumentRequest(originalFile, compareData, storageFolder);
        wordsApi.CompareDocument(compareRequest);

        // ==== Download the document that now contains revisions (diff result) ====
        var downloadDiff = new DownloadFileRequest($"{storageFolder}/{originalFile}");
        using (var diffStream = wordsApi.DownloadFile(downloadDiff))
        using (var fileStream = File.Create(Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, compareResultFile)))
        {
            diffStream.CopyTo(fileStream);
        }

        // ==== Accept all revisions to produce the merged document ====
        var acceptRequest = new AcceptAllRevisionsRequest(originalFile, storageFolder);
        wordsApi.AcceptAllRevisions(acceptRequest);

        // ==== Download the merged ODT document ====
        var downloadMerged = new DownloadFileRequest($"{storageFolder}/{originalFile}");
        using (var mergedStream = wordsApi.DownloadFile(downloadMerged))
        using (var fileStream = File.Create(Path.Combine(Environment.CurrentDirectory, mergedFile)))
        {
            mergedStream.CopyTo(fileStream);
        }

        // ==== Simple verification ====
        var info = new FileInfo(mergedFile);
        Console.WriteLine($"Merged document saved as '{mergedFile}' (size: {info.Length} bytes).");
    }

    static void UploadFile(WordsApi api, string localPath, string remotePath)
    {
        using (var stream = File.OpenRead(localPath))
        {
            var uploadRequest = new UploadFileRequest(remotePath, stream);
            api.UploadFile(uploadRequest);
        }
    }
}

Note: This code example demonstrates the core functionality. Before using it in your project, make sure to update any file paths and configuration values to match your actual environment, verify that all required dependencies are properly installed, and test thoroughly in your development environment. If you encounter any issues, please refer to the official documentation or reach out to the support team for assistance.

Perform ODT File DIFF and Merge with cURL and the REST API

Below are the equivalent cURL commands that perform the same diff and merge workflow against the Aspose.Words Cloud REST API.

  1. Obtain an access token
    Replace YOUR_CLIENT_ID and YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET with your credentials.
curl -X POST "https://api.aspose.cloud/connect/token" \
     -d "grant_type=client_credentials&client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID&client_secret=YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET"
  1. Upload the original ODT file
curl -X PUT "https://api.aspose.cloud/v4.0/words/storage/file/Documents/original.odt" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" \
     --data-binary "@original.odt"
  1. Upload the revised ODT file
curl -X PUT "https://api.aspose.cloud/v4.0/words/storage/file/Documents/revised.odt" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream" \
     --data-binary "@revised.odt"
  1. Run the compare (diff) operation
curl -X POST "https://api.aspose.cloud/v4.0/words/Documents/original.odt/compare" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
           "author": "Comparer",
           "compareOptions": {
               "ignoreCaseChanges": false,
               "ignoreComments": false,
               "ignoreFormatting": false,
               "ignoreHeadersAndFooters": false,
               "ignoreTables": false,
               "ignoreFields": false,
               "ignoreFootnotes": false,
               "ignoreTextboxes": false,
               "ignoreInsertedParagraphs": false,
               "ignoreDeletedParagraphs": false
           },
           "fileReference": { "href": "Documents/revised.odt" }
         }'
  1. Accept all revisions to create the merged ODT
curl -X POST "https://api.aspose.cloud/v4.0/words/Documents/original.odt/acceptAllRevisions" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
  1. Download the merged ODT document
curl -X GET "https://api.aspose.cloud/v4.0/words/storage/file/Documents/original.odt" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -o merged.odt

For more details on request bodies and additional options, see the official API documentation.

How Comparing and Merging ODT Files Programmatically in .NET Works

The code follows a clear sequence that mirrors the REST workflow described above.

  1. Initialize the API client - new WordsApi(config) creates an authenticated client using the Configuration object that holds your ClientId and ClientSecret.

    var config = new Configuration { ClientId = clientId, ClientSecret = clientSecret };
var wordsApi = new WordsApi(config);

  2. Upload source files - The helper method UploadFile uses UploadFileRequest to send each local ODT file to the cloud storage folder.

    var uploadRequest = new UploadFileRequest(remotePath, stream);
api.UploadFile(uploadRequest);

  3. Create a CompareData object - This object defines the author, comparison options, and a reference to the revised file. It is passed to CompareDocumentRequest.

    var compareData = new CompareData { Author = "Comparer", CompareOptions = new CompareOptions { … }, FileReference = new FileReference($"{storageFolder}/{revisedFile}") };

  4. Execute the compare operation - wordsApi.CompareDocument(compareRequest) sends the request to the service, which adds revision marks to the original document.

    var compareRequest = new CompareDocumentRequest(originalFile, compareData, storageFolder);
wordsApi.CompareDocument(compareRequest);

  5. Accept all revisions - AcceptAllRevisionsRequest tells the service to merge the changes, producing a clean ODT file.

    var acceptRequest = new AcceptAllRevisionsRequest(originalFile, storageFolder);
wordsApi.AcceptAllRevisions(acceptRequest);

Each step corresponds directly to the cURL commands, giving you flexibility to choose between the .NET library and raw HTTP calls.

Installing and Configuring Aspose.Words Cloud SDK for .NET

  1. Add the NuGet package
dotnet add package Aspose.Words-Cloud

  1. Restore packages and build - The SDK works with .NET 6.0 and later. Ensure your project targets a compatible framework.

  2. Configure credentials - Replace the placeholder values in the sample code with the ClientId and ClientSecret you obtain from your Aspose Cloud dashboard.

  3. Download the SDK - You can also download the latest binaries from the official release page: Aspose.Words Cloud SDK for .NET Download.

  4. License for production - For long‑term use, acquire a temporary or permanent license from the temporary license page.

Common Questions

  • How can I compare and merge ODT files programmatically in .NET using Aspose.Words Cloud SDK?
    Use the CompareDocument and AcceptAllRevisions operations provided by Aspose.Words Cloud SDK for .NET. Upload both ODT files, run the compare request, then accept revisions to get the merged result.

  • What authentication method is required for the REST API calls?
    You need a client ID and client secret to obtain an OAuth 2.0 access token. Include the token in the Authorization header of each cURL request.

  • Is there a way to try the SDK before purchasing?
    You can request a temporary license from the temporary license page to evaluate the library during development.

  • Where can I find more examples and detailed API reference?
    Visit the official documentation and the API reference for comprehensive guides and code samples.