mirror of
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/emacs.git
synced 2024-11-24 07:20:37 +00:00
833158c0b7
* lisp/vc/ediff-util.el (ediff-diff-to-diff): With universal prefix, copy all differences. * doc/misc/ediff.texi (Quick Help Commands): Document the new feature. * etc/NEWS: Announce the new feature. (Bug#72866)
2541 lines
106 KiB
Plaintext
2541 lines
106 KiB
Plaintext
\input texinfo @c -*- mode: texinfo; coding: utf-8 -*-
|
|
@c documentation for Ediff
|
|
@c Written by Michael Kifer
|
|
|
|
@comment %**start of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.)
|
|
|
|
@comment Using ediff.info instead of ediff in setfilename breaks DOS.
|
|
@comment @setfilename ediff
|
|
@comment @setfilename ediff.info
|
|
@setfilename ../../info/ediff.info
|
|
|
|
@settitle Ediff User's Manual
|
|
@include docstyle.texi
|
|
@synindex vr cp
|
|
@synindex fn cp
|
|
@synindex pg cp
|
|
@synindex ky cp
|
|
|
|
@iftex
|
|
@finalout
|
|
@end iftex
|
|
@c @smallbook
|
|
@comment %**end of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.)
|
|
|
|
@copying
|
|
This file documents Ediff, a comprehensive visual interface to Unix diff
|
|
and patch utilities.
|
|
|
|
Copyright @copyright{} 1995--2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
|
|
|
|
@quotation
|
|
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
|
|
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
|
|
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
|
|
Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual'',
|
|
and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the license
|
|
is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
|
|
|
|
(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have the freedom to copy and
|
|
modify this GNU manual.''
|
|
@end quotation
|
|
@end copying
|
|
|
|
@dircategory Emacs misc features
|
|
@direntry
|
|
* Ediff: (ediff). A visual interface for comparing and
|
|
merging programs.
|
|
@end direntry
|
|
|
|
@titlepage
|
|
@title Ediff User's Manual
|
|
@sp 4
|
|
@subtitle Ediff version 2.81.6
|
|
@sp 1
|
|
@subtitle November 2008
|
|
@sp 5
|
|
@author Michael Kifer
|
|
@page
|
|
|
|
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
|
|
@insertcopying
|
|
@end titlepage
|
|
|
|
@contents
|
|
|
|
@node Top
|
|
@top Ediff
|
|
|
|
@insertcopying
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Introduction:: About Ediff.
|
|
* Major Entry Points:: How to use Ediff.
|
|
* Session Commands:: Ediff commands used within a session.
|
|
* Registry of Ediff Sessions:: Keeping track of multiple Ediff sessions.
|
|
* Session Groups:: Comparing and merging directories.
|
|
* Remote and Compressed Files:: You may want to know about this.
|
|
* Customization:: How to make Ediff work the way YOU want.
|
|
* Credits:: Thanks to those who helped.
|
|
* GNU Free Documentation License:: The license for this documentation.
|
|
* Index::
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Introduction
|
|
@chapter Introduction
|
|
|
|
@cindex Comparing files and buffers
|
|
@cindex Merging files and buffers
|
|
@cindex Patching files and buffers
|
|
@cindex Finding differences
|
|
|
|
Ediff provides a convenient way for simultaneous browsing through
|
|
the differences between a pair (or a triple) of files or buffers
|
|
(which are called @samp{variants} for our purposes). The
|
|
files being compared, file-A, file-B, and file-C (if applicable) are
|
|
shown in separate windows (side by side, one above the another, or in
|
|
separate frames), and the differences are highlighted as you step
|
|
through them. You can also copy difference regions from one buffer to
|
|
another (and recover old differences if you change your mind).
|
|
|
|
Another powerful feature is the ability to merge a pair of files into a
|
|
third buffer. Merging with an ancestor file, (a.k.a. 3way merges)
|
|
is also supported.
|
|
Furthermore, Ediff is equipped with directory-level capabilities that
|
|
allow the user to conveniently launch browsing or merging sessions on
|
|
groups of files in two (or three) different directories.
|
|
|
|
In addition, Ediff can apply a patch to a file and then let you step through
|
|
both files, the patched and the original one, simultaneously,
|
|
difference-by-difference. You can even apply a patch right out of a mail
|
|
buffer, i.e., patches received by mail don't even have to be saved. Since
|
|
Ediff lets you copy differences between variants, you can, in effect, apply
|
|
patches selectively (i.e., you can copy a difference region from
|
|
@file{file.orig} to @file{file}, thereby undoing any particular patch that
|
|
you don't like).
|
|
|
|
Ediff even understands multi-file patches and can apply them interactively!
|
|
(Ediff can recognize multi-file patches only if they are in the context
|
|
format or GNU unified format. All other patches are treated as 1-file
|
|
patches. Ediff is [hopefully] using the same algorithm as @code{patch} to
|
|
determine which files need to be patched.)
|
|
|
|
Ediff is aware of version control, which lets you compare
|
|
files with their older versions. Ediff also works with remote and
|
|
compressed files, automatically ftp'ing them over and uncompressing them.
|
|
@xref{Remote and Compressed Files}, for details.
|
|
|
|
This package builds upon ideas borrowed from Emerge, and several of Ediff's
|
|
functions are adaptations from Emerge. Although Ediff subsumes and greatly
|
|
extends Emerge, much of the functionality in Ediff is influenced by Emerge.
|
|
The architecture and the interface are, of course, drastically different.
|
|
|
|
@node Major Entry Points
|
|
@chapter Major Entry Points
|
|
|
|
When Ediff starts up, it displays a small control window, which accepts the
|
|
Ediff commands, and two or three windows displaying the files to be compared
|
|
or merged. The control window can be in its own small frame or it can be
|
|
part of a bigger frame that displays other buffers. In any case, it is
|
|
important that the control window be active (i.e., be the one receiving the
|
|
keystrokes) when you use Ediff. You can switch to other Emacs buffers at
|
|
will and even edit the files currently being compared with Ediff and then
|
|
switch back to Ediff at any time by activating the appropriate Emacs windows.
|
|
|
|
Ediff can be invoked interactively using the following functions, which can
|
|
be run either from the minibuffer or from the menu bar. In the menu bar,
|
|
all Ediff's entry points belong to three submenus of the Tools menu:
|
|
Compare, Merge, and Apply Patch.
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-files
|
|
@itemx ediff
|
|
@findex ediff-files
|
|
@findex ediff
|
|
Compare two files.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-backup
|
|
@findex ediff-backup
|
|
Compare a file with its backup. If there are several numerical backups, use
|
|
the latest. If the file is itself a backup, then compare it with its
|
|
original.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-current-file
|
|
@findex ediff-current-file
|
|
Compare the buffer with its file on disk. This function can be used as a
|
|
safe version of @code{revert-buffer}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-buffers
|
|
@findex ediff-buffers
|
|
Compare two buffers.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-files3
|
|
@itemx ediff3
|
|
@findex ediff-files3
|
|
@findex ediff3
|
|
Compare three files.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-buffers3
|
|
@findex ediff-buffers3
|
|
Compare three buffers.
|
|
|
|
@item edirs
|
|
@itemx ediff-directories
|
|
@findex edirs
|
|
@findex ediff-directories
|
|
Compare files common to two directories.
|
|
@item edirs3
|
|
@itemx ediff-directories3
|
|
@findex edirs3
|
|
@findex ediff-directories3
|
|
Compare files common to three directories.
|
|
@item edir-revisions
|
|
@itemx ediff-directory-revisions
|
|
@findex ediff-directory-revisions
|
|
@findex edir-revisions
|
|
Compare versions of files in a given directory. Ediff selects only the
|
|
files that are under version control.
|
|
@item edir-merge-revisions
|
|
@itemx ediff-merge-directory-revisions
|
|
@findex edir-merge-revisions
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-directory-revisions
|
|
Merge versions of files in a given directory. Ediff selects only the
|
|
files that are under version control.
|
|
@item edir-merge-revisions-with-ancestor
|
|
@itemx ediff-merge-directory-revisions-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex edir-merge-revisions-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-directory-revisions-with-ancestor
|
|
Merge versions of files in a given directory using other versions as
|
|
ancestors. Ediff selects only the files that are under version control.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-windows-wordwise
|
|
@findex ediff-windows-wordwise
|
|
Compare text visible in 2 windows word-by-word.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-windows-linewise
|
|
@findex ediff-windows-linewise
|
|
Compare text visible in 2 windows line-by-line.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-regions-wordwise
|
|
@findex ediff-regions-wordwise
|
|
Compare regions word-by-word. The regions can come from the same buffer
|
|
and they can even overlap. You will be asked to specify the buffers that
|
|
contain the regions, which you want to compare. For each buffer, you will
|
|
also be asked to mark the regions to be compared. Pay attention to the
|
|
messages that appear in the minibuffer.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-regions-linewise
|
|
@findex ediff-regions-linewise
|
|
Similar to @code{ediff-windows-linewise}, but compares the regions
|
|
line-by-line. See @code{ediff-windows-linewise} for more details.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-revision
|
|
@findex ediff-revision
|
|
Compare versions of the current buffer, if the buffer is visiting
|
|
a file under version control.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-patch-file
|
|
@itemx epatch
|
|
@findex ediff-patch-file
|
|
@findex epatch
|
|
|
|
Patch a file or multiple files, then compare. If the patch applies to just
|
|
one file, Ediff will invoke a regular comparison session. If it is a
|
|
multi-file patch, then a session group interface will be used and the user
|
|
will be able to patch the files selectively. @xref{Session Groups}, for
|
|
more details.
|
|
|
|
Since the patch might be in a buffer or a file, you will be asked which is
|
|
the case. To avoid this extra prompt, you can invoke this command with a
|
|
prefix argument. With an odd prefix argument, Ediff assumes the patch
|
|
is in a file; with an even argument, a buffer is assumed.
|
|
|
|
Note that @code{ediff-patch-file} will actually use the @code{patch}
|
|
utility to change the original files on disk. This is not that
|
|
dangerous, since you will always have the original contents of the file
|
|
saved in another file that has the extension @file{.orig}.
|
|
Furthermore, if the file is under version control, then you can always back
|
|
out to one of the previous versions (see the section on Version Control in
|
|
the Emacs manual).
|
|
|
|
@code{ediff-patch-file} is careful about versions control: if the file
|
|
to be patched is checked in, then Ediff will offer to check it out, because
|
|
failing to do so may result in the loss of the changes when the file is
|
|
checked out the next time.
|
|
|
|
If you don't intend to modify the file via the patch and just want to see
|
|
what the patch is all about (and decide later), then
|
|
@code{ediff-patch-buffer} might be a better choice.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-patch-buffer
|
|
@itemx epatch-buffer
|
|
@findex ediff-patch-buffer
|
|
@findex epatch-buffer
|
|
Patch a buffer, then compare. The buffer being patched and the file visited
|
|
by that buffer (if any) is @emph{not} modified. The result of the patch
|
|
appears in some other buffer that has the name ending with @emph{_patched}.
|
|
|
|
This function would refuse to apply a multifile patch to a buffer. Use
|
|
@code{ediff-patch-file} for that (and when you want the original file to be
|
|
modified by the @code{patch} utility).
|
|
|
|
Since the patch might be in a buffer or a file, you will be asked which is
|
|
the case. To avoid this extra prompt, you can invoke this command with a
|
|
prefix argument. With an odd prefix argument, Ediff assumes the patch
|
|
is in a file; with an even argument, a buffer is assumed.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-files
|
|
@itemx ediff-merge
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-files
|
|
@findex ediff-merge
|
|
Merge two files.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-files-with-ancestor
|
|
@itemx ediff-merge-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-files-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-with-ancestor
|
|
Like @code{ediff-merge}, but with a third ancestor file.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-buffers
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-buffers
|
|
Merge two buffers.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-buffers-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-buffers-with-ancestor
|
|
Same but with ancestor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item edirs-merge
|
|
@itemx ediff-merge-directories
|
|
@findex edirs-merge
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-directories
|
|
Merge files common to two directories.
|
|
@item edirs-merge-with-ancestor
|
|
@itemx ediff-merge-directories-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex edirs-merge-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-directories-with-ancestor
|
|
Same but using files in a third directory as ancestors.
|
|
If a pair of files doesn't have an ancestor in the ancestor-directory, you
|
|
will still be able to merge them without the ancestor.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-revisions
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-revisions
|
|
Merge two versions of the file visited by the current buffer.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-revisions-with-ancestor
|
|
@findex ediff-merge-revisions-with-ancestor
|
|
Same but with ancestor.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-documentation
|
|
@findex ediff-documentation
|
|
Brings up this manual.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-show-registry
|
|
@itemx eregistry
|
|
Brings up Ediff session registry. This feature enables you to quickly find
|
|
and restart active Ediff sessions.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
When the above functions are invoked, the user is prompted for all the
|
|
necessary information---typically the files or buffers to compare, merge, or
|
|
patch. Ediff tries to be smart about these prompts. For instance, in
|
|
comparing/merging files, it will offer the visible buffers as defaults. In
|
|
prompting for files, if the user enters a directory, the previously input
|
|
file name will be appended to that directory. In addition, if the variable
|
|
@code{ediff-use-last-dir} is not @code{nil}, Ediff will offer
|
|
previously entered directories as defaults (which will be maintained
|
|
separately for each type of file, A, B, or C).
|
|
@vindex ediff-use-last-dir
|
|
|
|
All the above functions use the POSIX @code{diff} or @code{diff3} programs
|
|
to find differences between two files. They process the @code{diff} output
|
|
and display it in a convenient form. At present, Ediff understands only
|
|
the plain output from diff. Options such as @samp{-c} are not supported,
|
|
nor is the format produced by incompatible file comparison programs.
|
|
|
|
The functions @code{ediff-files}, @code{ediff-buffers},
|
|
@code{ediff-files3}, @code{ediff-buffers3} first display the coarse,
|
|
line-based difference regions, as reported by the @code{diff} program. The
|
|
total number of difference regions and the current difference number are
|
|
always displayed in the mode line of the control window.
|
|
|
|
Since @code{diff} may report fairly large chunks of text as being different,
|
|
even though the difference may be localized to just a few words or even
|
|
to the white space or line breaks, Ediff further @emph{refines} the
|
|
regions to indicate which exact words differ. If the only difference is
|
|
in the white space and line breaks, Ediff says so.
|
|
|
|
On a color display, fine differences are highlighted with color; on a
|
|
monochrome display, they are underlined. @xref{Highlighting Difference
|
|
Regions}, for information on how to customize this.
|
|
|
|
The commands @code{ediff-windows-wordwise},
|
|
@code{ediff-windows-linewise}, @code{ediff-regions-wordwise} and
|
|
@code{ediff-regions-linewise} do comparison on parts of existing Emacs
|
|
buffers. The commands @code{ediff-windows-wordwise} and
|
|
@code{ediff-regions-wordwise} could be slow on very large buffers,
|
|
as they perform comparison on the basis of words rather than lines.
|
|
(Word-wise comparison of large chunks of text is relatively expensive.)
|
|
|
|
To compare very large regions, use @code{ediff-regions-linewise}.
|
|
This command displays differences much like @code{ediff-files} and
|
|
@code{ediff-buffers}.
|
|
|
|
The functions @code{ediff-patch-file} and @code{ediff-patch-buffer} apply a
|
|
patch to a file or a buffer and then run Ediff on the appropriate
|
|
files/buffers, displaying the difference regions.
|
|
|
|
The entry points @code{ediff-directories}, @code{ediff-merge-directories},
|
|
etc., provide a convenient interface for comparing and merging files in
|
|
different directories. The user is presented with Dired-like interface from
|
|
which one can run a group of related Ediff sessions.
|
|
|
|
For files under version control, @code{ediff-revision} lets you compare
|
|
the file visited by the current buffer to one of its checked-in versions.
|
|
You can also compare two checked-in versions of the visited file.
|
|
Moreover, the functions @code{ediff-directory-revisions},
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions}, etc., let you run a group of
|
|
related Ediff sessions by taking a directory and comparing (or merging)
|
|
versions of files in that directory.
|
|
|
|
@node Session Commands
|
|
@chapter Session Commands
|
|
|
|
All Ediff commands are displayed in a Quick Help window, unless you type
|
|
@kbd{?} to shrink the window to just one line. You can redisplay the help
|
|
window by typing @kbd{?} again. The Quick Help commands are detailed below.
|
|
|
|
Many Ediff commands take numeric prefix arguments. For instance, if you
|
|
type a number, say 3, and then @kbd{j} (@code{ediff-jump-to-difference}),
|
|
Ediff moves to the third difference region. Typing 3 and then @kbd{a}
|
|
(@code{ediff-diff-to-diff}) copies the 3rd difference region from variant A
|
|
to variant B@. Likewise, 4 followed by @kbd{ra} restores the 4th difference
|
|
region in buffer A (if it was previously written over via the command
|
|
@kbd{a}).
|
|
|
|
Some commands take negative prefix arguments as well. For instance, typing
|
|
@kbd{-} and then @kbd{j} will make the last difference region
|
|
current. Typing @kbd{-2} then @kbd{j} makes the penultimate difference
|
|
region current, etc.
|
|
|
|
Without the prefix argument, all commands operate on the currently
|
|
selected difference region. You can make any difference region
|
|
current using the various commands explained below.
|
|
|
|
For some commands, the actual value of the prefix argument is
|
|
immaterial. However, if supplied, the prefix argument may modify the
|
|
command (see @kbd{ga}, @kbd{gb}, and @kbd{gc}).
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Quick Help Commands:: Frequently used commands.
|
|
* Other Session Commands:: Commands that are not bound to keys.
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Quick Help Commands
|
|
@section Quick Help Commands
|
|
@cindex command help
|
|
@cindex important commands
|
|
|
|
@table @kbd
|
|
@item ?
|
|
@kindex ?
|
|
Toggles the Ediff Quick Help window ON and OFF.
|
|
@item G
|
|
@kindex G
|
|
Prepares a mail buffer for sending a praise or a curse to the Ediff maintainer.
|
|
|
|
@item E
|
|
@kindex E
|
|
Brings up the top node of this manual, where you can find further
|
|
information on the various Ediff functions and advanced issues, such as
|
|
customization, session groups, etc.
|
|
|
|
@item v
|
|
@kindex v
|
|
Scrolls up buffers A and B (and buffer C where appropriate) in a
|
|
coordinated fashion.
|
|
@item V
|
|
@kindex V
|
|
Scrolls the buffers down.
|
|
|
|
@item <
|
|
@kindex <
|
|
Scrolls the buffers to the left simultaneously.
|
|
@item >
|
|
@kindex >
|
|
Scrolls buffers to the right.
|
|
|
|
@item wd
|
|
@kindex wd
|
|
Saves the output from the diff utility, for further reference.
|
|
|
|
With prefix argument, saves the plain output from @code{diff} (see
|
|
@code{ediff-diff-program} and @code{ediff-diff-options}). Without the
|
|
argument, it saves customized @code{diff} output (see
|
|
@code{ediff-custom-diff-program} and @code{ediff-custom-diff-options}), if
|
|
it is available.
|
|
|
|
@item wa
|
|
@kindex wa
|
|
Saves buffer A, if it was modified.
|
|
@item wb
|
|
@kindex wb
|
|
Saves buffer B, if it was modified.
|
|
@item wc
|
|
@kindex wc
|
|
Saves buffer C, if it was modified (if you are in a session that
|
|
compares three files simultaneously).
|
|
|
|
@item a
|
|
@kindex a
|
|
@emph{In comparison sessions:}
|
|
Copies the current difference region (or the region specified as the
|
|
numerical prefix to this command, or @emph{all} regions with @kbd{C-u}
|
|
prefix) from buffer A to buffer B@. Ediff saves the old contents of
|
|
buffer B's region; it can be restored via the command @kbd{rb}, which
|
|
see.
|
|
|
|
@emph{In merge sessions:}
|
|
Copies the current difference region (or the region specified as the
|
|
numerical prefix to this command, or @emph{all} regions with @kbd{C-u}
|
|
prefix) from buffer A to the merge buffer. The old contents of this
|
|
region in buffer C can be restored via the command @kbd{r}.
|
|
|
|
@item b
|
|
@kindex b
|
|
Works similarly, but copies the current difference region from buffer B to
|
|
buffer A (in @emph{comparison sessions}) or the merge buffer (in
|
|
@emph{merge sessions}).
|
|
|
|
Ediff saves the old contents of the difference region copied over; it can
|
|
be reinstated via the command @kbd{ra} in comparison sessions and
|
|
@kbd{r} in merge sessions.
|
|
|
|
@item ab
|
|
@kindex ab
|
|
Copies the current difference region (or the region specified as the
|
|
numerical prefix to this command, or @emph{all} regions with @kbd{C-u}
|
|
prefix) from buffer A to buffer B@. This (and the next five) command is
|
|
enabled only in sessions that compare three files simultaneously. The
|
|
old region in buffer B is saved and can be restored via the command
|
|
@kbd{rb}.
|
|
@item ac
|
|
@kindex ac
|
|
Copies the difference region from buffer A to buffer C@.
|
|
The old region in buffer C is saved and can be restored via the command
|
|
@kbd{rc}.
|
|
@item ba
|
|
@kindex ba
|
|
Copies the difference region from buffer B to buffer A@.
|
|
The old region in buffer A is saved and can be restored via the command
|
|
@kbd{ra}.
|
|
@item bc
|
|
@kindex bc
|
|
Copies the difference region from buffer B to buffer C@.
|
|
The command @kbd{rc} undoes this.
|
|
@item ca
|
|
@kindex ca
|
|
Copies the difference region from buffer C to buffer A@.
|
|
The command @kbd{ra} undoes this.
|
|
@item cb
|
|
@kindex cb
|
|
Copies the difference region from buffer C to buffer B@.
|
|
The command @kbd{rb} undoes this.
|
|
|
|
@item p
|
|
@itemx @key{DEL}
|
|
@kindex p
|
|
@kindex DEL
|
|
Makes the previous difference region current.
|
|
@item n
|
|
@itemx @key{SPC}
|
|
@kindex n
|
|
@kindex SPC
|
|
Makes the next difference region current.
|
|
|
|
@item j
|
|
@itemx -j
|
|
@itemx Nj
|
|
@kindex j
|
|
Makes the very first difference region current.
|
|
|
|
@kbd{-j} makes the last region current. Typing a number, N, and then @kbd{j}
|
|
makes the difference region N current. Typing @minus{}N (a negative number) then
|
|
@kbd{j} makes current the region Last @minus{} N.
|
|
|
|
@item ga
|
|
@kindex ga
|
|
Makes current the difference region closest to the position of the point in
|
|
buffer A.
|
|
|
|
However, with a prefix argument, Ediff would position all variants
|
|
around the area indicated by the current point in buffer A: if
|
|
the point is inside a difference region, then the variants will be
|
|
positioned at this difference region. If the point is not in any difference
|
|
region, then it is in an area where all variants agree with each other. In
|
|
this case, the variants will be positioned so that each would display this
|
|
area (of agreement).
|
|
@item gb
|
|
@kindex gb
|
|
Makes current the difference region closest to the position of the point in
|
|
buffer B.
|
|
|
|
With a prefix argument, behaves like @kbd{ga}, but with respect to buffer B.
|
|
@item gc
|
|
@kindex gc
|
|
@emph{In merge sessions:}
|
|
makes current the difference region closest to the point in the merge buffer.
|
|
|
|
@emph{In 3-file comparison sessions:}
|
|
makes current the region closest to the point in buffer C.
|
|
|
|
With a prefix argument, behaves like @kbd{ga}, but with respect to buffer C.
|
|
|
|
@item !
|
|
@kindex !
|
|
Recomputes the difference regions, bringing them up to date. This is often
|
|
needed because it is common to do all sorts of editing during Ediff
|
|
sessions, so after a while, the highlighted difference regions may no
|
|
longer reflect the actual differences among the buffers.
|
|
|
|
@item *
|
|
@kindex *
|
|
Forces refinement of the current difference region, which highlights the exact
|
|
words of disagreement among the buffers. With a negative prefix argument,
|
|
unhighlights the current region.
|
|
|
|
Forceful refinement may be needed if Ediff encounters a difference region
|
|
that is larger than @code{ediff-auto-refine-limit}. In this situation,
|
|
Ediff doesn't do automatic refinement in order to improve response time.
|
|
(Ediff doesn't auto-refine on dumb terminals as well, but @kbd{*} still
|
|
works there. However, the only useful piece of information it can tell you
|
|
is whether or not the difference regions disagree only in the amount of
|
|
white space.)
|
|
|
|
This command is also useful when the highlighted fine differences are
|
|
no longer current, due to user editing.
|
|
|
|
@item m
|
|
@kindex m
|
|
Displays the current Ediff session in a frame as wide as the physical
|
|
display. This is useful when comparing files side-by-side.
|
|
Typing @kbd{m} again restores the original size of the frame.
|
|
|
|
@item |
|
|
@kindex |
|
|
Toggles the horizontal/vertical split of the Ediff display. Horizontal
|
|
split is convenient when it is possible to compare files
|
|
side-by-side. If the frame in which files are displayed is too narrow
|
|
and lines are cut off, typing @kbd{m} may help some.
|
|
|
|
@item @@
|
|
@kindex @@
|
|
Toggles auto-refinement of difference regions (i.e., automatic highlighting
|
|
of the exact words that differ among the variants). Auto-refinement is
|
|
turned off on devices where Emacs doesn't support highlighting.
|
|
|
|
On slow machines, it may be advantageous to turn auto-refinement off. The
|
|
user can always forcefully refine specific difference regions by typing
|
|
@kbd{*}.
|
|
|
|
@item h
|
|
@kindex h
|
|
Cycles between full highlighting, the mode where fine differences are not
|
|
highlighted (but computed), and the mode where highlighting is done with
|
|
@acronym{ASCII} strings. The latter is not really recommended, unless on a dumb TTY.
|
|
|
|
@item r
|
|
@kindex r
|
|
Restores the old contents of the region in the merge buffer.
|
|
(If you copied a difference region from buffer A or B into the merge buffer
|
|
using the commands @kbd{a} or @kbd{b}, Ediff saves the old contents of the
|
|
region in case you change your mind.)
|
|
|
|
This command is enabled in merge sessions only.
|
|
|
|
@item ra
|
|
@kindex ra
|
|
Restores the old contents of the current difference region in buffer A,
|
|
which was previously saved when the user invoked one of these commands:
|
|
@kbd{b}, @kbd{ba}, @kbd{ca}, which see. This command is enabled in
|
|
comparison sessions only.
|
|
@item rb
|
|
@kindex rb
|
|
Restores the old contents of the current difference region in buffer B,
|
|
which was previously saved when the user invoked one of these commands:
|
|
@kbd{a}, @kbd{ab}, @kbd{cb}, which see. This command is enabled in
|
|
comparison sessions only.
|
|
@item rc
|
|
@kindex rc
|
|
Restores the old contents of the current difference region in buffer C,
|
|
which was previously saved when the user invoked one of these commands:
|
|
@kbd{ac}, @kbd{bc}, which see. This command is enabled in 3-file
|
|
comparison sessions only.
|
|
|
|
@item ##
|
|
@kindex ##
|
|
Tell Ediff to skip over regions that disagree among themselves only in the
|
|
amount of white space and line breaks.
|
|
|
|
Even though such regions will be skipped over, you can still jump to any
|
|
one of them by typing the region number and then @kbd{j}. Typing @kbd{##}
|
|
again puts Ediff back in the original state.
|
|
|
|
@item #c
|
|
@kindex #c
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-case-option
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-case-option3
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-case
|
|
Toggle case sensitivity in the diff program. All diffs are recomputed.
|
|
Case sensitivity is controlled by the variables
|
|
@code{ediff-ignore-case-option}, @code{ediff-ignore-case-option3},
|
|
and @code{ediff-ignore-case}, which are explained elsewhere.
|
|
|
|
@item #h
|
|
@itemx #f
|
|
@kindex #f
|
|
@kindex #h
|
|
Ediff works hard to ameliorate the effects of boredom in the workplace...
|
|
|
|
Quite often differences are due to identical replacements (e.g., the word
|
|
``foo'' is replaced with the word ``bar'' everywhere). If the number
|
|
of regions
|
|
with such boring differences exceeds your tolerance threshold, you may be
|
|
tempted to tell Ediff to skip these regions altogether (you will still be able
|
|
to jump to them via the command @kbd{j}). The above commands, @kbd{#h}
|
|
and @kbd{#f}, may well save your day!
|
|
|
|
@kbd{#h} prompts you to specify regular expressions for each
|
|
variant. Difference regions where each variant's region matches the
|
|
corresponding regular expression will be skipped from then on. (You can
|
|
also tell Ediff to skip regions where at least one variant matches its
|
|
regular expression.)
|
|
|
|
@kbd{#f} does dual job: it focuses on regions that match the corresponding
|
|
regular expressions. All other regions will be skipped
|
|
over. @xref{Selective Browsing}, for more.
|
|
|
|
@item A
|
|
@kindex A
|
|
Toggles the read-only property in buffer A@.
|
|
If file A is under version control and is checked in, it is checked out
|
|
(with your permission).
|
|
@item B
|
|
@kindex B
|
|
Toggles the read-only property in buffer B@.
|
|
If file B is under version control and is checked in, it is checked out.
|
|
@item C
|
|
@kindex C
|
|
Toggles the read-only property in buffer C (in 3-file comparison sessions).
|
|
If file C is under version control and is checked in, it is checked out.
|
|
|
|
@item ~
|
|
@kindex ~
|
|
Swaps the windows where buffers A and B are displayed. If you are comparing
|
|
three buffers at once, then this command would rotate the windows among
|
|
buffers A, B, and C.
|
|
|
|
@item i
|
|
@kindex i
|
|
Displays all kinds of useful data about the current Ediff session.
|
|
@item D
|
|
@kindex D
|
|
Runs @code{ediff-custom-diff-program} on the variants and displays the
|
|
buffer containing the output. This is useful when you must send the output
|
|
to your Mom.
|
|
|
|
With a prefix argument, displays the plain @code{diff} output.
|
|
@xref{Patch and Diff Programs}, for details.
|
|
|
|
@item R
|
|
@kindex R
|
|
Displays a list of currently active Ediff sessions---the Ediff Registry.
|
|
You can then restart any of these sessions by either clicking on a session
|
|
record or by putting the cursor over it and then typing the return key.
|
|
|
|
(Some poor souls leave so many active Ediff sessions around that they lose
|
|
track of them completely... The @kbd{R} command is designed to save these
|
|
people from the recently discovered Ediff Proficiency Syndrome.)
|
|
|
|
Typing @kbd{R} brings up Ediff Registry only if it is typed into an Ediff
|
|
Control Panel. If you don't have a control panel handy, type this in the
|
|
minibuffer: @kbd{M-x eregistry}. @xref{Registry of Ediff Sessions}.
|
|
|
|
@item M
|
|
@kindex M
|
|
Shows the session group buffer that invoked the current Ediff session.
|
|
@xref{Session Groups}, for more information on session groups.
|
|
|
|
@item z
|
|
@kindex z
|
|
Suspends the current Ediff session. (If you develop a condition known as
|
|
Repetitive Ediff Injury---a serious but curable illness---you must change
|
|
your current activity. This command tries hard to hide all Ediff-related
|
|
buffers.)
|
|
|
|
The easiest way to resume a suspended Ediff session is through the registry
|
|
of active sessions. @xref{Registry of Ediff Sessions}, for details.
|
|
@item q
|
|
@kindex q
|
|
Terminates this Ediff session. With a prefix argument (e.g.,@kbd{1q}), asks
|
|
if you also want to delete the buffers of the variants.
|
|
Modified files and the results of merges are never deleted.
|
|
|
|
@item %
|
|
@kindex %
|
|
Toggles narrowing in Ediff buffers. Ediff buffers may be narrowed if you
|
|
are comparing only parts of these buffers via the commands
|
|
@code{ediff-windows-*} and @code{ediff-regions-*}, which see.
|
|
|
|
@item C-l
|
|
@kindex C-l
|
|
Restores the usual Ediff window setup. This is the quickest way to resume
|
|
an Ediff session, but it works only if the control panel of that session is
|
|
visible.
|
|
|
|
@item $$
|
|
@kindex $$
|
|
While merging with an ancestor file, Ediff is determined to reduce user's
|
|
wear and tear by saving him and her much of unproductive, repetitive
|
|
typing. If it notices that, say, file A's difference region is identical to
|
|
the same difference region in the ancestor file, then the merge buffer will
|
|
automatically get the difference region taken from buffer B@. The rationale
|
|
is that this difference region in buffer A is as old as that in the
|
|
ancestor buffer, so the contents of that region in buffer B represents real
|
|
change.
|
|
|
|
You may want to ignore such ``obvious'' merges and concentrate on difference
|
|
regions where both files ``clash'' with the ancestor, since this means that
|
|
two different people have been changing this region independently and they
|
|
had different ideas on how to do this.
|
|
|
|
The above command does this for you by skipping the regions where only one
|
|
of the variants clashes with the ancestor but the other variant agrees with
|
|
it. Typing @kbd{$$} again undoes this setting.
|
|
|
|
@item $*
|
|
@kindex $*
|
|
When merging files with large number of differences, it is sometimes
|
|
convenient to be able to skip the difference regions for which you already
|
|
decided which variant is most appropriate. Typing @kbd{$*} will accomplish
|
|
precisely this.
|
|
|
|
To be more precise, this toggles the check for whether the current merge is
|
|
identical to its default setting, as originally decided by Ediff. For
|
|
instance, if Ediff is merging according to the ``combined'' policy, then the
|
|
merge region is skipped over if it is different from the combination of the
|
|
regions in buffers A and B@. (Warning: swapping buffers A and B will confuse
|
|
things in this respect.) If the merge region is marked as ``prefer-A'' then
|
|
this region will be skipped if it differs from the current difference
|
|
region in buffer A, etc.
|
|
|
|
@item /
|
|
@kindex /
|
|
@vindex ediff-show-ancestor
|
|
Toggle to display the ancestor file in 3way merges.
|
|
You can enable permanently this setting customizing the variable
|
|
@code{ediff-show-ancestor}.
|
|
@item &
|
|
@kindex &
|
|
In some situations, such as when one of the files agrees with the ancestor file
|
|
on a difference region and the other doesn't, Ediff knows what to do: it copies
|
|
the current difference region from the second buffer into the merge buffer.
|
|
|
|
In other cases, the right course of action is not that clearcut, and Ediff
|
|
would use a default action. The above command changes the default action.
|
|
The default action can be @samp{default-A} (choose the region from buffer
|
|
A), @samp{default-B} (choose the region from buffer B), or @samp{combined}
|
|
(combine the regions from the two buffers).
|
|
@xref{Merging and diff3}, for further details.
|
|
|
|
The command @kbd{&} also affects the regions in the merge buffers that have
|
|
@samp{default-A}, @samp{default-B}, or @samp{combined} status, provided
|
|
they weren't changed with respect to the original. For instance, if such a
|
|
region has the status @samp{default-A} then changing the default action to
|
|
@samp{default-B} will also replace this merge-buffer's region with the
|
|
corresponding region from buffer B.
|
|
|
|
@item s
|
|
@kindex s
|
|
Causes the merge window shrink to its minimum size, thereby exposing as much
|
|
of the variant buffers as possible. Typing @kbd{s} again restores
|
|
the original size of that window.
|
|
|
|
With a positive prefix argument, this command enlarges the merge window.
|
|
E.g., @kbd{4s} increases the size of the window by about 4 lines, if
|
|
possible. With a negative numeric argument, the size of the merge window
|
|
shrinks by that many lines, if possible. Thus, @kbd{-s} shrinks the window
|
|
by about 1 line and @kbd{-3s} by about 3 lines.
|
|
|
|
This command is intended only for temporary viewing; therefore, Ediff
|
|
restores window C to its original size whenever it makes any other change
|
|
in the window configuration. However, redisplaying (@kbd{C-l}) or jumping
|
|
to another difference does not affect window C's size.
|
|
|
|
The split between the merge window and the variant windows is controlled by
|
|
the variable @code{ediff-merge-window-share}, which see.
|
|
|
|
@item +
|
|
@kindex +
|
|
Combines the difference regions from buffers A and B and copies the
|
|
result into the merge buffer. @xref{Merging and diff3}, and the
|
|
variables @code{ediff-combine-diffs} and @code{ediff-combination-pattern}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item =
|
|
@kindex =
|
|
You may run into situations when a large chunk of text in one file has been
|
|
edited and then moved to a different place in another file. In such a case,
|
|
these two chunks of text are unlikely to belong to the same difference
|
|
region, so the refinement feature of Ediff will not be able to tell you
|
|
what exactly differs inside these chunks. Since eyeballing large pieces of
|
|
text is contrary to human nature, Ediff has a special command to help
|
|
reduce the risk of developing a cataract.
|
|
|
|
In other situations, the currently highlighted region might be big and you
|
|
might want to reconcile of them interactively.
|
|
|
|
All of this can be done with the above command, @kbd{=}, which
|
|
compares regions within Ediff buffers. Typing @kbd{=} creates a
|
|
child Ediff session for comparing regions in buffers A, B, or
|
|
C as follows.
|
|
|
|
First, you will be asked whether you want to compare the fine differences
|
|
between the currently highlighted buffers on a word-by-word basis. If you
|
|
accept, a child Ediff session will start using the currently highlighted
|
|
regions. Ediff will let you step over the differences word-wise.
|
|
|
|
If you reject the offer, you will be asked to select regions of your choice.
|
|
|
|
@emph{If you are comparing 2 files or buffers:}
|
|
Ediff will ask you to select regions in buffers A and B.
|
|
|
|
@emph{If you are comparing 3 files or buffers simultaneously:} Ediff will
|
|
ask you to choose buffers and then select regions inside those buffers.
|
|
|
|
@emph{If you are merging files or buffers (with or without ancestor):}
|
|
Ediff will ask you to choose which buffer (A or B) to compare with the
|
|
merge buffer and then select regions in those buffers.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Other Session Commands
|
|
@section Other Session Commands
|
|
|
|
The following commands can be invoked from within any Ediff session,
|
|
although some of them are not bound to a key.
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item eregistry
|
|
@itemx ediff-show-registry
|
|
@findex eregistry
|
|
@findex ediff-show-registry
|
|
This command brings up the registry of active Ediff sessions. Ediff
|
|
registry is a device that can be used to resume any active Ediff session
|
|
(which may have been postponed because the user switched to some other
|
|
activity). This command is also useful for switching between multiple
|
|
active Ediff sessions that are run at the same time. The function
|
|
@code{eregistry} is an alias for @code{ediff-show-registry}.
|
|
@xref{Registry of Ediff Sessions}, for more information on this registry.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-toggle-multiframe
|
|
@findex ediff-toggle-multiframe
|
|
Changes the display from the multi-frame mode (where the quick help window
|
|
is in a separate frame) to the single-frame mode (where all Ediff buffers
|
|
share the same frame), and vice versa. See
|
|
@code{ediff-window-setup-function} for details on how to make either of
|
|
these modes the default one.
|
|
|
|
This function can also be invoked from the Menubar. However, in some
|
|
cases, the change will take place only after you execute one of the Ediff
|
|
commands, such as going to the next difference or redisplaying.
|
|
|
|
@c --> The below can be revisited once the toolbar has been ported to Emacs:
|
|
@ignore
|
|
@item ediff-toggle-use-toolbar
|
|
@findex ediff-toggle-use-toolbar
|
|
The Ediff toolbar provides quick access to some of the common Ediff
|
|
functions. This function toggles the display of the toolbar. If
|
|
invoked from the menubar, the function may take sometimes effect only
|
|
after you execute an Ediff command, such as going to the next
|
|
difference.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-use-toolbar-p
|
|
@vindex ediff-use-toolbar-p
|
|
The use of the toolbar can also be specified via the variable
|
|
@code{ediff-use-toolbar-p} (default is @code{t}). This variable can be set
|
|
only in @file{.emacs}: do @strong{not} change it interactively. Use the
|
|
function @code{ediff-toggle-use-toolbar} instead.
|
|
@end ignore
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-revert-buffers-then-recompute-diffs
|
|
@findex ediff-revert-buffers-then-recompute-diffs
|
|
This command reverts the buffers you are comparing and recomputes their
|
|
differences. It is useful when, after making changes, you decided to
|
|
make a fresh start, or if at some point you changed the files being
|
|
compared but want to discard any changes to comparison buffers that were
|
|
done since then.
|
|
|
|
This command normally asks for confirmation before reverting files.
|
|
With a prefix argument, it reverts files without asking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-profile
|
|
@findex ediff-profile
|
|
Ediff has an admittedly primitive (but useful) facility for profiling
|
|
Ediff's commands. It is meant for Ediff maintenance---specifically, for
|
|
making it run faster. The function @code{ediff-profile} toggles
|
|
profiling of ediff commands.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Registry of Ediff Sessions
|
|
@chapter Registry of Ediff Sessions
|
|
|
|
Ediff maintains a registry of all its invocations that are
|
|
still @emph{active}. This feature is very convenient for switching among
|
|
active Ediff sessions or for quickly restarting a suspended Ediff session.
|
|
|
|
The focal point of this activity is a buffer
|
|
called @emph{*Ediff Registry*}. You can display this buffer by typing
|
|
@kbd{R} in any Ediff Control Buffer or Session Group Buffer
|
|
(@pxref{Session Groups}), or by typing
|
|
@kbd{M-x eregistry} into the Minibuffer.
|
|
The latter would be the fastest way to bring up the registry
|
|
buffer if no control or group buffer is displayed in any of the visible
|
|
Emacs windows.
|
|
If you are in a habit of running multiple long Ediff sessions and often need to
|
|
suspend, resume, or switch between them, it may be a good idea to have the
|
|
registry buffer permanently displayed in a separate, dedicated window.
|
|
|
|
The registry buffer has several convenient key bindings.
|
|
For instance, clicking mouse button 2 or typing
|
|
@kbd{RET} or @kbd{v} over any session record resumes that session.
|
|
Session records in the registry buffer provide a fairly complete
|
|
description of each session, so it is usually easy to identify the right
|
|
session to resume.
|
|
|
|
Other useful commands are bound to @kbd{SPC} (next registry record)
|
|
and @kbd{DEL} (previous registry record). There are other commands as well,
|
|
but you don't need to memorize them, since they are listed at the top of
|
|
the registry buffer.
|
|
|
|
@node Session Groups
|
|
@chapter Session Groups
|
|
|
|
Several major entries of Ediff perform comparison and merging on
|
|
directories. On entering @code{ediff-directories},
|
|
@code{ediff-directories3},
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-directories},
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-directories-with-ancestor},
|
|
@code{ediff-directory-revisions},
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions}, or
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions-with-ancestor},
|
|
the user is presented with a
|
|
Dired-like buffer that lists files common to the directories involved along
|
|
with their sizes. (The list of common files can be further filtered through
|
|
a regular expression, which the user is prompted for.) We call this buffer
|
|
@emph{Session Group Panel} because all Ediff sessions associated with the
|
|
listed files will have this buffer as a common focal point.
|
|
|
|
Clicking button 2 or typing @kbd{RET} or @kbd{v} over a
|
|
record describing files invokes Ediff in the appropriate mode on these
|
|
files. You can come back to the session group buffer associated with a
|
|
particular invocation of Ediff by typing @kbd{M} in Ediff control buffer of
|
|
that invocation.
|
|
|
|
Many commands are available in the session group buffer; some are
|
|
applicable only to certain types of work. The relevant commands are always
|
|
listed at the top of each session group buffer, so there is no need to
|
|
memorize them.
|
|
|
|
In directory comparison or merging, a session group panel displays only the
|
|
files common to all directories involved. The differences are kept in a
|
|
separate @emph{directory difference buffer} and are conveniently displayed
|
|
by typing @kbd{D} to the corresponding session group panel. Thus, as an
|
|
added benefit, Ediff can be used to compare the contents of up to three
|
|
directories.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Directory difference buffer
|
|
Sometimes it is desirable to copy some files from one directory to another
|
|
without exiting Ediff. The @emph{directory difference buffer}, which is
|
|
displayed by typing @kbd{D} as discussed above, can be used for this
|
|
purpose. If a file is, say, in Ediff's Directory A, but is missing in
|
|
Ediff's Directory B (Ediff will refuse to override existing files), then
|
|
typing @kbd{C} or clicking mouse button 2 over that file (which must be
|
|
displayed in directory difference buffer) will copy that file from
|
|
Directory A to Directory B.
|
|
|
|
Session records in session group panels are also marked with @kbd{+}, for
|
|
active sessions, and with @kbd{-}, for finished sessions.
|
|
|
|
Sometimes, it is convenient to exclude certain sessions from a group.
|
|
Usually this happens when the user doesn't intend to run Ediff of certain
|
|
files in the group, and the corresponding session records just add clutter
|
|
to the session group buffer. To help alleviate this problem, the user can
|
|
type @kbd{h} to mark a session as a candidate for exclusion and @kbd{x} to
|
|
actually hide the marked sessions. There actions are reversible: with a
|
|
prefix argument, @kbd{h} unmarks the session under the cursor, and @kbd{x}
|
|
brings the hidden sessions into the view (@kbd{x} doesn't unmark them,
|
|
though, so the user has to explicitly unmark the sessions of interest).
|
|
|
|
Group sessions also understand the command @kbd{m}, which marks sessions
|
|
for future operations (other than hiding) on a group of sessions. At present,
|
|
the only such group-level operation is the creation of a multi-file patch.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-autostore-merges
|
|
For group sessions created to merge files, Ediff can store all merges
|
|
automatically in a directory. The user is asked to specify such directory
|
|
if the value of @code{ediff-autostore-merges} is non-@code{nil}. If the value is
|
|
@code{nil}, nothing is done to the merge buffers---it will be the user's
|
|
responsibility to save them. If the value is @code{t}, the user will be
|
|
asked where to save the merge buffers in all merge jobs, even those that do
|
|
not originate from a session group. It the value is neither @code{nil} nor
|
|
@code{t}, the merge buffer is saved @emph{only} if this merge session was
|
|
invoked from a session group. This behavior is implemented in the function
|
|
@code{ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge}, which is a hook in
|
|
@code{ediff-quit-merge-hook}. The user can supply a different hook, if
|
|
necessary.
|
|
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-autostore-merges} is buffer-local, so it can be
|
|
set on a per-buffer basis. Therefore, use @code{setq-default} to change
|
|
this variable globally.
|
|
|
|
@cindex Multi-file patches
|
|
A multi-file patch is a concatenated output of several runs of the Unix
|
|
@code{diff} command (some versions of @code{diff} let you create a
|
|
multi-file patch in just one run). Ediff facilitates creation of
|
|
multi-file patches as follows. If you are in a session group buffer
|
|
created in response to @code{ediff-directories} or
|
|
@code{ediff-directory-revisions}, you can mark (by typing @kbd{m}) the
|
|
desired Ediff sessions and then type @kbd{P} to create a
|
|
multi-file patch of those marked sessions.
|
|
Ediff will then display a buffer containing the patch.
|
|
The patch is generated by invoking @code{diff} on all marked individual
|
|
sessions (represented by files) and session groups (represented by
|
|
directories). Ediff will also recursively descend into any @emph{unmarked}
|
|
session group and will search for marked sessions there. In this way, you
|
|
can create multi-file patches that span file subtrees that grow out of
|
|
any given directory.
|
|
|
|
In an @code{ediff-directories} session, it is enough to just mark the
|
|
requisite sessions. In @code{ediff-directory-revisions} revisions, the
|
|
marked sessions must also be active, or else Ediff will refuse to produce a
|
|
multi-file patch. This is because, in the latter-style sessions, there are
|
|
many ways to create diff output, and it is easier to handle by running
|
|
Ediff on the inactive sessions.
|
|
|
|
Last, but not least, by typing @kbd{==}, you can quickly find out which
|
|
sessions have identical entries, so you won't have to run Ediff on those
|
|
sessions. This, however, works only on local, uncompressed files.
|
|
For compressed or remote files, this command won't report anything.
|
|
Likewise, you can use @kbd{=h} to mark sessions with identical entries
|
|
for hiding or, with @kbd{=m}, for further operations.
|
|
|
|
The comparison operations @kbd{==}, @kbd{=h}, and @kbd{=m} can recurse into
|
|
subdirectories to see if they have identical contents (so the user will not
|
|
need to descend into those subdirectories manually). These commands ask the
|
|
user whether or not to do a recursive descent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Remote and Compressed Files
|
|
@chapter Remote and Compressed Files
|
|
|
|
Ediff works with remote, compressed, and encrypted files. Ediff
|
|
supports @file{ange-ftp.el}, @file{jka-compr.el}, @file{uncompress.el}
|
|
and @file{crypt++.el}, but it may work with other similar packages as
|
|
well. This means that you can compare files residing on another
|
|
machine, or you can apply a patch to a file on another machine. Even
|
|
the patch itself can be a remote file!
|
|
|
|
When patching compressed or remote files, Ediff does not rename the source
|
|
file (unlike what the @code{patch} utility would usually do). Instead, the
|
|
source file retains its name and the result of applying the patch is placed
|
|
in a temporary file that has the suffix @file{_patched} attached.
|
|
Generally, this applies to files that are handled using black magic, such
|
|
as special file name handlers (ange-ftp and some compression and encryption
|
|
packages also use this method).
|
|
|
|
Regular files are treated by the @code{patch} utility in the usual manner,
|
|
i.e., the original is renamed into @file{source-name.orig} and the result
|
|
of the patch is placed into the file source-name (@file{_orig} is used
|
|
on systems like DOS, etc.).
|
|
|
|
@node Customization
|
|
@chapter Customization
|
|
|
|
Ediff has a rather self-explanatory interface, and in most cases you
|
|
won't need to change anything. However, should the need arise, there are
|
|
extensive facilities for changing the default behavior.
|
|
|
|
Most of the customization can be done by setting various variables in the
|
|
@file{.emacs} file. Some customization (mostly window-related
|
|
customization and faces) can be done by putting appropriate lines in
|
|
@file{.Xdefaults}, @file{.xrdb}, or whatever X resource file is in use.
|
|
|
|
With respect to the latter, please note that the X resource
|
|
for Ediff customization is ``Ediff'', @emph{not} ``emacs''.
|
|
@xref{Window and Frame Configuration},
|
|
@xref{Highlighting Difference Regions}, for further details. Please also
|
|
refer to Emacs manual for the information on how to set Emacs X resources.
|
|
|
|
@menu
|
|
* Hooks:: Customization via the hooks.
|
|
* Quick Help Customization:: How to customize Ediff's quick help feature.
|
|
* Window and Frame Configuration:: Controlling the way Ediff displays things.
|
|
* Selective Browsing:: Advanced browsing through difference regions.
|
|
* Highlighting Difference Regions:: Controlling highlighting.
|
|
* Narrowing:: Comparing regions, windows, etc.
|
|
* Refinement of Difference Regions:: How to control the refinement process.
|
|
* Patch and Diff Programs:: Changing the utilities that compute differences
|
|
and apply patches.
|
|
* Merging and diff3:: How to customize Ediff in its Merge Mode.
|
|
* Support for Version Control:: Changing the version control package.
|
|
You are not likely to do that.
|
|
* Customizing the Mode Line:: Changing the look of the mode line in Ediff.
|
|
* Miscellaneous:: Other customization.
|
|
* Notes on Heavy-duty Customization:: Customization for the gurus.
|
|
@end menu
|
|
|
|
@node Hooks
|
|
@section Hooks
|
|
|
|
The bulk of customization can be done via the following hooks:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-before-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-before-setup-hook
|
|
Hook that is run just before Ediff rearranges windows to its liking.
|
|
Can be used to save windows configuration.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-keymap-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-keymap-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-mode-map
|
|
This hook can be used to alter bindings in Ediff's keymap,
|
|
@code{ediff-mode-map}. These hooks are
|
|
run right after the default bindings are set.
|
|
The regular user needs not be concerned with this
|
|
hook---it is provided for implementers of other Emacs packages built on top
|
|
of Ediff.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-before-setup-windows-hook
|
|
@itemx ediff-after-setup-windows-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-before-setup-windows-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-after-setup-windows-hook
|
|
These two hooks are called before and after Ediff sets up its window
|
|
configuration. These hooks are run each time Ediff rearranges windows to
|
|
its liking. This happens whenever it detects that the user changed the
|
|
windows setup.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-suspend-hook
|
|
@itemx ediff-quit-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-suspend-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-quit-hook
|
|
These two hooks are run when you suspend or quit Ediff. They can be
|
|
used to set desired window configurations, delete files Ediff didn't
|
|
want to clean up after exiting, etc.
|
|
|
|
By default, @code{ediff-quit-hook} holds one hook function,
|
|
@code{ediff-cleanup-mess}, which cleans after Ediff, as appropriate in
|
|
most cases. You probably won't want to change it, but you might
|
|
want to add other hook functions.
|
|
|
|
Keep in mind that hooks executing before @code{ediff-cleanup-mess} start
|
|
in @code{ediff-control-buffer;} they should also leave
|
|
@code{ediff-control-buffer} as the current buffer when they finish.
|
|
Hooks that are executed after @code{ediff-cleanup-mess} should expect
|
|
the current buffer be either buffer A or buffer B@.
|
|
@code{ediff-cleanup-mess} doesn't kill the buffers being compared or
|
|
merged (see @code{ediff-cleanup-hook}, below).
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-cleanup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-cleanup-hook
|
|
This hook is run just before @code{ediff-quit-hook}. This is a good
|
|
place to do various cleanups, such as deleting the variant buffers.
|
|
Ediff provides a helper function, @code{ediff-janitor}, that you can
|
|
invoke from a private hook function. For example:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
(defun my-ediff-janitor ()
|
|
(ediff-janitor nil nil))
|
|
(add-hook 'ediff-cleanup-hook #'my-ediff-janitor)
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@findex ediff-janitor
|
|
This function kills buffers A, B, and, possibly, C, if these buffers aren't
|
|
modified. In merge jobs, buffer C is never deleted. However, the side
|
|
effect of using this function is that you may not be able to compare the
|
|
same buffer in two separate Ediff sessions: quitting one of them will
|
|
delete this buffer in another session as well.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-quit-merge-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-quit-merge-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-autostore-merges
|
|
@findex ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge
|
|
This hook is called when Ediff quits a merge job. By default, the value is
|
|
@code{ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge}, which is a function that attempts
|
|
to save the merge buffer according to the value of
|
|
@code{ediff-autostore-merges}, as described later.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-before-setup-control-frame-hook
|
|
@itemx ediff-after-setup-control-frame-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-before-setup-control-frame-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-after-setup-control-frame-hook
|
|
These two hooks run before and after Ediff sets up the control frame.
|
|
They can be used to relocate Ediff control frame when Ediff runs in a
|
|
multiframe mode (i.e., when the control buffer is in its own dedicated
|
|
frame). Be aware that many variables that drive Ediff are local to
|
|
Ediff Control Panel (@code{ediff-control-buffer}), which requires
|
|
special care in writing these hooks. Take a look at
|
|
@code{ediff-default-suspend-hook} and @code{ediff-default-quit-hook} to
|
|
see what's involved.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-startup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-startup-hook
|
|
This hook is run at the end of Ediff startup.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-select-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-select-hook
|
|
This hook is run after Ediff selects the next difference region.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-unselect-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-unselect-hook
|
|
This hook is run after Ediff unselects the current difference region.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-prepare-buffer-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-prepare-buffer-hook
|
|
This hook is run for each Ediff buffer (A, B, C) right after the buffer
|
|
is arranged.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-display-help-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-display-help-hook
|
|
Ediff runs this hook each time after setting up the help message. It
|
|
can be used to alter the help message for custom packages that run on
|
|
top of Ediff.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-mode-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-mode-hook
|
|
This hook is run just after Ediff mode is set up in the control
|
|
buffer. This is done before any Ediff window is created. You can use it to
|
|
set local variables that alter the look of the display.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-registry-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-registry-setup-hook
|
|
Hooks run after setting up the registry for all active Ediff session.
|
|
@xref{Session Groups}, for details.
|
|
@item ediff-before-session-group-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-before-session-group-setup-hook
|
|
Hooks run before setting up a control panel for a group of related Ediff
|
|
sessions. Can be used, for example, to save window configuration to restore
|
|
later.
|
|
@item ediff-after-session-group-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-after-session-group-setup-hook
|
|
Hooks run after setting up a control panel for a group of related Ediff
|
|
sessions. @xref{Session Groups}, for details.
|
|
@item ediff-quit-session-group-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-quit-session-group-hook
|
|
Hooks run just before exiting a session group.
|
|
@item ediff-meta-buffer-keymap-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-meta-buffer-keymap-setup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-meta-buffer-map
|
|
Hooks run just after setting up the @code{ediff-meta-buffer-map}, the
|
|
map that controls key bindings in the meta buffer. Since
|
|
@code{ediff-meta-buffer-map} is a local variable, you can set different
|
|
bindings for different kinds of meta buffers.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Quick Help Customization
|
|
@section Quick Help Customization
|
|
@vindex ediff-use-long-help-message
|
|
@vindex ediff-control-buffer
|
|
@vindex ediff-startup-hook
|
|
@vindex ediff-help-message
|
|
|
|
Ediff provides quick help using its control panel window. Since this window
|
|
takes a fair share of the screen real estate, you can toggle it off by
|
|
typing @kbd{?}. The control window will then shrink to just one line and a
|
|
mode line, displaying a short help message.
|
|
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-use-long-help-message} tells Ediff whether
|
|
you use the short message or the long one. By default, it
|
|
is set to @code{nil}, meaning that the short message is used.
|
|
Set this to @code{t}, if you want Ediff to use the long
|
|
message by default. This property can always be changed interactively, by
|
|
typing @kbd{?} into Ediff Control Buffer.
|
|
|
|
If you want to change the appearance of the help message on a per-buffer
|
|
basis, you must use @code{ediff-startup-hook} to change the value of
|
|
the variable @code{ediff-help-message}, which is local to
|
|
@code{ediff-control-buffer}.
|
|
|
|
@node Window and Frame Configuration
|
|
@section Window and Frame Configuration
|
|
|
|
On a non-graphical display, Ediff sets things up in one frame, splitting
|
|
it between a small control window and the windows for buffers A, B, and C@.
|
|
The split between these windows can be horizontal or
|
|
vertical, which can be changed interactively by typing @kbd{|} while the
|
|
cursor is in the control window.
|
|
|
|
On a graphical display, Ediff sets up a dedicated frame for Ediff Control
|
|
Panel and then it chooses windows as follows: If one of the buffers
|
|
is invisible, it is displayed in the currently selected frame. If
|
|
a buffer is visible, it is displayed in the frame where it is visible.
|
|
If, according to the above criteria, the two buffers fall into the same
|
|
frame, then so be it---the frame will be shared by the two. The same
|
|
algorithm works when you type @kbd{C-l} (@code{ediff-recenter}), @kbd{p}
|
|
(@code{ediff-previous-difference}), @kbd{n}
|
|
(@code{ediff-next-difference}), etc.
|
|
|
|
The above behavior also depends on whether the current frame is splittable,
|
|
dedicated, etc. Unfortunately, the margin of this book is too narrow to
|
|
present the details of this remarkable algorithm.
|
|
|
|
The upshot of all this is that you can compare buffers in one frame or
|
|
in different frames. The former is done by default, while the latter can
|
|
be achieved by arranging buffers A, B (and C, if applicable) to be seen in
|
|
different frames. Ediff respects these arrangements, automatically
|
|
adapting itself to the multi-frame mode.
|
|
|
|
Ediff uses the following variables to set up its control panel
|
|
(a.k.a.@: ``control buffer'', a.k.a.@: ``quick help window''):
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-control-frame-parameters
|
|
@vindex ediff-control-frame-parameters
|
|
You can change or augment this variable including the font, color,
|
|
etc. The X resource name of Ediff Control Panel frames is @samp{Ediff}. Under
|
|
X-windows, you can use this name to set up preferences in your
|
|
@file{~/.Xdefaults}, @file{~/.xrdb}, or whatever X resource file is in
|
|
use. Usually this is preferable to changing
|
|
@code{ediff-control-frame-parameters} directly. For instance, you can
|
|
specify in @file{~/.Xdefaults} the color of the control frame
|
|
using the resource @samp{Ediff*background}.
|
|
|
|
In general, any X resource pertaining the control frame can be reached
|
|
via the prefix @code{Ediff*}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-control-frame-position-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-control-frame-position-function
|
|
The preferred way of specifying the position of the control frame is by
|
|
setting the variable @code{ediff-control-frame-position-function} to an
|
|
appropriate function.
|
|
The default value of this variable is
|
|
@code{ediff-make-frame-position}. This function places the control frame in
|
|
the vicinity of the North-East corner of the frame displaying buffer A.
|
|
|
|
@findex ediff-make-frame-position
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
The following variables can be used to adjust the location produced by
|
|
@code{ediff-make-frame-position} and for related customization.
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-narrow-control-frame-leftward-shift
|
|
@vindex ediff-narrow-control-frame-leftward-shift
|
|
Specifies the number of characters for shifting
|
|
the control frame from the rightmost edge of frame A when the control
|
|
frame is displayed as a small window.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-wide-control-frame-rightward-shift
|
|
@vindex ediff-wide-control-frame-rightward-shift
|
|
Specifies the rightward shift of the control frame
|
|
from the left edge of frame A when the control frame shows the full
|
|
menu of options.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-control-frame-upward-shift
|
|
@vindex ediff-control-frame-upward-shift
|
|
Specifies the number of pixels for the upward shift
|
|
of the control frame.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-prefer-iconified-control-frame
|
|
@vindex ediff-prefer-iconified-control-frame
|
|
If this variable is @code{t}, the control frame becomes iconified
|
|
automatically when you toggle the quick help message off. This saves
|
|
valuable real estate on the screen. Toggling help back will deiconify
|
|
the control frame.
|
|
|
|
To start Ediff with an iconified Control Panel, you should set this
|
|
variable to @code{t} and @code{ediff-prefer-long-help-message} to
|
|
@code{nil} (@pxref{Quick Help Customization}). This behavior is useful
|
|
only if icons are allowed to accept keyboard input (which depends on the
|
|
window manager and other factors).
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@findex ediff-setup-windows
|
|
To make more creative changes in the way Ediff sets up windows, you can
|
|
rewrite the function @code{ediff-setup-windows}. However, we believe
|
|
that detaching Ediff Control Panel from the rest and making it into a
|
|
separate frame offers an important opportunity by allowing you to
|
|
iconify that frame. The icon will usually accept all of the Ediff
|
|
commands, but will free up valuable real estate on your screen (this may
|
|
depend on your window manager, though).
|
|
|
|
The following variable controls how windows are set up:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-window-setup-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-window-setup-function
|
|
The multiframe setup is done by the
|
|
@code{ediff-setup-windows-multiframe} function, which is the default on
|
|
windowing displays. The plain setup, one where all windows are always
|
|
in one frame, is done by @code{ediff-setup-windows-plain}, which is the
|
|
default on a non-graphical display (or in an xterm window). In fact,
|
|
under Emacs, you can switch freely between these two setups by executing
|
|
the command @code{ediff-toggle-multiframe} using the Minibuffer of the
|
|
Menubar.
|
|
@findex ediff-setup-windows-multiframe
|
|
@findex ediff-setup-windows-plain
|
|
@findex ediff-toggle-multiframe
|
|
|
|
If you don't like any of these setups, write your own function. See the
|
|
documentation for @code{ediff-window-setup-function} for the basic
|
|
guidelines. However, writing window setups is not easy, so you should
|
|
first take a close look at @code{ediff-setup-windows-plain} and
|
|
@code{ediff-setup-windows-multiframe}.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
You can run multiple Ediff sessions at once, by invoking Ediff several
|
|
times without exiting previous Ediff sessions. Different sessions
|
|
may even operate on the same pair of files.
|
|
|
|
Each session has its own Ediff Control Panel and all the regarding a
|
|
particular session is local to the associated control panel buffer. You
|
|
can switch between sessions by suspending one session and then switching
|
|
to another control panel. (Different control panel buffers are
|
|
distinguished by a numerical suffix, e.g., @samp{Ediff Control Panel<3>}.)
|
|
|
|
@node Selective Browsing
|
|
@section Selective Browsing
|
|
|
|
Sometimes it is convenient to be able to step through only some difference
|
|
regions, those that match certain regular expressions, and to ignore all
|
|
others. On other occasions, you may want to ignore difference regions that
|
|
match some regular expressions, and to look only at the rest.
|
|
|
|
The commands @kbd{#f} and @kbd{#h} let you do precisely this.
|
|
|
|
Typing @kbd{#f} lets you specify regular expressions that match difference
|
|
regions you want to focus on.
|
|
We shall call these regular expressions @var{regexp-A}, @var{regexp-B} and
|
|
@var{regexp-C}.
|
|
Ediff will then start stepping through only those difference regions
|
|
where the region in buffer A matches @var{regexp-A} and/or the region in
|
|
buffer B matches @var{regexp-B}, etc. Whether ``and'' or ``or'' will be used
|
|
depends on how you respond to a question.
|
|
|
|
When scanning difference regions for the aforesaid regular expressions,
|
|
Ediff narrows the buffers to those regions. This means that you can use
|
|
the expressions @kbd{\`} and @kbd{\'} to tie search to the beginning or end
|
|
of the difference regions.
|
|
|
|
On the other hand, typing @kbd{#h} lets you specify (hide) uninteresting
|
|
regions. That is, if a difference region in buffer A matches
|
|
@var{regexp-A}, the corresponding region in buffer B matches @var{regexp-B}
|
|
and (if applicable) buffer C's region matches @var{regexp-C}, then the
|
|
region will be ignored by the commands @kbd{n}/@key{SPC}
|
|
(@code{ediff-next-difference}) and @kbd{p}/@key{DEL}
|
|
(@code{ediff-previous-difference}) commands.
|
|
|
|
Typing @kbd{#f} and @kbd{#h} toggles selective browsing on and off.
|
|
|
|
Note that selective browsing affects only @code{ediff-next-difference}
|
|
and @code{ediff-previous-difference}, i.e., the commands
|
|
@kbd{n}/@key{SPC} and @kbd{p}/@key{DEL}. @kbd{#f} and @kbd{#h} do not
|
|
change the position of the point in the buffers. And you can still jump
|
|
directly (using @kbd{j}) to any numbered
|
|
difference.
|
|
|
|
Users can supply their own functions to specify how Ediff should do
|
|
selective browsing. To change the default Ediff function, use
|
|
something like the following:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
(with-eval-after-load 'ediff
|
|
(setq ediff-hide-regexp-matches-function 'your-hide-function)
|
|
(setq ediff-focus-on-regexp-matches-function 'your-focus-function))
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@strong{Useful hint}: To specify a regexp that matches everything, don't
|
|
simply type @key{RET} in response to a prompt. Typing @key{RET} tells Ediff
|
|
to accept the default value, which may not be what you want. Instead, you
|
|
should enter something like @kbd{^} or @kbd{$}. These match every
|
|
line.
|
|
|
|
You can use the status command, @kbd{i}, to find out whether
|
|
selective browsing is currently in effect.
|
|
|
|
The regular expressions you specified are kept in the local variables
|
|
@code{ediff-regexp-focus-A}, @code{ediff-regexp-focus-B},
|
|
@code{ediff-regexp-focus-C}, @code{ediff-regexp-hide-A},
|
|
@code{ediff-regexp-hide-B}, @code{ediff-regexp-hide-C}. Their default value
|
|
is the empty string (i.e., nothing is hidden or focused on). To change the
|
|
default, set these variables in @file{.emacs} using @code{setq-default}.
|
|
|
|
In addition to the ability to ignore regions that match regular
|
|
expressions, Ediff can be ordered to start skipping over certain
|
|
``uninteresting'' difference regions. This is controlled by the following
|
|
variable:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-ignore-similar-regions
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-similar-regions
|
|
If @code{t}, causes Ediff to skip over "uninteresting" difference regions,
|
|
which are the regions where the variants differ only in the amount of the
|
|
white space and newlines. This feature can be toggled on/off interactively,
|
|
via the command @kbd{##}.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@strong{Please note:} in order for this feature to work, auto-refining of
|
|
difference regions must be on, since otherwise Ediff won't know if there
|
|
are fine differences between regions. On devices where Emacs can display
|
|
faces, auto-refining is a default, but it is not turned on by default on
|
|
text-only terminals. In that case, you must explicitly turn auto-refining
|
|
on (such as, by typing @kbd{@@}).
|
|
|
|
@strong{Reassurance:} If many such uninteresting regions appear in a row,
|
|
Ediff may take a long time to skip over them because it has to compute fine
|
|
differences of all intermediate regions. This delay does not indicate any
|
|
problem.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-case-option
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-case-option3
|
|
@vindex ediff-ignore-case
|
|
Finally, Ediff can be told to ignore the case of the letters. This behavior
|
|
can be toggled with @kbd{#c} and it is controlled with three variables:
|
|
@code{ediff-ignore-case-option}, @code{ediff-ignore-case-option3}, and
|
|
@code{ediff-ignore-case}.
|
|
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-ignore-case-option} specifies the option to pass
|
|
to the diff program for comparing two files or buffers. For GNU
|
|
@code{diff}, this option is @code{"-i"}. The variable
|
|
@code{ediff-ignore-case-option3} specifies the option to pass to the
|
|
@code{diff3} program in order to make it case-insensitive. GNU @code{diff3}
|
|
does not have such an option, so when merging or comparing three files with
|
|
this program, ignoring the letter case is not supported.
|
|
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-ignore-case} controls whether Ediff starts out by
|
|
ignoring letter case or not. It can be set in @file{.emacs} using
|
|
@code{setq-default}.
|
|
|
|
When case sensitivity is toggled, all difference
|
|
regions are recomputed.
|
|
|
|
@node Highlighting Difference Regions
|
|
@section Highlighting Difference Regions
|
|
|
|
The following variables control the way Ediff highlights difference
|
|
regions:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-before-flag-bol
|
|
@itemx ediff-after-flag-eol
|
|
@itemx ediff-before-flag-mol
|
|
@itemx ediff-after-flag-mol
|
|
@vindex ediff-before-flag-bol
|
|
@vindex ediff-after-flag-eol
|
|
@vindex ediff-before-flag-mol
|
|
@vindex ediff-after-flag-mol
|
|
These variables hold strings that Ediff uses to mark the beginning and the
|
|
end of the differences found in files A, B, and C on devices where Emacs
|
|
cannot display faces. Ediff uses different flags to highlight regions that
|
|
begin/end at the beginning/end of a line or in a middle of a line.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-current-diff-face-A
|
|
@itemx ediff-current-diff-face-B
|
|
@itemx ediff-current-diff-face-C
|
|
@vindex ediff-current-diff-face-A
|
|
@vindex ediff-current-diff-face-B
|
|
@vindex ediff-current-diff-face-C
|
|
Ediff uses these faces to highlight current differences on devices where
|
|
Emacs can display faces. These and subsequently described faces can be set
|
|
either in @file{.emacs} or in @file{.Xdefaults}. The X resource for Ediff
|
|
is @samp{Ediff}, @emph{not} @samp{emacs}. Please refer to Emacs manual for
|
|
the information on how to set X resources.
|
|
@item ediff-fine-diff-face-A
|
|
@itemx ediff-fine-diff-face-B
|
|
@itemx ediff-fine-diff-face-C
|
|
@vindex ediff-fine-diff-face-A
|
|
@vindex ediff-fine-diff-face-B
|
|
@vindex ediff-fine-diff-face-C
|
|
Ediff uses these faces to show the fine differences between the current
|
|
differences regions in buffers A, B, and C, respectively.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-even-diff-face-A
|
|
@itemx ediff-even-diff-face-B
|
|
@itemx ediff-even-diff-face-C
|
|
@itemx ediff-odd-diff-face-A
|
|
@itemx ediff-odd-diff-face-B
|
|
@itemx ediff-odd-diff-face-C
|
|
@vindex ediff-even-diff-face-A
|
|
@vindex ediff-even-diff-face-B
|
|
@vindex ediff-even-diff-face-C
|
|
@vindex ediff-odd-diff-face-A
|
|
@vindex ediff-odd-diff-face-B
|
|
@vindex ediff-odd-diff-face-C
|
|
Non-current difference regions are displayed using these alternating
|
|
faces. The odd and the even faces are actually identical on monochrome
|
|
displays, because without colors options are limited.
|
|
So, Ediff uses italics to highlight non-current differences.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-force-faces
|
|
@vindex ediff-force-faces
|
|
Ediff generally can detect when Emacs is running on a device where it can
|
|
use highlighting with faces. However, if it fails to determine that faces
|
|
can be used, the user can set this variable to @code{t} to make sure that
|
|
Ediff uses faces to highlight differences.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-highlight-all-diffs
|
|
@vindex ediff-highlight-all-diffs
|
|
Indicates whether---on a windowing display---Ediff should highlight
|
|
differences using inserted strings (as on text-only terminals) or using
|
|
colors and highlighting. Normally, Ediff highlights all differences, but
|
|
the selected difference is highlighted more visibly. One can cycle through
|
|
various modes of highlighting by typing @kbd{h}. By default, Ediff starts
|
|
in the mode where all difference regions are highlighted. If you prefer to
|
|
start in the mode where unselected differences are not highlighted, you
|
|
should set @code{ediff-highlight-all-diffs} to @code{nil}. Type @kbd{h} to
|
|
restore highlighting for all differences.
|
|
|
|
Ediff lets you switch between the two modes of highlighting. That is,
|
|
you can switch interactively from highlighting using faces to
|
|
highlighting using string flags, and back. Of course, switching has
|
|
effect only under a windowing system. On a text-only terminal or in an
|
|
xterm window, the only available option is highlighting with strings.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
If you want to change the default settings for @code{ediff-force-faces} and
|
|
@code{ediff-highlight-all-diffs}, you must do it @strong{before} Ediff is
|
|
loaded.
|
|
|
|
You can also change the defaults for the faces used to highlight the
|
|
difference regions. There are two ways to do this. The simplest and the
|
|
preferred way is to use the customization widget accessible from the
|
|
menubar. Ediff's customization group is located under "Tools", which in
|
|
turn is under "Programming". The faces that are used to highlight
|
|
difference regions are located in the "Highlighting" subgroup of the Ediff
|
|
customization group.
|
|
|
|
The second, much more arcane, method to change default faces is to include
|
|
some Lisp code in @file{~/.emacs}. For instance,
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
(setq ediff-current-diff-face-A
|
|
(copy-face 'bold-italic 'ediff-current-diff-face-A))
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
would use the pre-defined face @code{bold-italic} to highlight the current
|
|
difference region in buffer A (this face is not a good choice, by the way).
|
|
|
|
If you are unhappy with just @emph{some} of the aspects of the default
|
|
faces, you can modify them when Ediff is being loaded using
|
|
@code{with-eval-after-load}. For instance:
|
|
|
|
@smallexample
|
|
(with-eval-after-load 'ediff
|
|
(set-face-foreground
|
|
ediff-current-diff-face-B "blue")
|
|
(set-face-background
|
|
ediff-current-diff-face-B "red")
|
|
(make-face-italic ediff-current-diff-face-B))
|
|
@end smallexample
|
|
|
|
@node Narrowing
|
|
@section Narrowing
|
|
|
|
If buffers being compared are narrowed at the time of invocation of
|
|
Ediff, @code{ediff-buffers} will preserve the narrowing range. However,
|
|
if @code{ediff-files} is invoked on the files visited by these buffers,
|
|
that would widen the buffers, since this command is defined to compare the
|
|
entire files.
|
|
|
|
Calling @code{ediff-regions-linewise} or @code{ediff-windows-linewise}, or
|
|
the corresponding @samp{-wordwise} commands, narrows the variants to the
|
|
particular regions being compared. The original accessible ranges are
|
|
restored when you quit Ediff. During the command, you can toggle this
|
|
narrowing on and off with the @kbd{%} command.
|
|
|
|
These two variables control this narrowing behavior:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-start-narrowed
|
|
@vindex ediff-start-narrowed
|
|
If @code{t}, Ediff narrows the display to the appropriate range when it
|
|
is invoked with an @samp{ediff-regions@dots{}} or
|
|
@samp{ediff-windows@dots{}} command. If @code{nil}, these commands do
|
|
not automatically narrow, but you can still toggle narrowing on and off
|
|
by typing @kbd{%}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-quit-widened
|
|
@vindex ediff-quit-widened
|
|
Controls whether on quitting Ediff should restore the accessible range
|
|
that existed before the current invocation.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Refinement of Difference Regions
|
|
@section Refinement of Difference Regions
|
|
|
|
Ediff has variables to control the way fine differences are
|
|
highlighted. This feature gives you control over the process of refinement.
|
|
Note that refinement ignores spaces, tabs, and newlines.
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-auto-refine
|
|
@vindex ediff-auto-refine
|
|
This variable controls whether fine differences within regions are
|
|
highlighted automatically (``auto-refining''). The default is yes
|
|
(@samp{on}).
|
|
|
|
On a slow machine, automatic refinement may be painful. In that case,
|
|
you can turn auto-refining on or off interactively by typing
|
|
@kbd{@@}. You can also turn off display of refining that has
|
|
already been done.
|
|
|
|
When auto-refining is off, fine differences are shown only for regions
|
|
for which these differences have been computed and saved before. If
|
|
auto-refining and display of refining are both turned off, fine
|
|
differences are not shown at all.
|
|
|
|
Typing @kbd{*} computes and displays fine differences for the current
|
|
difference region, regardless of whether auto-refining is turned on.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-auto-refine-limit
|
|
@vindex ediff-auto-refine-limit
|
|
If auto-refining is on, this variable limits the size of the regions to
|
|
be auto-refined. This guards against the possible slowdown that may be
|
|
caused by extraordinary large difference regions.
|
|
|
|
You can always refine the current region by typing @kbd{*}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-forward-word-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-forward-word-function
|
|
This variable controls how fine differences are computed. The
|
|
value must be a Lisp function that determines how the current difference
|
|
region should be split into words.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-diff-program
|
|
@vindex ediff-forward-word-function
|
|
@findex ediff-forward-word
|
|
Fine differences are computed by first splitting the current difference
|
|
region into words and then passing the result to
|
|
@code{ediff-diff-program}. For the default forward word function (which is
|
|
@code{ediff-forward-word}), a word is a string consisting of letters,
|
|
@samp{-}, or @samp{_}; a string of punctuation symbols; a string of digits,
|
|
or a string consisting of symbols that are neither space, nor a letter.
|
|
|
|
This default behavior is controlled by four variables: @code{ediff-word-1},
|
|
..., @code{ediff-word-4}. See the on-line documentation for these variables
|
|
and for the function @code{ediff-forward-word} for an explanation of how to
|
|
modify these variables.
|
|
@vindex ediff-word-1
|
|
@vindex ediff-word-2
|
|
@vindex ediff-word-3
|
|
@vindex ediff-word-4
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
Sometimes, when a region has too many differences between the variants,
|
|
highlighting of fine differences is inconvenient, especially on
|
|
color displays. If that is the case, type @kbd{*} with a negative
|
|
prefix argument. This unhighlights fine differences for the current
|
|
region.
|
|
|
|
To unhighlight fine differences in all difference regions, use the
|
|
command @kbd{@@}. Repeated typing of this key cycles through three
|
|
different states: auto-refining, no-auto-refining, and no-highlighting
|
|
of fine differences.
|
|
|
|
@node Patch and Diff Programs
|
|
@section Patch and Diff Programs
|
|
|
|
This section describes variables that specify the programs to be used for
|
|
applying patches and for computing the main difference regions (not the
|
|
fine difference regions):
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-diff-program
|
|
@itemx ediff-diff3-program
|
|
@vindex ediff-patch-program
|
|
@vindex ediff-diff-program
|
|
@vindex ediff-diff3-program
|
|
These variables specify the programs to use to produce differences
|
|
and do patching.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-diff-options
|
|
@itemx ediff-diff3-options
|
|
@vindex ediff-patch-options
|
|
@vindex ediff-diff-options
|
|
@vindex ediff-diff3-options
|
|
These variables specify the options to pass to the above utilities.
|
|
|
|
In @code{ediff-diff-options}, it may be useful to specify options
|
|
such as @samp{-w} that ignore certain kinds of changes. However,
|
|
Ediff does not let you use the option @samp{-c}, as it doesn't recognize this
|
|
format yet. (If you alter this variable, it should be done via the
|
|
Customize interface instead of using @code{setq} directly.)
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-coding-system-for-read
|
|
@vindex ediff-coding-system-for-read
|
|
This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading the output
|
|
that the programs @code{diff3} and @code{diff} send to Emacs. The default
|
|
is @code{raw-text}, and this should work fine in Unix and in most
|
|
cases under Windows NT/98/2000. There are @code{diff} programs
|
|
for which the default option doesn't work under Windows. In such cases,
|
|
@code{raw-text-dos} might work. If not, you will have to experiment with
|
|
other coding systems or use GNU diff.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-patch-program
|
|
The program to use to apply patches. Since there are certain
|
|
incompatibilities between the different versions of the patch program, the
|
|
best way to stay out of trouble is to use a GNU-compatible version.
|
|
Otherwise, you may have to tune the values of the variables
|
|
@code{ediff-patch-options}, @code{ediff-backup-specs}, and
|
|
@code{ediff-backup-extension} as described below.
|
|
@item ediff-patch-options
|
|
Options to pass to @code{ediff-patch-program}.
|
|
|
|
Note: the @option{-b} and @option{-z} options should be specified in
|
|
@code{ediff-backup-specs}, not in @code{ediff-patch-options}.
|
|
|
|
It is recommended to pass the @option{-f} option to the patch program,
|
|
so it won't
|
|
ask questions. However, some implementations don't accept this option, in
|
|
which case the default value of this variable should be changed.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-backup-extension
|
|
Backup extension used by the patch program. Must be specified, even if
|
|
@code{ediff-backup-specs} is given.
|
|
@item ediff-backup-specs
|
|
Backup directives to pass to the patch program.
|
|
Ediff requires that the old version of the file (before applying the patch)
|
|
is saved in a file named @file{the-patch-file.@var{extension}}.
|
|
Usually @var{extension} is @file{.orig}, but this can be changed by
|
|
the user, and may also be
|
|
system-dependent. Therefore, Ediff needs to know the backup extension used
|
|
by the patch program.
|
|
|
|
Some versions of the patch program let the user specify @option{-b
|
|
@var{extension}} to specify a backup file name extension. Other
|
|
versions only permit @option{-b}, which (usually) assumes the
|
|
extension @file{.orig}. Yet others force you to use
|
|
@option{-z@var{extension}}.
|
|
|
|
Both @code{ediff-backup-extension} and @code{ediff-backup-specs} must
|
|
be properly set. If your patch program takes the option @option{-b},
|
|
but not @option{-b @var{extension}}, the variable
|
|
@code{ediff-backup-extension} must still be set so Ediff will know
|
|
which extension to use.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-custom-diff-program
|
|
@itemx ediff-custom-diff-options
|
|
@vindex ediff-custom-diff-program
|
|
@vindex ediff-custom-diff-options
|
|
@findex ediff-save-buffer
|
|
Because Ediff limits the options you may want to pass to the @code{diff}
|
|
program, it partially makes up for this drawback by letting you save the
|
|
output from @code{diff} in your preferred format, which is specified via
|
|
the above two variables.
|
|
|
|
The output generated by @code{ediff-custom-diff-program} (which doesn't
|
|
even have to be a standard-style @code{diff}!)@: is not used by Ediff. It is
|
|
provided exclusively so that you can
|
|
refer to
|
|
it later, send it over email, etc. For instance, after reviewing the
|
|
differences, you may want to send context differences to a colleague.
|
|
Since Ediff ignores the @samp{-c} option in
|
|
@code{ediff-diff-program}, you would have to run @code{diff -c} separately
|
|
just to produce the list of differences. Fortunately,
|
|
@code{ediff-custom-diff-program} and @code{ediff-custom-diff-options}
|
|
eliminate this nuisance by keeping a copy of a difference list in the
|
|
desired format in a buffer that can be displayed via the command @kbd{D}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-patch-default-directory
|
|
@vindex ediff-patch-default-directory
|
|
Specifies the default directory to look for patches.
|
|
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Merging and diff3
|
|
@section Merging and diff3
|
|
|
|
Ediff supports three-way comparison via the functions @code{ediff-files3} and
|
|
@code{ediff-buffers3}. The interface is the same as for two-way comparison.
|
|
In three-way comparison and merging, Ediff reports if any two difference
|
|
regions are identical. For instance, if the current region in buffer A
|
|
is the same as the region in buffer C, then the mode line of buffer A will
|
|
display @samp{[=diff(C)]} and the mode line of buffer C will display
|
|
@samp{[=diff(A)]}.
|
|
|
|
Merging is done according to the following algorithm.
|
|
|
|
If a difference region in one of the buffers, say B, differs from the ancestor
|
|
file while the region in the other buffer, A, doesn't, then the merge buffer,
|
|
C, gets B's region. Similarly when buffer A's region differs from
|
|
the ancestor and B's doesn't, A's region is used.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-default-variant
|
|
If both regions in buffers A and B differ from the ancestor file, Ediff
|
|
chooses the region according to the value of the variable
|
|
@code{ediff-default-variant}. If its value is @code{default-A} then A's
|
|
region is chosen. If it is @code{default-B} then B's region is chosen.
|
|
If it is @code{combined} then the region in buffer C will look like
|
|
this:
|
|
|
|
@comment Use @set to avoid triggering merge conflict detectors like CVS.
|
|
@set seven-left <<<<<<<
|
|
@set seven-right >>>>>>>
|
|
@example
|
|
@value{seven-left} variant A
|
|
the difference region from buffer A
|
|
@value{seven-right} variant B
|
|
the difference region from buffer B
|
|
####### Ancestor
|
|
the difference region from the ancestor buffer, if available
|
|
======= end
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
The above is the default template for the combined region. The user can
|
|
customize this template using the variable
|
|
@code{ediff-combination-pattern}.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-combination-pattern
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-combination-pattern} specifies the template that
|
|
determines how the combined merged region looks like. The template is
|
|
represented as a list of the form @code{(STRING1 Symbol1 STRING2 Symbol2
|
|
STRING3 Symbol3 STRING4)}. The symbols here must be atoms of the form
|
|
@code{A}, @code{B}, or @code{Ancestor}. They determine the order in which
|
|
the corresponding difference regions (from buffers A, B, and the ancestor
|
|
buffer) are displayed in the merged region of buffer C@. The strings in the
|
|
template determine the text that separates the aforesaid regions. The
|
|
default template is
|
|
|
|
@smallexample
|
|
("@value{seven-left} variant A" A "@value{seven-right} variant B" B
|
|
"####### Ancestor" Ancestor "======= end")
|
|
@end smallexample
|
|
|
|
@noindent
|
|
(this is one long line) and the corresponding combined region is shown
|
|
above. The order in which the regions are shown (and the separator
|
|
strings) can be changed by changing the above template. It is even
|
|
possible to add or delete region specifiers in this template (although
|
|
the only possibly useful such modification seems to be the deletion of
|
|
the ancestor).
|
|
|
|
In addition to the state of the difference, Ediff displays the state of the
|
|
merge for each region. If a difference came from buffer A by default
|
|
(because both regions A and B were different from the ancestor and
|
|
@code{ediff-default-variant} was set to @code{default-A}) then
|
|
@samp{[=diff(A) default-A]} is displayed in the mode line. If the
|
|
difference in buffer C came, say, from buffer B because the difference
|
|
region in that buffer differs from the ancestor, but the region in buffer A
|
|
does not (if merging with an ancestor) then @samp{[=diff(B) prefer-B]} is
|
|
displayed. The indicators default-A/B and prefer-A/B are inspired by
|
|
Emerge and have the same meaning.
|
|
|
|
Another indicator of the state of merge is @samp{combined}. It appears
|
|
with any difference region in buffer C that was obtained by combining
|
|
the difference regions in buffers A and B as explained above.
|
|
|
|
In addition to the state of merge and state of difference indicators, while
|
|
merging with an ancestor file or buffer, Ediff informs the user when the
|
|
current difference region in the (normally invisible) ancestor buffer is
|
|
empty via the @emph{AncestorEmpty} indicator. This helps determine if the
|
|
changes made to the original in variants A and B represent pure insertion
|
|
or deletion of text: if the mode line shows @emph{AncestorEmpty} and the
|
|
corresponding region in buffers A or B is not empty, this means that new
|
|
text was inserted. If this indicator is not present and the difference
|
|
regions in buffers A or B are non-empty, this means that text was
|
|
modified. Otherwise, the original text was deleted.
|
|
|
|
Although the ancestor buffer is normally invisible, Ediff maintains
|
|
difference regions there and advances the current difference region
|
|
accordingly. All highlighting of difference regions is provided in the
|
|
ancestor buffer, except for the fine differences. Therefore, if desired, the
|
|
user can put the ancestor buffer in a separate frame and watch it
|
|
there. However, on a TTY, only one frame can be visible at any given time,
|
|
and Ediff doesn't support any single-frame window configuration where all
|
|
buffers, including the ancestor buffer, would be visible. However, the
|
|
ancestor buffer can be displayed by typing @kbd{/} to the control
|
|
window. (Type @kbd{C-l} to hide it again.)
|
|
|
|
Note that the state-of-difference indicators @samp{=diff(A)} and
|
|
@samp{=diff(B)} above are not redundant, even in the presence of a
|
|
state-of-merge indicator. In fact, the two serve different purposes.
|
|
|
|
For instance, if the mode line displays @samp{=diff(B) prefer(B)} and
|
|
you copy a difference region from buffer A to buffer C then
|
|
@samp{=diff(B)} will change to @samp{diff-A} and the mode line will
|
|
display @samp{=diff(A) prefer-B}. This indicates that the difference
|
|
region in buffer C is identical to that in buffer A, but originally
|
|
buffer C's region came from buffer B@. This is useful to know because
|
|
you can recover the original difference region in buffer C by typing
|
|
@kbd{r}.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ediff never changes the state-of-merge indicator, except in response to
|
|
the @kbd{!} command (see below), in which case the indicator is lost.
|
|
On the other hand, the state-of-difference indicator is changed
|
|
automatically by the copying/recovery commands, @kbd{a}, @kbd{b}, @kbd{r},
|
|
@kbd{+}.
|
|
|
|
The @kbd{!} command loses the information about origins of the regions
|
|
in the merge buffer (default-A, prefer-B, or combined). This is because
|
|
recomputing differences in this case means running @code{diff3} on
|
|
buffers A, B, and the merge buffer, not on the ancestor buffer. (It
|
|
makes no sense to recompute differences using the ancestor file, since
|
|
in the merging mode Ediff assumes that you have not edited buffers A and
|
|
B, but that you may have edited buffer C, and these changes are to be
|
|
preserved.) Since some difference regions may disappear as a result of
|
|
editing buffer C and others may arise, there is generally no simple way
|
|
to tell where the various regions in the merge buffer came from.
|
|
|
|
In three-way comparison, Ediff tries to disregard regions that consist
|
|
entirely of white space. For instance, if, say, the current region in
|
|
buffer A consists of the white space only (or if it is empty), Ediff will
|
|
not take it into account for the purpose of computing fine differences. The
|
|
result is that Ediff can provide a better visual information regarding the
|
|
actual fine differences in the non-white regions in buffers B and
|
|
C@. Moreover, if the regions in buffers B and C differ in the white space
|
|
only, then a message to this effect will be displayed.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-merge-window-share
|
|
In the merge mode, the share of the split between window C (the window
|
|
displaying the merge-buffer) and the windows displaying buffers A and B
|
|
is controlled by the variable @code{ediff-merge-window-share}. Its
|
|
default value is 0.5. To make the merge-buffer window smaller, reduce
|
|
this amount.
|
|
|
|
We don't recommend increasing the size of the merge-window to more than
|
|
half the frame (i.e., to increase the value of
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-window-share}) to more than 0.5, since it would be
|
|
hard to see the contents of buffers A and B.
|
|
|
|
You can temporarily shrink the merge window to just one line by
|
|
typing @kbd{s}. This change is temporary, until Ediff finds a reason to
|
|
redraw the screen. Typing @kbd{s} again restores the original window size.
|
|
|
|
With a positive prefix argument, the @kbd{s} command will make the merge
|
|
window slightly taller. This change is persistent. With ``@kbd{-}'' or
|
|
with a negative prefix argument, the command @kbd{s} makes the merge
|
|
window slightly shorter. This change also persistent.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-show-clashes-only
|
|
Ediff lets you automatically ignore the regions where only one of the
|
|
buffers A and B disagrees with the ancestor. To do this, set the
|
|
variable @code{ediff-show-clashes-only} to non-@code{nil}.
|
|
|
|
You can toggle this feature interactively by typing @kbd{$$}.
|
|
|
|
Note that this variable affects only the show next/previous difference
|
|
commands. You can still jump directly to any difference region directly
|
|
using the command @kbd{j} (with a prefix argument specifying the difference
|
|
number).
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-autostore-merges
|
|
@vindex ediff-quit-merge-hook
|
|
@findex ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-autostore-merges} controls what happens to the
|
|
merge buffer when Ediff quits. If the value is @code{nil}, nothing is done
|
|
to the merge buffer---it will be the user's responsibility to save it.
|
|
If the value is @code{t}, the user will be asked where to save the buffer
|
|
and whether to delete it afterwards. It the value is neither @code{nil} nor
|
|
@code{t}, the merge buffer is saved @emph{only} if this merge session was
|
|
invoked from a group of related Ediff session, such as those that result
|
|
from @code{ediff-merge-directories},
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions}, etc.
|
|
@xref{Session Groups}. This behavior is implemented in the function
|
|
@code{ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge}, which is a hook in
|
|
@code{ediff-quit-merge-hook}. The user can supply a different hook, if
|
|
necessary.
|
|
|
|
The variable @code{ediff-autostore-merges} is buffer-local, so it can be
|
|
set in a per-buffer manner. Therefore, use @code{setq-default} to globally
|
|
change this variable.
|
|
|
|
@vindex ediff-merge-filename-prefix
|
|
When merge buffers are saved automatically as directed by
|
|
@code{ediff-autostore-merges}, Ediff attaches a prefix to each file, as
|
|
specified by the variable @code{ediff-merge-filename-prefix}. The default
|
|
is @code{merge_}, but this can be changed by the user.
|
|
|
|
@node Support for Version Control
|
|
@section Support for Version Control
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ediff supports version control and lets you compare versions of files
|
|
visited by Emacs buffers via the function @code{ediff-revision}. This
|
|
feature is controlled by the following variables:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-version-control-package
|
|
@vindex ediff-version-control-package
|
|
A symbol. The default is @samp{vc}.
|
|
|
|
If you are like most Emacs users, Ediff will use VC as the version control
|
|
package. This is the standard Emacs interface to RCS, CVS, and SCCS.
|
|
|
|
However, if your needs are better served by other interfaces, you will
|
|
have to tell Ediff which version control package you are using, e.g.,
|
|
@example
|
|
(setq ediff-version-control-package 'rcs)
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
Apart from the standard @file{vc.el}, Ediff supports three other interfaces
|
|
to version control: @file{rcs.el}, @file{pcl-cvs.el} (recently renamed
|
|
pcvs.el), and @file{generic-sc.el}. The package @file{rcs.el} is written
|
|
by Sebastian Kremer <sk@@thp.Uni-Koeln.DE> and is available as
|
|
@example
|
|
@file{ftp.cs.buffalo.edu:pub/Emacs/rcs.tar.Z}
|
|
@file{ftp.uni-koeln.de:/pub/gnu/emacs/rcs.tar.Z}
|
|
@end example
|
|
@pindex @file{vc.el}
|
|
@pindex @file{rcs.el}
|
|
@pindex @file{pcl-cvs.el}
|
|
@pindex @file{generic-sc.el}
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
Ediff's interface to the above packages allows the user to compare the
|
|
versions of the current buffer or to merge them (with or without an
|
|
ancestor-version). These operations can also be performed on directories
|
|
containing files under version control.
|
|
|
|
In case of @file{pcl-cvs.el}, Ediff can also be invoked via the function
|
|
@code{run-ediff-from-cvs-buffer}---see the documentation string for this
|
|
function.
|
|
|
|
@node Customizing the Mode Line
|
|
@section Customizing the Mode Line
|
|
|
|
When Ediff is running, the mode line of @samp{Ediff Control Panel}
|
|
buffer shows the current difference number and the total number of
|
|
difference regions in the two files.
|
|
|
|
The mode line of the buffers being compared displays the type of the
|
|
buffer (@samp{A:}, @samp{B:}, or @samp{C:}) and (usually) the file name.
|
|
Ediff tries to be intelligent in choosing the mode line buffer
|
|
identification. In particular, it works well with the
|
|
@file{uniquify.el} and @file{mode-line.el} packages (which improve on
|
|
the default way in which Emacs displays buffer identification). If you
|
|
don't like the way Ediff changes the mode line, you can use
|
|
@code{ediff-prepare-buffer-hook} to modify the mode line.
|
|
@vindex ediff-prepare-buffer-hook
|
|
@pindex @file{uniquify.el}
|
|
@pindex @file{mode-line.el}
|
|
|
|
@node Miscellaneous
|
|
@section Miscellaneous
|
|
|
|
Here are a few other variables for customizing Ediff:
|
|
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-split-window-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-split-window-function
|
|
Controls the way you want the window be split between file-A and file-B
|
|
(and file-C, if applicable). It defaults to the vertical split
|
|
(@code{split-window-vertically}, but you can set it to
|
|
@code{split-window-horizontally}, if you so wish.
|
|
Ediff also lets you switch from vertical to horizontal split and back
|
|
interactively.
|
|
|
|
Note that if Ediff detects that all the buffers it compares are displayed in
|
|
separate frames, it assumes that the user wants them to be so displayed
|
|
and stops splitting windows. Instead, it arranges for each buffer to
|
|
be displayed in a separate frame. You can switch to the one-frame mode
|
|
by hiding one of the buffers A/B/C.
|
|
|
|
You can also swap the windows where buffers are displayed by typing
|
|
@kbd{~}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-merge-split-window-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-merge-split-window-function
|
|
Controls how windows are
|
|
split between buffers A and B in the merge mode.
|
|
This variable is like @code{ediff-split-window-function}, but it defaults
|
|
to @code{split-window-horizontally} instead of
|
|
@code{split-window-vertically}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-make-wide-display-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-make-wide-display-function
|
|
The value is a function to be called to widen the frame for displaying
|
|
the Ediff buffers. See the on-line documentation for
|
|
@code{ediff-make-wide-display-function} for details. It is also
|
|
recommended to look into the source of the default function
|
|
@code{ediff-make-wide-display}.
|
|
|
|
You can toggle wide/regular display by typing @kbd{m}. In the wide
|
|
display mode, buffers A, B (and C, when applicable) are displayed in a
|
|
single frame that is as wide as the entire workstation screen. This is
|
|
useful when files are compared side-by-side. By default, the display is
|
|
widened without changing its height.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-use-last-dir
|
|
@vindex ediff-use-last-dir
|
|
Controls the way Ediff presents the
|
|
default directory when it prompts the user for files to compare. If
|
|
@code{nil},
|
|
Ediff uses the default directory of the current buffer when it
|
|
prompts the user for file names. Otherwise, it will use the
|
|
directories it had previously used for files A, B, or C, respectively.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-no-emacs-help-in-control-buffer
|
|
@vindex ediff-no-emacs-help-in-control-buffer
|
|
If @code{t}, makes @kbd{C-h}
|
|
behave like the @key{DEL} key, i.e., it will move you back to the previous
|
|
difference rather than invoking help. This is useful when, in an xterm
|
|
window or a text-only terminal, the Backspace key is bound to @kbd{C-h} and is
|
|
positioned more conveniently than the @key{DEL} key.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-toggle-read-only-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-toggle-read-only-function
|
|
This variable's value is a function that Ediff uses to toggle
|
|
the read-only property in its buffers.
|
|
|
|
The default function that Ediff uses simply toggles the read-only property,
|
|
unless the file is under version control. For a checked-in file under
|
|
version control, Ediff first tries to check the file out.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-make-buffers-readonly-at-startup nil
|
|
@vindex ediff-make-buffers-readonly-at-startup
|
|
If @code{t}, all variant buffers are made read-only at Ediff startup.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-keep-variants
|
|
@vindex ediff-keep-variants
|
|
The default is @code{t}, meaning that the buffers being compared or merged will
|
|
be preserved when Ediff quits. Setting this to @code{nil} causes Ediff to
|
|
offer the user a chance to delete these buffers (if they are not modified).
|
|
Supplying a prefix argument to the quit command (@code{q}) temporarily
|
|
reverses the meaning of this variable. This is convenient when the user
|
|
prefers one of the behaviors most of the time, but occasionally needs the
|
|
other behavior.
|
|
|
|
However, Ediff temporarily resets this variable to @code{t} if it is
|
|
invoked via one of the "buffer" jobs, such as @code{ediff-buffers}.
|
|
This is because it is all too easy to lose a day's work otherwise.
|
|
Besides, in a "buffer" job, the variant buffers have already been loaded
|
|
prior to starting Ediff, so Ediff just preserves status quo here.
|
|
|
|
Using @code{ediff-cleanup-hook}, one can make Ediff delete the variants
|
|
unconditionally (e.g., by making @code{ediff-janitor} into one of these hooks).
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-keep-tmp-versions
|
|
@vindex ediff-keep-tmp-versions
|
|
Default is @code{nil}. If @code{t}, the versions of the files being
|
|
compared or merged using operations such as @code{ediff-revision} or
|
|
@code{ediff-merge-revisions} are not deleted on exit. The normal action is
|
|
to clean up and delete these version files.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-grab-mouse
|
|
@vindex ediff-grab-mouse
|
|
Default is @code{t}. Normally, Ediff grabs mouse and puts it in its
|
|
control frame. This is useful since the user can be sure that when he
|
|
needs to type an Ediff command the focus will be in an appropriate Ediff's
|
|
frame. However, some users prefer to move the mouse by themselves. The
|
|
above variable, if set to @code{maybe}, will prevent Ediff from grabbing
|
|
the mouse in many situations, usually after commands that may take more
|
|
time than usual. In other situation, Ediff will continue grabbing the mouse
|
|
and putting it where it believes is appropriate. If the value is
|
|
@code{nil}, then mouse is entirely user's responsibility.
|
|
Try different settings and see which one is for you.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Notes on Heavy-duty Customization
|
|
@section Notes on Heavy-duty Customization
|
|
|
|
Some users need to customize Ediff in rather sophisticated ways, which
|
|
requires different defaults for different kinds of files (e.g., SGML,
|
|
etc.). Ediff supports this kind of customization in several ways. First,
|
|
most customization variables are buffer-local. Those that aren't are
|
|
usually accessible from within Ediff Control Panel, so one can make them
|
|
local to the panel by calling make-local-variable from within
|
|
@code{ediff-startup-hook}.
|
|
|
|
Second, the function @code{ediff-setup} accepts an optional sixth
|
|
argument which has the form @code{((@var{var-name-1} .@: @var{val-1})
|
|
(@var{var-name-2} .@: @var{val-2}) @dots{})}. The function
|
|
@code{ediff-setup} sets the variables in the list to the respective
|
|
values, locally in the Ediff control buffer. This is an easy way to
|
|
throw in custom variables (which usually should be buffer-local) that
|
|
can then be tested in various hooks.
|
|
|
|
Make sure the variable @code{ediff-job-name} and @code{ediff-word-mode} are set
|
|
properly in this case, as some things in Ediff depend on this.
|
|
|
|
Finally, if you want custom-tailored help messages, you can set the
|
|
variables @code{ediff-brief-help-message-function} and
|
|
@code{ediff-long-help-message-function}
|
|
to functions that return help strings.
|
|
@vindex ediff-startup-hook
|
|
@findex ediff-setup
|
|
@vindex ediff-job-name
|
|
@vindex ediff-word-mode
|
|
@vindex ediff-brief-help-message-function
|
|
@vindex ediff-long-help-message-function
|
|
|
|
When customizing Ediff, some other variables are useful, although they are
|
|
not user-definable. They are local to the Ediff control buffer, so this
|
|
buffer must be current when you access these variables. The control buffer
|
|
is accessible via the variable @code{ediff-control-buffer}, which is also
|
|
local to that buffer. It is usually used for checking if the current buffer
|
|
is also the control buffer.
|
|
|
|
Other variables of interest are:
|
|
@table @code
|
|
@item ediff-buffer-A
|
|
The first of the data buffers being compared.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-buffer-B
|
|
The second of the data buffers being compared.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-buffer-C
|
|
In three-way comparisons, this is the third buffer being compared.
|
|
In merging, this is the merge buffer.
|
|
In two-way comparison, this variable is @code{nil}.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-window-A
|
|
The window displaying buffer A@. If buffer A is not visible, this variable
|
|
is @code{nil} or it may be a dead window.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-window-B
|
|
The window displaying buffer B.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-window-C
|
|
The window displaying buffer C, if any.
|
|
|
|
@item ediff-control-frame
|
|
A dedicated frame displaying the control buffer, if it exists. It is
|
|
non-@code{nil} only if Ediff uses the multiframe display, i.e., when
|
|
the control buffer is in its own frame.
|
|
@end table
|
|
|
|
@node Credits
|
|
@chapter Credits
|
|
|
|
Ediff was written by Michael Kifer <kifer@@cs.stonybrook.edu>. It was inspired
|
|
by emerge.el written by Dale R. Worley <drw@@math.mit.edu>. An idea due to
|
|
Boris Goldowsky <boris@@cs.rochester.edu> made it possible to highlight
|
|
fine differences in Ediff buffers. Alastair Burt <burt@@dfki.uni-kl.de>
|
|
ported Ediff to XEmacs, Eric Freudenthal <freudent@@jan.ultra.nyu.edu>
|
|
made it work with VC, Marc Paquette <marcpa@@cam.org> wrote the
|
|
toolbar support package for Ediff, and Hrvoje Nikšić <hniksic@@xemacs.org>
|
|
adapted it to the Emacs customization package.
|
|
|
|
Many people provided help with bug reports, feature suggestions, and advice.
|
|
Without them, Ediff would not be nearly as useful as it is today.
|
|
Here is a hopefully full list of contributors:
|
|
|
|
@example
|
|
Adrian Aichner (aichner at ecf.teradyne.com),
|
|
Drew Adams (drew.adams at oracle.com),
|
|
Steve Baur (steve at xemacs.org),
|
|
Neal Becker (neal at ctd.comsat.com),
|
|
E. Jay Berkenbilt (ejb at ql.org),
|
|
Lennart Borgman (ennart.borgman at gmail.com)
|
|
Alastair Burt (burt at dfki.uni-kl.de),
|
|
Paul Bibilo (peb at delcam.co.uk),
|
|
Kevin Broadey (KevinB at bartley.demon.co.uk),
|
|
Harald Boegeholz (hwb at machnix.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de),
|
|
Bradley A. Bosch (brad at lachman.com),
|
|
Michael D. Carney (carney at ltx-tr.com),
|
|
Jin S. Choi (jin at atype.com),
|
|
Scott Cummings (cummings at adc.com),
|
|
Albert Dvornik (bert at mit.edu),
|
|
Eric Eide (eeide at asylum.cs.utah.edu),
|
|
Paul Eggert (eggert at twinsun.com),
|
|
Urban Engberg (ue at cci.dk),
|
|
Kevin Esler (esler at ch.hp.com),
|
|
Robert Estes (estes at ece.ucdavis.edu),
|
|
Jay Finger (jayf at microsoft.com),
|
|
Xavier Fornari (xavier at europe.cma.fr),
|
|
Eric Freudenthal (freudent at jan.ultra.nyu.edu),
|
|
Job Ganzevoort (Job.Ganzevoort at cwi.nl),
|
|
Felix Heinrich Gatzemeier (felix.g at tzemeier.info),
|
|
Boris Goldowsky (boris at cs.rochester.edu),
|
|
Allan Gottlieb (gottlieb at allan.ultra.nyu.edu),
|
|
Aaron Gross (aaron at bfr.co.il),
|
|
Thorbjoern Hansen (thorbjoern.hansen at mchp.siemens.de),
|
|
Marcus Harnisch (marcus_harnisch at mint-tech.com),
|
|
Steven E. Harris (seh at panix.com),
|
|
Aaron S. Hawley (Aaron.Hawley at uvm.edu),
|
|
Xiaoli Huang (hxl at epic.com),
|
|
Andreas Jaeger (aj at suse.de),
|
|
Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen (larsi at ifi.uio.no),
|
|
Larry Gouge (larry at itginc.com),
|
|
Karl Heuer (kwzh at gnu.org),
|
|
(irvine at lks.csi.com),
|
|
(jaffe at chipmunk.cita.utoronto.ca),
|
|
David Karr (dkarr at nmo.gtegsc.com),
|
|
Norbert Kiesel (norbert at i3.informatik.rwth-aachen.de),
|
|
Steffen Kilb (skilb at gmx.net),
|
|
Leigh L Klotz (klotz at adoc.xerox.com),
|
|
Fritz Knabe (Fritz.Knabe at ecrc.de),
|
|
Heinz Knutzen (hk at informatik.uni-kiel.d400.de),
|
|
Andrew Koenig (ark at research.att.com),
|
|
Hannu Koivisto (azure at iki.fi),
|
|
Ken Laprade (laprade at dw3f.ess.harris.com),
|
|
Will C Lauer (wcl at cadre.com),
|
|
Richard Levitte (levitte at e.kth.se),
|
|
Mike Long (mike.long at analog.com),
|
|
Dave Love (d.love at dl.ac.uk),
|
|
Martin Maechler (maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch),
|
|
Simon Marshall (simon at gnu.org),
|
|
Paul C. Meuse (pmeuse at delcomsys.com),
|
|
Richard Mlynarik (mly at adoc.xerox.com),
|
|
Stefan Monnier (monnier at cs.yale.edu),
|
|
Chris Murphy (murphycm at sun.aston.ac.uk),
|
|
Erik Naggum (erik at naggum.no),
|
|
Eyvind Ness (Eyvind.Ness at hrp.no),
|
|
Ray Nickson (nickson at cs.uq.oz.au),
|
|
Dan Nicolaescu (dann at ics.uci.edu),
|
|
David Petchey (petchey_david at jpmorgan.com),
|
|
Benjamin Pierce (benjamin.pierce at cl.cam.ac.uk),
|
|
François Pinard (pinard at iro.umontreal.ca),
|
|
Tibor Polgar (tlp00 at spg.amdahl.com),
|
|
David Prince (dave0d at fegs.co.uk),
|
|
Paul Raines (raines at slac.stanford.edu),
|
|
Stefan Reicher (xsteve at riic.at),
|
|
Charles Rich (rich at merl.com),
|
|
Bill Richter (richter at math.nwu.edu),
|
|
C.S. Roberson (roberson at aur.alcatel.com),
|
|
Kevin Rodgers (kevin.rodgers at ihs.com),
|
|
Sandy Rutherford (sandy at ibm550.sissa.it),
|
|
Heribert Schuetz (schuetz at ecrc.de),
|
|
Andy Scott (ascott at pcocd2.intel.com),
|
|
Axel Seibert (axel at tumbolia.ppp.informatik.uni-muenchen.de),
|
|
Vin Shelton (acs at xemacs.org),
|
|
Scott O. Sherman (Scott.Sherman at mci.com),
|
|
Nikolaj Schumacher (n_schumacher at web.de),
|
|
Richard Stallman (rms at gnu.org),
|
|
Richard Stanton (stanton at haas.berkeley.edu),
|
|
Sam Steingold (sds at goems.com),
|
|
Ake Stenhoff (etxaksf at aom.ericsson.se),
|
|
Stig (stig at hackvan.com),
|
|
Peter Stout (Peter_Stout at cs.cmu.edu),
|
|
Chuck Thompson (cthomp at cs.uiuc.edu),
|
|
Ray Tomlinson (tomlinso at bbn.com),
|
|
Raymond Toy (toy at rtp.ericsson.se),
|
|
Stephen J. Turnbull (stephen at xemacs.org),
|
|
Jan Vroonhof (vroonhof at math.ethz.ch),
|
|
Colin Walters (walters at cis.ohio-state.edu),
|
|
Philippe Waroquiers (philippe.waroquiers at eurocontrol.be),
|
|
Klaus Weber (gizmo at zork.north.de),
|
|
Ben Wing (ben at xemacs.org),
|
|
Tom Wurgler (twurgler at goodyear.com),
|
|
Steve Youngs (youngs at xemacs.org),
|
|
Ilya Zakharevich (ilya at math.ohio-state.edu),
|
|
Eli Zaretskii (eliz at is.elta.co.il)
|
|
@end example
|
|
|
|
@node GNU Free Documentation License
|
|
@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
|
|
@include doclicense.texi
|
|
|
|
|
|
@node Index
|
|
@unnumbered Index
|
|
@printindex cp
|
|
|
|
@bye
|