workflow idiom to compare zip/tgz with folder subtree

[Paul]

I currently take snapshots of selected portions of a folder subtree using
zip files.  Sometimes, I use command-line zip, but other times I'll use the
Windows Compressed Zip folder.  I find myself frequently unzipping the
snapshots into temp folders just so that I can use the unix diff utility
(via cygwin) to see what the differences are with the live folder tree.  Is
there a way to take regular snapshots that I can compare with the live
folder subtree without having to unpack it?  I'm not married to zip. 
However, tar doesn't quite do it.  My vague recollection is that it will
check that the files in a tgz snapshot matches what is in the live folder
subtree, but it won't report what is in the live folder subtree which isn't
in the tgz snapshot.

I've also posted this to:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-files/workflow-idiom-to-compare-ziptgz-with-folder/631c39ae-609d-402f-88ba-2681a836f11e?tm=1442922342392


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