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annotate man/ediff.texi @ 41828:b8e9dfdbefe3
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author | Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> |
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date | Wed, 05 Dec 2001 18:41:34 +0000 |
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25829 | 1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c documentation for Ediff | |
3 @c Written by Michael Kifer | |
4 | |
5 @comment %**start of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.) | |
6 | |
7 @comment Using ediff.info instead of ediff in setfilename breaks DOS. | |
8 @comment @setfilename ediff | |
9 @comment @setfilename ediff.info | |
10 @setfilename ../info/ediff | |
11 | |
12 @settitle Ediff User's Manual | |
13 @synindex vr cp | |
14 @synindex fn cp | |
15 @synindex pg cp | |
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16 @synindex ky cp |
25829 | 17 |
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18 @dircategory Emacs |
25829 | 19 @direntry |
20 * Ediff: (ediff). A visual interface for comparing and merging programs. | |
21 @end direntry | |
22 | |
23 @iftex | |
24 @finalout | |
25 @end iftex | |
26 @c @smallbook | |
27 @comment %**end of header (This is for running Texinfo on a region.) | |
28 | |
29 @ifinfo | |
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30 This file documents Ediff, a comprehensive visual interface to diff |
25829 | 31 and patch utilities. |
32 | |
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33 Copyright 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25829 | 34 |
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35 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document |
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36 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or |
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37 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no |
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38 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU |
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39 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the |
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40 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation |
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41 License'' in the Emacs manual. |
25829 | 42 |
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43 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify |
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44 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free |
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45 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.'' |
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46 |
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47 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free |
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48 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document |
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49 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the |
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50 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license. |
25829 | 51 @end ifinfo |
52 | |
53 @iftex | |
54 @titlepage | |
55 @title Ediff User's Manual | |
56 @sp 4 | |
57 @subtitle Ediff version 2.70 | |
58 @sp 1 | |
59 @subtitle March 1998 | |
60 @sp 5 | |
61 @author Michael Kifer | |
62 @page | |
63 | |
64 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll | |
65 @noindent | |
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66 Copyright @copyright{} 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25829 | 67 |
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68 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document |
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69 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or |
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70 any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no |
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71 Invariant Sections, with the Front-Cover texts being ``A GNU |
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72 Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below. A copy of the |
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73 license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation |
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74 License'' in the Emacs manual. |
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75 |
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76 (a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: ``You have freedom to copy and modify |
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77 this GNU Manual, like GNU software. Copies published by the Free |
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78 Software Foundation raise funds for GNU development.'' |
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79 |
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80 This document is part of a collection distributed under the GNU Free |
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81 Documentation License. If you want to distribute this document |
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82 separately from the collection, you can do so by adding a copy of the |
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83 license to the document, as described in section 6 of the license. |
25829 | 84 @end titlepage |
85 @page | |
86 @end iftex | |
87 | |
88 @node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir) | |
89 | |
90 | |
91 @menu | |
92 * Introduction:: About Ediff. | |
93 * Major Entry Points:: How to use Ediff. | |
94 * Session Commands:: Ediff commands used within a session. | |
95 * Registry of Ediff Sessions:: Keeping track of multiple Ediff sessions. | |
96 * Session Groups:: Comparing and merging directories. | |
97 * Remote and Compressed Files:: You may want to know about this. | |
98 * Customization:: How to make Ediff work the way YOU want. | |
99 * Credits:: Thanks to those who helped. | |
100 * Index:: | |
101 @end menu | |
102 | |
103 @node Introduction, Major Entry Points, Top, Top | |
104 @chapter Introduction | |
105 | |
106 @cindex Comparing files and buffers | |
107 @cindex Merging files and buffers | |
108 @cindex Patching files and buffers | |
109 @cindex Finding differences | |
110 | |
111 Ediff provides a convenient way for simultaneous browsing through | |
112 the differences between a pair (or a triple) of files or buffers | |
113 (which are called @samp{variants} for our purposes). The | |
114 files being compared, file-A, file-B, and file-C (if applicable) are | |
115 shown in separate windows (side by side, one above the another, or in | |
116 separate frames), and the differences are highlighted as you step | |
117 through them. You can also copy difference regions from one buffer to | |
118 another (and recover old differences if you change your mind). | |
119 | |
120 Another powerful feature is the ability to merge a pair of files into a | |
121 third buffer. Merging with an ancestor file is also supported. | |
122 Furthermore, Ediff is equipped with directory-level capabilities that | |
123 allow the user to conveniently launch browsing or merging sessions on | |
124 groups of files in two (or three) different directories. | |
125 | |
126 In addition, Ediff can apply a patch to a file and then let you step though | |
127 both files, the patched and the original one, simultaneously, | |
128 difference-by-difference. You can even apply a patch right out of a mail | |
129 buffer, i.e., patches received by mail don't even have to be saved. Since | |
130 Ediff lets you copy differences between variants, you can, in effect, apply | |
131 patches selectively (i.e., you can copy a difference region from | |
132 @file{file.orig} to @file{file}, thereby undoing any particular patch that | |
133 you don't like). | |
134 | |
135 Ediff even understands multi-file patches and can apply them interactively! | |
136 (Ediff can recognize multi-file patches only if they are in the context | |
137 format or GNU unified format. All other patches are treated as 1-file | |
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138 patches. Ediff is [hopefully] using the same algorithm as @code{patch} to |
25829 | 139 determine which files need to be patched.) |
140 | |
141 Ediff is aware of version control, which lets you compare | |
142 files with their older versions. Ediff also works with remote and | |
143 compressed files, automatically ftp'ing them over and uncompressing them. | |
144 @xref{Remote and Compressed Files}, for details. | |
145 | |
146 This package builds upon ideas borrowed from Emerge, and several of Ediff's | |
147 functions are adaptations from Emerge. Although Ediff subsumes and greatly | |
148 extends Emerge, much of the functionality in Ediff is influenced by Emerge. | |
149 The architecture and the interface are, of course, drastically different. | |
150 | |
151 @node Major Entry Points, Session Commands, Introduction, Top | |
152 @chapter Major Entry Points | |
153 | |
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154 When Ediff starts up, it displays a small control window, which accepts the |
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155 Ediff commands and two or three windows displaying the files to be compared |
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156 or merged. The control window can be in its own small frame or it can be |
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157 part of a bigger frame that displays other buffers. In any case, it is |
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158 important that the control window be active (i.e., be the one receiving the |
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159 keystrokes) when you use Ediff. You can switch to other Emacs buffers at |
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160 will and even edit the files currently being compared with Ediff and then |
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161 switch back to Ediff at any time by activating the appropriate Emacs windows. |
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162 |
25829 | 163 Ediff can be invoked interactively using the following functions, which can |
164 be run either from the minibuffer or from the menu bar. In the menu bar, | |
165 all Ediff's entry points belong to three submenus of the Tools menu: | |
166 Compare, Merge, and Apply Patch. | |
167 | |
168 @table @code | |
169 @item ediff-files | |
170 @itemx ediff | |
171 @findex ediff-files | |
172 @findex ediff | |
173 Compare two files. | |
174 | |
175 @item ediff-buffers | |
176 @findex ediff-buffers | |
177 Compare two buffers. | |
178 | |
179 @item ediff-files3 | |
180 @itemx ediff3 | |
181 @findex ediff-files3 | |
182 @findex ediff3 | |
183 Compare three files. | |
184 | |
185 @item ediff-buffers3 | |
186 @findex ediff-buffers3 | |
187 Compare three buffers. | |
188 | |
189 @item edirs | |
190 @itemx ediff-directories | |
191 @findex edirs | |
192 @findex ediff-directories | |
193 Compare files common to two directories. | |
194 @item edirs3 | |
195 @itemx ediff-directories3 | |
196 @findex edirs3 | |
197 @findex ediff-directories3 | |
198 Compare files common to three directories. | |
199 @item edir-revisions | |
200 @itemx ediff-directory-revisions | |
201 @findex ediff-directory-revisions | |
202 @findex edir-revisions | |
203 Compare versions of files in a given directory. Ediff selects only the | |
204 files that are under version control. | |
205 @item edir-merge-revisions | |
206 @itemx ediff-merge-directory-revisions | |
207 @findex edir-merge-revisions | |
208 @findex ediff-merge-directory-revisions | |
209 Merge versions of files in a given directory. Ediff selects only the | |
210 files that are under version control. | |
211 @item edir-merge-revisions-with-ancestor | |
212 @itemx ediff-merge-directory-revisions-with-ancestor | |
213 @findex edir-merge-revisions-with-ancestor | |
214 @findex ediff-merge-directory-revisions-with-ancestor | |
215 Merge versions of files in a given directory using other versions as | |
216 ancestors. Ediff selects only the files that are under version control. | |
217 | |
218 @item ediff-windows-wordwise | |
219 @findex ediff-windows-wordwise | |
220 Compare windows word-by-word. | |
221 | |
222 @item ediff-windows-linewise | |
223 @findex ediff-windows-linewise | |
224 Compare windows line-by-line. | |
225 | |
226 @item ediff-regions-wordwise | |
227 @findex ediff-regions-wordwise | |
228 Compare regions word-by-word. | |
229 | |
230 @item ediff-regions-linewise | |
231 @findex ediff-regions-linewise | |
232 Compare regions line-by-line. | |
233 | |
234 @item ediff-revision | |
235 @findex ediff-revision | |
236 Compare versions of the current buffer, if the buffer is visiting | |
237 a file under version control. | |
238 | |
239 @item ediff-patch-file | |
240 @itemx epatch | |
241 @findex ediff-patch-file | |
242 @findex epatch | |
243 | |
244 Patch a file or multiple files, then compare. If the patch applies to just | |
245 one file, Ediff will invoke a regular comparison session. If it is a | |
246 multi-file patch, then a session group interface will be used and the user | |
247 will be able to patch the files selectively. @xref{Session Groups}, for | |
248 more details. | |
249 | |
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250 Since the patch might be in a buffer or a file, you will be asked which is |
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251 the case. To avoid this extra prompt, you can invoke this command with a |
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252 prefix argument. With an odd prefix argument, Ediff assumes the patch |
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253 is in a file; with an even argument, a buffer is assumed. |
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254 |
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255 Note that @code{ediff-patch-file} will actually use the @code{patch} |
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256 utility to change the original files on disk. This is not that |
25829 | 257 dangerous, since you will always have the original contents of the file |
258 saved in another file that has the extension @file{.orig}. | |
259 Furthermore, if the file is under version control, then you can always back | |
260 out to one of the previous versions (see the section on Version Countrol in | |
261 Emacs manual). | |
262 | |
263 @code{ediff-patch-file} is careful about versions control: if the file | |
264 to be patched is checked in, then Ediff will offer to check it out, because | |
265 failing to do so may result in the loss of the changes when the file is | |
266 checked out the next time. | |
267 | |
268 If you don't intend to modify the file via the patch and just want to see | |
269 what the patch is all about (and decide later), then | |
270 @code{ediff-patch-buffer} might be a better choice. | |
271 | |
272 @item ediff-patch-buffer | |
273 @itemx epatch-buffer | |
274 @findex ediff-patch-buffer | |
275 @findex epatch-buffer | |
276 Patch a buffer, then compare. The buffer being patched and the file visited | |
277 by that buffer (if any) is @emph{not} modified. The result of the patch | |
278 appears in some other buffer that has the name ending with @emph{_patched}. | |
279 | |
280 This function would refuse to apply a multifile patch to a buffer. Use | |
281 @code{ediff-patch-file} for that (and when you want the original file to be | |
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282 modified by the @code{patch} utility). |
25829 | 283 |
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284 Since the patch might be in a buffer or a file, you will be asked which is |
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285 the case. To avoid this extra prompt, you can invoke this command with a |
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286 prefix argument. With an odd prefix argument, Ediff assumes the patch |
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287 is in a file; with an even argument, a buffer is assumed. |
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288 |
25829 | 289 @item ediff-merge-files |
290 @itemx ediff-merge | |
291 @findex ediff-merge-files | |
292 @findex ediff-merge | |
293 Merge two files. | |
294 | |
295 @item ediff-merge-files-with-ancestor | |
296 @itemx ediff-merge-with-ancestor | |
297 @findex ediff-merge-files-with-ancestor | |
298 @findex ediff-merge-with-ancestor | |
299 Like @code{ediff-merge}, but with a third ancestor file. | |
300 | |
301 @item ediff-merge-buffers | |
302 @findex ediff-merge-buffers | |
303 Merge two buffers. | |
304 | |
305 @item ediff-merge-buffers-with-ancestor | |
306 @findex ediff-merge-buffers-with-ancestor | |
307 Same but with ancestor. | |
308 | |
309 | |
310 @item edirs-merge | |
311 @itemx ediff-merge-directories | |
312 @findex edirs-merge | |
313 @findex ediff-merge-directories | |
314 Merge files common to two directories. | |
315 @item edirs-merge-with-ancestor | |
316 @itemx ediff-merge-directories-with-ancestor | |
317 @findex edirs-merge-with-ancestor | |
318 @findex ediff-merge-directories-with-ancestor | |
319 Same but using files in a third directory as ancestors. | |
320 If a pair of files doesn't have an ancestor in the ancestor-directory, you | |
321 will still be able to merge them without the ancestor. | |
322 | |
323 @item ediff-merge-revisions | |
324 @findex ediff-merge-revisions | |
325 Merge two versions of the file visited by the current buffer. | |
326 | |
327 @item ediff-merge-revisions-with-ancestor | |
328 @findex ediff-merge-revisions-with-ancestor | |
329 Same but with ancestor. | |
330 | |
331 @item ediff-documentation | |
332 @findex ediff-documentation | |
333 Brings up this manual. | |
334 | |
335 @item ediff-show-registry | |
336 @itemx eregistry | |
337 Brings up Ediff session registry. This feature enables you to quickly find | |
338 and restart active Ediff sessions. | |
339 @end table | |
340 | |
341 @noindent | |
342 If you want Ediff to be loaded from the very beginning of your Emacs | |
343 session, you should put this line in your @file{~/.emacs} file: | |
344 | |
345 @example | |
346 (require 'ediff) | |
347 @end example | |
348 | |
349 @noindent | |
350 Otherwise, Ediff will be loaded automatically when you use one of the | |
351 above functions, either directly or through the menus. | |
352 | |
353 When the above functions are invoked, the user is prompted for all the | |
354 necessary information---typically the files or buffers to compare, merge, or | |
355 patch. Ediff tries to be smart about these prompts. For instance, in | |
356 comparing/merging files, it will offer the visible buffers as defaults. In | |
357 prompting for files, if the user enters a directory, the previously input | |
358 file name will be appended to that directory. In addition, if the variable | |
359 @code{ediff-use-last-dir} is not @code{nil}, Ediff will offer | |
360 previously entered directories as defaults (which will be maintained | |
361 separately for each type of file, A, B, or C). | |
362 @vindex @code{ediff-use-last-dir} | |
363 | |
364 All the above functions use the POSIX @code{diff} or @code{diff3} programs | |
365 to find differences between two files. They process the @code{diff} output | |
366 and display it in a convenient form. At present, Ediff understands only | |
367 the plain output from diff. Options such as @samp{-c} are not supported, | |
368 nor is the format produced by incompatible file comparison programs such as | |
369 the VMS version of @code{diff}. | |
370 | |
371 The functions @code{ediff-files}, @code{ediff-buffers}, | |
372 @code{ediff-files3}, @code{ediff-buffers3} first display the coarse, | |
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373 line-based difference regions, as reported by the @code{diff} program. The |
25829 | 374 total number of difference regions and the current difference number are |
375 always displayed in the mode line of the control window. | |
376 | |
377 Since @code{diff} may report fairly large chunks of text as being different, | |
378 even though the difference may be localized to just a few words or even | |
379 to the white space or line breaks, Ediff further @emph{refines} the | |
380 regions to indicate which exact words differ. If the only difference is | |
381 in the white space and line breaks, Ediff says so. | |
382 | |
383 On a color display, fine differences are highlighted with color; on a | |
384 monochrome display, they are underlined. @xref{Highlighting Difference | |
385 Regions}, for information on how to customize this. | |
386 | |
387 The functions @code{ediff-windows-wordwise}, | |
388 @code{ediff-windows-linewise}, @code{ediff-regions-wordwise} and | |
389 @code{ediff-regions-linewise} do comparison on parts of existing Emacs | |
390 buffers. Since @code{ediff-windows-wordwise} and | |
391 @code{ediff-regions-wordwise} are intended for relatively small segments | |
392 of buffers, comparison is done on the basis of words rather than lines. | |
393 No refinement is necessary in this case. These commands are recommended | |
394 only for relatively small regions (perhaps, up to 100 lines), because | |
395 these functions have a relatively slow startup. | |
396 | |
397 To compare large regions, use @code{ediff-regions-linewise}. This | |
398 command displays differences much like @code{ediff-files} and | |
399 @code{ediff-buffers}. | |
400 | |
401 The functions @code{ediff-patch-file} and @code{ediff-patch-buffer} apply a | |
402 patch to a file or a buffer and then run Ediff on the appropriate | |
403 files/buffers, displaying the difference regions. | |
404 | |
405 The entry points @code{ediff-directories}, @code{ediff-merge-directories}, | |
406 etc., provide a convenient interface for comparing and merging files in | |
407 different directories. The user is presented with Dired-like interface from | |
408 which one can run a group of related Ediff sessions. | |
409 | |
410 For files under version control, @code{ediff-revision} lets you compare | |
411 the file visited by the current buffer to one of its checked-in versions. | |
412 You can also compare two checked-in versions of the visited file. | |
413 Moreover, the functions @code{ediff-directory-revisions}, | |
414 @code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions}, etc., let you run a group of | |
415 related Ediff sessions by taking a directory and comparing (or merging) | |
416 versions of files in that directory. | |
417 | |
418 @node Session Commands, Registry of Ediff Sessions, Major Entry Points, Top | |
419 @chapter Session Commands | |
420 | |
421 All Ediff commands are displayed in a Quick Help window, unless you type | |
422 @kbd{?} to shrink the window to just one line. You can redisplay the help | |
423 window by typing @kbd{?} again. The Quick Help commands are detailed below. | |
424 | |
425 Many Ediff commands take numeric prefix arguments. For instance, if you | |
426 type a number, say 3, and then @kbd{j} (@code{ediff-jump-to-difference}), | |
427 Ediff moves to the third difference region. Typing 3 and then @kbd{a} | |
428 (@code{ediff-diff-to-diff}) copies the 3d difference region from variant A | |
429 to variant B. Likewise, 4 followed by @kbd{ra} restores the 4th difference | |
430 region in buffer A (if it was previously written over via the command | |
431 @kbd{a}). | |
432 | |
433 Some commands take negative prefix arguments as well. For instance, typing | |
434 @kbd{-} and then @kbd{j} will make the last difference region | |
435 current. Typing @kbd{-2} then @kbd{j} makes the penultimate difference | |
436 region current, etc. | |
437 | |
438 Without the prefix argument, all commands operate on the currently | |
439 selected difference region. You can make any difference region | |
440 current using the various commands explained below. | |
441 | |
442 For some commands, the actual value of the prefix argument is | |
443 immaterial. However, if supplied, the prefix argument may modify the | |
444 command (see @kbd{ga}, @kbd{gb}, and @kbd{gc}). | |
445 | |
446 @menu | |
447 * Quick Help Commands:: Frequently used commands. | |
448 * Other Session Commands:: Commands that are not bound to keys. | |
449 @end menu | |
450 | |
451 @node Quick Help Commands,Other Session Commands,,Session Commands | |
452 @section Quick Help Commands | |
453 | |
454 @table @kbd | |
455 @item ? | |
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456 @kindex ? |
25829 | 457 Toggles the Ediff Quick Help window ON and OFF. |
458 @item G | |
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459 @kindex G |
25829 | 460 Prepares a mail buffer for sending a praise or a curse to the Ediff maintainer. |
461 | |
462 @item E | |
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463 @kindex E |
25829 | 464 Brings up the top node of this manual, where you can find further |
465 information on the various Ediff functions and advanced issues, such as | |
466 customization, session groups, etc. | |
467 | |
468 @item v | |
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469 @kindex v |
25829 | 470 Scrolls up buffers A and B (and buffer C where appropriate) in a |
471 coordinated fashion. | |
472 @item V | |
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473 @kindex V |
25829 | 474 Scrolls the buffers down. |
475 | |
476 @item < | |
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477 @kindex < |
25829 | 478 Scrolls the buffers to the left simultaneously. |
479 @item > | |
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480 @kindex > |
25829 | 481 Scrolls buffers to the right. |
482 | |
483 @item wd | |
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484 @kindex wd |
25829 | 485 Saves the output from the diff utility, for further reference. |
486 | |
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487 With prefix argument, saves the plain output from @code{diff} (see |
25829 | 488 @code{ediff-diff-program} and @code{ediff-diff-options}). Without the |
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489 argument, it saves customized @code{diff} output (see |
25829 | 490 @code{ediff-custom-diff-program} and @code{ediff-custom-diff-options}), if |
491 it is available. | |
492 | |
493 @item wa | |
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494 @kindex wa |
25829 | 495 Saves buffer A, if it was modified. |
496 @item wb | |
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497 @kindex wb |
25829 | 498 Saves buffer B, if it was modified. |
499 @item wc | |
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500 @kindex wc |
25829 | 501 Saves buffer C, if it was modified (if you are in a session that |
502 compares three files simultaneously). | |
503 | |
504 @item a | |
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505 @kindex a |
25829 | 506 @emph{In comparison sessions:} |
507 Copies the current difference region (or the region specified as the prefix | |
508 to this command) from buffer A to buffer B. | |
509 Ediff saves the old contents of buffer B's region; it can | |
510 be restored via the command @kbd{rb}, which see. | |
511 | |
512 @emph{In merge sessions:} | |
513 Copies the current difference region (or the region specified as the prefix | |
514 to this command) from buffer A to the merge buffer. The old contents of | |
515 this region in buffer C can be restored via the command @kbd{r}. | |
516 | |
517 @item b | |
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518 @kindex b |
25829 | 519 Works similarly, but copies the current difference region from buffer B to |
520 buffer A (in @emph{comparison sessions}) or the merge buffer (in | |
521 @emph{merge sessions}). | |
522 | |
523 Ediff saves the old contents of the difference region copied over; it can | |
524 be reinstated via the command @kbd{ra} in comparison sessions and | |
525 @kbd{r} in merge sessions. | |
526 | |
527 @item ab | |
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528 @kindex ab |
25829 | 529 Copies the current difference region (or the region specified as the prefix |
530 to this command) from buffer A to buffer B. This (and the next five) | |
531 command is enabled only in sessions that compare three files | |
532 simultaneously. The old region in buffer B is saved and can be restored | |
533 via the command @kbd{rb}. | |
534 @item ac | |
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535 @kindex ac |
25829 | 536 Copies the difference region from buffer A to buffer C. |
537 The old region in buffer C is saved and can be restored via the command | |
538 @kbd{rc}. | |
539 @item ba | |
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540 @kindex ba |
25829 | 541 Copies the difference region from buffer B to buffer A. |
542 The old region in buffer A is saved and can be restored via the command | |
543 @kbd{ra}. | |
544 @item bc | |
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545 @kindex bc |
25829 | 546 Copies the difference region from buffer B to buffer C. |
547 The command @kbd{rc} undoes this. | |
548 @item ca | |
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549 @kindex ca |
25829 | 550 Copies the difference region from buffer C to buffer A. |
551 The command @kbd{ra} undoes this. | |
552 @item cb | |
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553 @kindex cb |
25829 | 554 Copies the difference region from buffer C to buffer B. |
555 The command @kbd{rb} undoes this. | |
556 | |
557 @item p | |
558 @itemx DEL | |
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559 @kindex p |
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560 @kindex DEL |
25829 | 561 Makes the previous difference region current. |
562 @item n | |
563 @itemx SPC | |
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564 @kindex n |
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565 @kindex SPC |
25829 | 566 Makes the next difference region current. |
567 | |
568 @item j | |
569 @itemx -j | |
570 @itemx Nj | |
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571 @kindex j |
25829 | 572 Makes the very first difference region current. |
573 | |
574 @kbd{-j} makes the last region current. Typing a number, N, and then `j' | |
575 makes the difference region N current. Typing -N (a negative number) then | |
576 `j' makes current the region Last - N. | |
577 | |
578 @item ga | |
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579 @kindex ga |
25829 | 580 Makes current the difference region closest to the position of the point in |
581 buffer A. | |
582 | |
583 However, with a prefix argument, Ediff would position all variants | |
584 around the area indicated by the current point in buffer A: if | |
585 the point is inside a difference region, then the variants will be | |
586 positioned at this difference region. If the point is not in any difference | |
587 region, then it is in an area where all variants agree with each other. In | |
588 this case, the variants will be positioned so that each would display this | |
589 area (of agreement). | |
590 @item gb | |
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591 @kindex gb |
25829 | 592 Makes current the difference region closest to the position of the point in |
593 buffer B. | |
594 | |
595 With a prefix argument, behaves like @kbd{ga}, but with respect to buffer B. | |
596 @item gc | |
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597 @kindex gc |
25829 | 598 @emph{In merge sessions:} |
599 makes current the difference region closest to the point in the merge buffer. | |
600 | |
601 @emph{In 3-file comparison sessions:} | |
602 makes current the region closest to the point in buffer C. | |
603 | |
604 With a prefix argument, behaves like @kbd{ga}, but with respect to buffer C. | |
605 | |
606 @item ! | |
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607 @kindex ! |
25829 | 608 Recomputes the difference regions, bringing them up to date. This is often |
609 needed because it is common to do all sorts of editing during Ediff | |
610 sessions, so after a while, the highlighted difference regions may no | |
611 longer reflect the actual differences among the buffers. | |
612 | |
613 @item * | |
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614 @kindex * |
25829 | 615 Forces refinement of the current difference region, which highlights the exact |
616 words of disagreement among the buffers. With a negative prefix argument, | |
617 unhighlights the current region. | |
618 | |
619 Forceful refinement may be needed if Ediff encounters a difference region | |
620 that is larger than @code{ediff-auto-refine-limit}. In this situation, | |
621 Ediff doesn't do automatic refinement in order to improve response time. | |
622 (Ediff doesn't auto-refine on dumb terminals as well, but @kbd{*} still | |
623 works there. However, the only useful piece of information it can tell you | |
624 is whether or not the difference regions disagree only in the amount of | |
625 white space.) | |
626 | |
627 This command is also useful when the highlighted fine differences are | |
628 no longer current, due to user editing. | |
629 | |
630 @item m | |
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631 @kindex m |
25829 | 632 Displays the current Ediff session in a frame as wide as the physical |
633 display. This is useful when comparing files side-by-side. Typing `m' again | |
634 restores the original size of the frame. | |
635 | |
636 @item | | |
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637 @kindex | |
25829 | 638 Toggles the horizontal/vertical split of the Ediff display. Horizontal |
639 split is convenient when it is possible to compare files | |
640 side-by-side. If the frame in which files are displayed is too narrow | |
641 and lines are cut off, typing @kbd{m} may help some. | |
642 | |
643 @item @@ | |
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644 @kindex @@ |
25829 | 645 Toggles auto-refinement of difference regions (i.e., automatic highlighting |
646 of the exact words that differ among the variants). Auto-refinement is | |
647 turned off on devices where Emacs doesn't support highlighting. | |
648 | |
649 On slow machines, it may be advantageous to turn auto-refinement off. The | |
650 user can always forcefully refine specific difference regions by typing | |
651 @kbd{*}. | |
652 | |
653 @item h | |
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654 @kindex h |
25829 | 655 Cycles between full highlighting, the mode where fine differences are not |
656 highlighted (but computed), and the mode where highlighting is done with | |
657 ASCII strings. The latter is not really recommended, unless on a dumb TTY. | |
658 | |
659 @item r | |
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660 @kindex r |
25829 | 661 Restores the old contents of the region in the merge buffer. |
662 (If you copied a difference region from buffer A or B into the merge buffer | |
663 using the commands @kbd{a} or @kbd{b}, Ediff saves the old contents of the | |
664 region in case you change your mind.) | |
665 | |
666 This command is enabled in merge sessions only. | |
667 | |
668 @item ra | |
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669 @kindex ra |
25829 | 670 Restores the old contents of the current difference region in buffer A, |
671 which was previously saved when the user invoked one of these commands: | |
672 @kbd{b}, @kbd{ba}, @kbd{ca}, which see. This command is enabled in | |
673 comparison sessions only. | |
674 @item rb | |
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675 @kindex rb |
25829 | 676 Restores the old contents of the current difference region in buffer B, |
677 which was previously saved when the user invoked one of these commands: | |
678 @kbd{a}, @kbd{ab}, @kbd{cb}, which see. This command is enabled in | |
679 comparison sessions only. | |
680 @item rc | |
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681 @kindex rc |
25829 | 682 Restores the old contents of the current difference region in buffer C, |
683 which was previously saved when the user invoked one of these commands: | |
684 @kbd{ac}, @kbd{bc}, which see. This command is enabled in 3-file | |
685 comparison sessions only. | |
686 | |
687 @item ## | |
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688 @kindex ## |
25829 | 689 Tell Ediff to skip over regions that disagree among themselves only in the |
690 amount of white space and line breaks. | |
691 | |
692 Even though such regions will be skipped over, you can still jump to any | |
693 one of them by typing the region number and then `j'. Typing @kbd{##} | |
694 again puts Ediff back in the original state. | |
695 | |
696 @item #h | |
697 @itemx #f | |
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698 @kindex #f |
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699 @kindex #h |
25829 | 700 Ediff works hard to ameliorate the effects of boredom in the workplace... |
701 | |
702 Quite often differences are due to identical replacements (e.g., the word | |
703 `foo' is replaced with the word `bar' everywhere). If the number of regions | |
704 with such boring differences exceeds your tolerance threshold, you may be | |
705 tempted to tell Ediff to skip these regions altogether (you will still be able | |
706 to jump to them via the command @kbd{j}). The above commands, @kbd{#h} | |
707 and @kbd{#f}, may well save your day! | |
708 | |
709 @kbd{#h} prompts you to specify regular expressions for each | |
710 variant. Difference regions where each variant's region matches the | |
711 corresponding regular expression will be skipped from then on. (You can | |
712 also tell Ediff to skip regions where at least one variant matches its | |
713 regular expression.) | |
714 | |
715 @kbd{#f} does dual job: it focuses on regions that match the corresponding | |
716 regular expressions. All other regions will be skipped | |
717 over. @xref{Selective Browsing}, for more. | |
718 | |
719 @item A | |
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720 @kindex A |
25829 | 721 Toggles the read-only property in buffer A. |
722 If file A is under version control and is checked in, it is checked out | |
723 (with your permission). | |
724 @item B | |
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725 @kindex B |
25829 | 726 Toggles the read-only property in buffer B. |
727 If file B is under version control and is checked in, it is checked out. | |
728 @item C | |
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729 @kindex C |
25829 | 730 Toggles the read-only property in buffer C (in 3-file comparison sessions). |
731 If file C is under version control and is checked in, it is checked out. | |
732 | |
733 @item ~ | |
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734 @kindex ~ |
25829 | 735 Swaps the windows where buffers A and B are displayed. If you are comparing |
736 three buffers at once, then this command would rotate the windows among | |
737 buffers A, B, and C. | |
738 | |
739 @item i | |
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740 @kindex i |
25829 | 741 Displays all kinds of useful data about the current Ediff session. |
742 @item D | |
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743 @kindex D |
25829 | 744 Runs @code{ediff-custom-diff-program} on the variants and displays the |
745 buffer containing the output. This is useful when you must send the output | |
746 to your Mom. | |
747 | |
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748 With a prefix argument, displays the plain @code{diff} output. |
25829 | 749 @xref{Patch and Diff Programs}, for details. |
750 | |
751 @item R | |
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752 @kindex R |
25829 | 753 Displays a list of currently active Ediff sessions---the Ediff Registry. |
754 You can then restart any of these sessions by either clicking on a session | |
755 record or by putting the cursor over it and then typing the return key. | |
756 | |
757 (Some poor souls leave so many active Ediff sessions around that they loose | |
758 track of them completely... The `R' command is designed to save these | |
759 people from the recently discovered Ediff Proficiency Syndrome.) | |
760 | |
761 Typing @kbd{R} brings up Ediff Registry only if it is typed into an Ediff | |
762 Control Panel. If you don't have a control panel handy, type this in the | |
763 minibuffer: @kbd{M-x eregistry}. @xref{Registry of Ediff Sessions}. | |
764 | |
765 @item M | |
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766 @kindex M |
25829 | 767 Shows the session group buffer that invoked the current Ediff session. |
768 @xref{Session Groups}, for more information on session groups. | |
769 | |
770 @item z | |
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771 @kindex z |
25829 | 772 Suspends the current Ediff session. (If you develop a condition known as |
773 Repetitive Ediff Injury---a serious but curable illness---you must change | |
774 your current activity. This command tries hard to hide all Ediff-related | |
775 buffers.) | |
776 | |
777 The easiest way to resume a suspended Ediff session is through the registry | |
778 of active sessions. @xref{Registry of Ediff Sessions}, for details. | |
779 @item q | |
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780 @kindex q |
25829 | 781 Terminates this Ediff session. With a prefix argument (e.g.,@kbd{1q}), asks |
782 if you also want to delete the buffers of the variants. | |
783 Modified files and the results of merges are never deleted. | |
784 | |
785 @item % | |
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786 @kindex % |
25829 | 787 Toggles narrowing in Ediff buffers. Ediff buffers may be narrowed if you |
788 are comparing only parts of these buffers via the commands | |
789 @code{ediff-windows-*} and @code{ediff-regions-*}, which see. | |
790 | |
791 @item C-l | |
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792 @kindex C-l |
25829 | 793 Restores the usual Ediff window setup. This is the quickest way to resume |
794 an Ediff session, but it works only if the control panel of that session is | |
795 visible. | |
796 | |
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797 @item $$ |
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798 @kindex $$ |
25829 | 799 While merging with an ancestor file, Ediff is determined to reduce user's |
800 wear and tear by saving him and her much of unproductive, repetitive | |
801 typing. If it notices that, say, file A's difference region is identical to | |
802 the same difference region in the ancestor file, then the merge buffer will | |
803 automatically get the difference region taken from buffer B. The rationale | |
804 is that this difference region in buffer A is as old as that in the | |
805 ancestor buffer, so the contents of that region in buffer B represents real | |
806 change. | |
807 | |
808 You may want to ignore such `obvious' merges and concentrate on difference | |
809 regions where both files `clash' with the ancestor, since this means that | |
810 two different people have been changing this region independently and they | |
811 had different ideas on how to do this. | |
812 | |
813 The above command does this for you by skipping the regions where only one | |
814 of the variants clashes with the ancestor but the other variant agrees with | |
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815 it. Typing @kbd{$$} again undoes this setting. |
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816 |
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817 @item $* |
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818 @kindex $* |
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819 When merging files with large number of differences, it is sometimes |
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820 convenient to be able to skip the difference regions for which you already |
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821 decided which variant is most appropriate. Typing @kbd{$*} will accomplish |
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822 precisely this. |
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823 |
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824 To be more precise, this toggles the check for whether the current merge is |
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825 identical to its default setting, as originally decided by Ediff. For |
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826 instance, if Ediff is merging according to the `combined' policy, then the |
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827 merge region is skipped over if it is different from the combination of the |
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828 regions in buffers A and B. (Warning: swapping buffers A and B will confuse |
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829 things in this respect). If the merge region is marked as `prefer-A' then |
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830 this region will be skipped if it differs from the current difference |
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831 region in buffer A, etc. |
25829 | 832 |
833 @item / | |
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834 @kindex / |
25829 | 835 Displays the ancestor file during merges. |
836 @item & | |
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837 @kindex & |
25829 | 838 In some situations, such as when one of the files agrees with the ancestor file |
839 on a difference region and the other doesn't, Ediff knows what to do: it copies | |
840 the current difference region from the second buffer into the merge buffer. | |
841 | |
842 In other cases, the right course of action is not that clearcut, and Ediff | |
843 would use a default action. The above command changes the default action. | |
844 The default action can be @samp{default-A} (choose the region from buffer | |
845 A), @samp{default-B} (choose the region from buffer B), or @samp{combined} | |
846 (combine the regions from the two buffers). | |
847 @xref{Merging and diff3}, for further details. | |
848 | |
849 The command @kbd{&} also affects the regions in the merge buffers that have | |
850 @samp{default-A}, @samp{default-B}, or @samp{combined} status, provided | |
851 they weren't changed with respect to the original. For instance, if such a | |
852 region has the status @samp{default-A} then changing the default action to | |
853 @samp{default-B} will also replace this merge-buffer's region with the | |
854 corresponding region from buffer B. | |
855 | |
856 @item s | |
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857 @kindex s |
25829 | 858 Causes the merge window shrink to its minimum size, thereby exposing as much |
859 of the variant buffers as possible. Typing `s' again restores | |
860 the original size of that window. | |
861 | |
862 With a positive prefix argument, this command enlarges the merge window. | |
863 E.g., @kbd{4s} increases the size of the window by about 4 lines, if | |
864 possible. With a negative numeric argument, the size of the merge window | |
865 shrinks by that many lines, if possible. Thus, @kbd{-s} shrinks the window | |
866 by about 1 line and @kbd{-3s} by about 3 lines. | |
867 | |
868 This command is intended only for temporary viewing; therefore, Ediff | |
869 restores window C to its original size whenever it makes any other change | |
870 in the window configuration. However, redisplaying (@kbd{C-l}) or jumping | |
871 to another difference does not affect window C's size. | |
872 | |
873 The split between the merge window and the variant windows is controlled by | |
874 the variable @code{ediff-merge-window-share}, which see. | |
875 | |
876 @item + | |
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877 @kindex + |
25829 | 878 Combines the difference regions from buffers A and B and copies the |
879 result into the merge buffer. @xref{Merging and diff3}, and the | |
880 variables @code{ediff-combine-diffs} and @code{ediff-combination-pattern}. | |
881 | |
882 | |
883 @item = | |
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884 @kindex = |
25829 | 885 You may run into situations when a large chunk of text in one file has been |
886 edited and then moved to a different place in another file. In such a case, | |
887 these two chunks of text are unlikely to belong to the same difference | |
888 region, so the refinement feature of Ediff will not be able to tell you | |
889 what exactly differs inside these chunks. Since eyeballing large pieces of | |
890 text is contrary to human nature, Ediff has a special command to help | |
891 reduce the risk of developing a cataract. | |
892 | |
893 The above command compares regions within Ediff buffers. This creates a | |
894 child Ediff session for comparing current Emacs regions in buffers A, B, or | |
895 C as follows: | |
896 | |
897 @emph{If you are comparing 2 files or buffers:} | |
898 Ediff would compare current Emacs regions in buffers A and B. | |
899 | |
900 @emph{If you are comparing 3 files or buffers simultaneously:} Ediff would | |
901 compare the current Emacs regions in the buffers of your choice (you will | |
902 be asked which two of the three buffers to use). | |
903 | |
904 @emph{If you are merging files or buffers (with or without ancestor):} | |
905 Ediff would take the current region in the merge buffer and compare | |
906 it to the current region in the buffer of your choice (A or B). | |
907 | |
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908 @emph{Note: In all these cases you must first switch to the appropriate |
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909 Emacs buffers and manually set the regions that you want to compare.} |
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910 |
25829 | 911 Highlighting set by the parent Ediff session is removed, to avoid interference |
912 with highlighting of the child session. When done with the child session, type | |
913 @kbd{C-l} in the parent's control panel to restore the original highlighting. | |
914 | |
915 If you temporarily switch to the parent session, parent highlighting will be | |
916 restored. If you then come back to the child session, you may want to remove | |
917 parent highlighting, so it won't interfere. Typing @kbd{h} may help here. | |
918 | |
919 @end table | |
920 | |
921 @node Other Session Commands,,Quick Help Commands,Session Commands | |
922 @section Other Session Commands | |
923 | |
924 The following commands can be invoked from within any Ediff session, | |
925 although some of them are not bound to a key. | |
926 | |
927 @table @code | |
928 @item eregistry | |
929 @itemx ediff-show-registry | |
930 @findex eregistry | |
931 @findex ediff-show-registry | |
932 This command brings up the registry of active Ediff sessions. Ediff | |
933 registry is a device that can be used to resume any active Ediff session | |
934 (which may have been postponed because the user switched to some other | |
935 activity). This command is also useful for switching between multiple | |
936 active Ediff sessions that are run at the same time. The function | |
937 @code{eregistry} is an alias for @code{ediff-show-registry}. | |
938 @xref{Registry of Ediff Sessions}, for more information on this registry. | |
939 | |
940 @item ediff-toggle-multiframe | |
941 @findex ediff-toggle-multiframe | |
942 Changes the display from the multi-frame mode (where the quick help window | |
943 is in a separate frame) to the single-frame mode (where all Ediff buffers | |
944 share the same frame), and vice versa. See | |
945 @code{ediff-window-setup-function} for details on how to make either of | |
946 these modes the default one. | |
947 | |
948 This function can also be invoked from the Menubar. However, in some | |
949 cases, the change will take place only after you execute one of the Ediff | |
950 commands, such as going to the next difference or redisplaying. | |
951 | |
952 @item ediff-revert-buffers-then-recompute-diffs | |
953 @findex ediff-revert-buffers-then-recompute-diffs | |
954 This command reverts the buffers you are comparing and recomputes their | |
955 differences. It is useful when, after making changes, you decided to | |
956 make a fresh start, or if at some point you changed the files being | |
957 compared but want to discard any changes to comparison buffers that were | |
958 done since then. | |
959 | |
960 This command normally asks for confirmation before reverting files. | |
961 With a prefix argument, it reverts files without asking. | |
962 | |
963 | |
964 @item ediff-profile | |
965 @findex ediff-profile | |
966 Ediff has an admittedly primitive (but useful) facility for profiling | |
967 Ediff's commands. It is meant for Ediff maintenance---specifically, for | |
968 making it run faster. The function @code{ediff-profile} toggles | |
969 profiling of ediff commands. | |
970 @end table | |
971 | |
972 @node Registry of Ediff Sessions, Session Groups, Session Commands, Top | |
973 @chapter Registry of Ediff Sessions | |
974 | |
975 Ediff maintains a registry of all its invocations that are | |
976 still @emph{active}. This feature is very convenient for switching among | |
977 active Ediff sessions or for quickly restarting a suspended Ediff session. | |
978 | |
979 The focal point of this activity is a buffer | |
980 called @emph{*Ediff Registry*}. You can display this buffer by typing | |
981 @kbd{R} in any Ediff Control Buffer or Session Group Buffer | |
982 (@pxref{Session Groups}), or by typing | |
983 @kbd{M-x eregistry} into the Minibuffer. | |
984 The latter would be the fastest way to bring up the registry | |
985 buffer if no control or group buffer is displayed in any of the visible | |
986 Emacs windows. | |
987 If you are in a habit of running multiple long Ediff sessions and often need to | |
988 suspend, resume, or switch between them, it may be a good idea to have the | |
989 registry buffer permanently displayed in a separate, dedicated window. | |
990 | |
991 The registry buffer has several convenient key bindings. | |
992 For instance, clicking mouse button 2 or typing | |
993 @kbd{RET} or @kbd{v} over any session record resumes that session. | |
994 Session records in the registry buffer provide a fairly complete | |
995 description of each session, so it is usually easy to identify the right | |
996 session to resume. | |
997 | |
998 Other useful commands are bound to @kbd{SPC} (next registry record) | |
999 and @kbd{DEL} (previous registry record). There are other commands as well, | |
1000 but you don't need to memorize them, since they are listed at the top of | |
1001 the registry buffer. | |
1002 | |
1003 @node Session Groups, Remote and Compressed Files, Registry of Ediff Sessions, Top | |
1004 @chapter Session Groups | |
1005 | |
1006 Several major entries of Ediff perform comparison and merging on | |
1007 directories. On entering @code{ediff-directories}, | |
1008 @code{ediff-directories3}, | |
1009 @code{ediff-merge-directories}, | |
1010 @code{ediff-merge-directories-with-ancestor}, | |
1011 @code{ediff-directory-revisions}, | |
1012 @code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions}, or | |
1013 @code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions-with-ancestor}, | |
1014 the user is presented with a | |
1015 Dired-like buffer that lists files common to the directories involved along | |
1016 with their sizes. (The list of common files can be further filtered through | |
1017 a regular expression, which the user is prompted for.) We call this buffer | |
1018 @emph{Session Group Panel} because all Ediff sessions associated with the | |
1019 listed files will have this buffer as a common focal point. | |
1020 | |
1021 Clicking button 2 or typing @kbd{RET} or @kbd{v} over a | |
1022 record describing files invokes Ediff in the appropriate mode on these | |
1023 files. You can come back to the session group buffer associated with a | |
1024 particular invocation of Ediff by typing @kbd{M} in Ediff control buffer of | |
1025 that invocation. | |
1026 | |
1027 Many commands are available in the session group buffer; some are | |
1028 applicable only to certain types of work. The relevant commands are always | |
1029 listed at the top of each session group buffer, so there is no need to | |
1030 memorize them. | |
1031 | |
1032 In directory comparison or merging, a session group panel displays only the | |
1033 files common to all directories involved. The differences are kept in a | |
1034 separate buffer and are conveniently displayed by typing @kbd{D} to the | |
1035 corresponding session group panel. Thus, as an added benefit, Ediff can be | |
1036 used to compare the contents of up to three directories. | |
1037 | |
1038 Session records in session group panels are also marked with @kbd{+}, for | |
1039 active sessions, and with @kbd{-}, for finished sessions. | |
1040 | |
1041 Sometimes, it is convenient to exclude certain sessions from a group. | |
1042 Usually this happens when the user doesn't intend to run Ediff of certain | |
1043 files in the group, and the corresponding session records just add clutter | |
1044 to the session group buffer. To help alleviate this problem, the user can | |
1045 type @kbd{h} to mark a session as a candidate for exclusion and @kbd{x} to | |
1046 actually hide the marked sessions. There actions are reversible: with a | |
1047 prefix argument, @kbd{h} unmarks the session under the cursor, and @kbd{x} | |
1048 brings the hidden sessions into the view (@kbd{x} doesn't unmark them, | |
1049 though, so the user has to explicitly unmark the sessions of interest). | |
1050 | |
1051 Group sessions also understand the command @kbd{m}, which marks sessions | |
1052 for future operations (other than hiding) on a group of sessions. At present, | |
1053 the only such group-level operation is the creation of a multi-file patch. | |
1054 | |
1055 @vindex ediff-autostore-merges | |
1056 For group sessions created to merge files, Ediff can store all merges | |
1057 automatically in a directory. The user is asked to specify such directory | |
1058 if the value of @code{ediff-autostore-merges} is non-nil. If the value is | |
1059 @code{nil}, nothing is done to the merge buffers---it will be the user's | |
1060 responsibility to save them. If the value is @code{t}, the user will be | |
1061 asked where to save the merge buffers in all merge jobs, even those that do | |
1062 not originate from a session group. It the value is neither @code{nil} nor | |
1063 @code{t}, the merge buffer is saved @emph{only} if this merge session was | |
1064 invoked from a session group. This behavior is implemented in the function | |
1065 @code{ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge}, which is a hook in | |
1066 @code{ediff-quit-merge-hook}. The user can supply a different hook, if | |
1067 necessary. | |
1068 | |
1069 The variable @code{ediff-autostore-merges} is buffer-local, so it can be | |
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1070 set on a per-buffer basis. Therefore, use @code{setq-default} to change |
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1071 this variable globally. |
25829 | 1072 |
1073 @cindex Multi-file patches | |
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1074 A multi-file patch is a concatenated output of several runs of the |
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1075 @code{diff} command (some versions of @code{diff} let you create a |
25829 | 1076 multi-file patch in just one run). Ediff facilitates creation of |
1077 multi-file patches as follows. If you are in a session group buffer | |
1078 created in response to @code{ediff-directories} or | |
1079 @code{ediff-directory-revisions}, you can mark (by typing @kbd{m}) the | |
1080 desired Ediff sessions and then type @kbd{P} to create a | |
1081 multi-file patch of those marked sessions. | |
1082 Ediff will then display a buffer containing the patch. | |
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1083 The patch is generated by invoking @code{diff} on all marked individual |
25829 | 1084 sessions (represented by files) and session groups (represented by |
1085 directories). Ediff will also recursively descend into any @emph{unmarked} | |
1086 session group and will search for marked sessions there. In this way, you | |
1087 can create multi-file patches that span file subtrees that grow out of | |
1088 any given directory. | |
1089 | |
1090 In an @code{ediff-directories} session, it is enough to just mark the | |
1091 requisite sessions. In @code{ediff-directory-revisions} revisions, the | |
1092 marked sessions must also be active, or else Ediff will refuse to produce a | |
1093 multi-file patch. This is because, in the latter-style sessions, there are | |
1094 many ways to create diff output, and it is easier to handle by running | |
1095 Ediff on the inactive sessions. | |
1096 | |
1097 Last, but not least, by typing @kbd{=}, you can quickly find out which | |
1098 sessions have identical files, so you won't have to run Ediff on those | |
1099 sessions. This, however, works only on local, uncompressed files. | |
1100 For compressed or remote files, this command won't report anything. | |
1101 | |
1102 | |
1103 @node Remote and Compressed Files, Customization, Session Groups, Top | |
1104 @chapter Remote and Compressed Files | |
1105 | |
1106 Ediff works with remote, compressed, and encrypted files. Ediff | |
1107 supports @file{ange-ftp.el}, @file{jka-compr.el}, @file{uncompress.el} | |
1108 and @file{crypt++.el}, but it may work with other similar packages as | |
1109 well. This means that you can compare files residing on another | |
1110 machine, or you can apply a patch to a file on another machine. Even | |
1111 the patch itself can be a remote file! | |
1112 | |
1113 When patching compressed or remote files, Ediff does not rename the source | |
1114 file (unlike what the @code{patch} utility would usually do). Instead, the | |
1115 source file retains its name and the result of applying the patch is placed | |
1116 in a temporary file that has the suffix @file{_patched} attached. | |
1117 Generally, this applies to files that are handled using black magic, such | |
1118 as special file handlers (ange-ftp and some compression and encryption | |
1119 packages also use this method). | |
1120 | |
1121 Regular files are treated by the @code{patch} utility in the usual manner, | |
1122 i.e., the original is renamed into @file{source-name.orig} and the result | |
1123 of the patch is placed into the file source-name (@file{_orig} is used | |
1124 on systems like VMS, DOS, etc.) | |
1125 | |
1126 @node Customization, Credits, Remote and Compressed Files, Top | |
1127 @chapter Customization | |
1128 | |
1129 Ediff has a rather self-explanatory interface, and in most cases you | |
1130 won't need to change anything. However, should the need arise, there are | |
1131 extensive facilities for changing the default behavior. | |
1132 | |
1133 Most of the customization can be done by setting various variables in the | |
1134 @file{.emacs} file. Some customization (mostly window-related | |
1135 customization and faces) can be done by putting appropriate lines in | |
1136 @file{.Xdefaults}, @file{.xrdb}, or whatever X resource file is in use. | |
1137 | |
1138 With respect to the latter, please note that the X resource | |
1139 for Ediff customization is `Ediff', @emph{not} `emacs'. | |
1140 @xref{Window and Frame Configuration}, | |
1141 @xref{Highlighting Difference Regions}, for further details. Please also | |
1142 refer to Emacs manual for the information on how to set Emacs X resources. | |
1143 | |
1144 @menu | |
1145 * Hooks:: Customization via the hooks. | |
1146 * Quick Help Customization:: How to customize Ediff's quick help feature. | |
1147 * Window and Frame Configuration:: Controlling the way Ediff displays things. | |
1148 * Selective Browsing:: Advanced browsing through difference regions. | |
1149 * Highlighting Difference Regions:: Controlling highlighting. | |
1150 * Narrowing:: Comparing regions, windows, etc. | |
1151 * Refinement of Difference Regions:: How to control the refinement process. | |
1152 * Patch and Diff Programs:: Changing the utilities that compute differences | |
1153 and apply patches. | |
1154 * Merging and diff3:: How to customize Ediff in its Merge Mode. | |
1155 * Support for Version Control:: Changing the version control package. | |
1156 You are not likely to do that. | |
1157 * Customizing the Mode Line:: Changing the look of the mode line in Ediff. | |
1158 * Miscellaneous:: Other customization. | |
1159 * Notes on Heavy-duty Customization:: Customization for the gurus. | |
1160 @end menu | |
1161 | |
1162 @node Hooks, Quick Help Customization, Customization, Customization | |
1163 @section Hooks | |
1164 | |
1165 The bulk of customization can be done via the following hooks: | |
1166 | |
1167 @table @code | |
1168 @item ediff-load-hook | |
1169 @vindex ediff-load-hook | |
1170 This hook can be used to change defaults after Ediff is loaded. | |
1171 | |
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1172 @item ediff-before-setup-hook |
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1173 @vindex ediff-before-setup-hook |
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1174 Hook that is run just before Ediff rearranges windows to its liking. |
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1175 Can be used to save windows configuration. |
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1176 |
25829 | 1177 @item ediff-keymap-setup-hook |
1178 @vindex ediff-keymap-setup-hook | |
1179 @vindex ediff-mode-map | |
1180 This hook can be used to alter bindings in Ediff's keymap, | |
1181 @code{ediff-mode-map}. These hooks are | |
1182 run right after the default bindings are set but before | |
1183 @code{ediff-load-hook}. The regular user needs not be concerned with this | |
1184 hook---it is provided for implementors of other Emacs packages built on top | |
1185 of Ediff. | |
1186 | |
1187 @item ediff-before-setup-windows-hook | |
1188 @itemx ediff-after-setup-windows-hook | |
1189 @vindex ediff-before-setup-windows-hook | |
1190 @vindex ediff-after-setup-windows-hook | |
1191 These two hooks are called before and after Ediff sets up its window | |
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1192 configuration. These hooks are run each time Ediff rearranges windows to |
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1193 its liking. This happens whenever it detects that the user changed the |
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1194 windows setup. |
25829 | 1195 |
1196 @item ediff-suspend-hook | |
1197 @itemx ediff-quit-hook | |
1198 @vindex ediff-suspend-hook | |
1199 @vindex ediff-quit-hook | |
1200 These two hooks are run when you suspend or quit Ediff. They can be | |
1201 used to set desired window configurations, delete files Ediff didn't | |
1202 want to clean up after exiting, etc. | |
1203 | |
1204 By default, @code{ediff-quit-hook} holds one hook function, | |
1205 @code{ediff-cleanup-mess}, which cleans after Ediff, as appropriate in | |
1206 most cases. You probably won't want to change it, but you might | |
1207 want to add other hook functions. | |
1208 | |
1209 Keep in mind that hooks executing before @code{ediff-cleanup-mess} start | |
1210 in @code{ediff-control-buffer;} they should also leave | |
1211 @code{ediff-control-buffer} as the current buffer when they finish. | |
1212 Hooks that are executed after @code{ediff-cleanup-mess} should expect | |
1213 the current buffer be either buffer A or buffer B. | |
1214 @code{ediff-cleanup-mess} doesn't kill the buffers being compared or | |
1215 merged (see @code{ediff-cleanup-hook}, below). | |
1216 | |
1217 @item ediff-cleanup-hook | |
1218 @vindex ediff-cleanup-hook | |
1219 This hook is run just before @code{ediff-quit-hook}. This is a good | |
1220 place to do various cleanups, such as deleting the variant buffers. | |
1221 Ediff provides a function, @code{ediff-janitor}, as one such possible | |
1222 hook, which you can add to @code{ediff-cleanup-hook} with | |
1223 @code{add-hooks}. | |
1224 | |
1225 @findex ediff-janitor | |
1226 This function kills buffers A, B, and, possibly, C, if these buffers aren't | |
1227 modified. In merge jobs, buffer C is never deleted. However, the side | |
1228 effect of using this function is that you may not be able to compare the | |
1229 same buffer in two separate Ediff sessions: quitting one of them will | |
1230 delete this buffer in another session as well. | |
1231 | |
1232 @item ediff-quit-merge-hook | |
1233 @vindex ediff-quit-merge-hook | |
1234 @vindex ediff-autostore-merges | |
1235 @findex ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge | |
1236 This hook is called when Ediff quits a merge job. By default, the value is | |
1237 @code{ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge}, which is a function that attempts | |
1238 to save the merge buffer according to the value of | |
1239 @code{ediff-autostore-merges}, as described later. | |
1240 | |
1241 @item ediff-before-setup-control-frame-hook | |
1242 @itemx ediff-after-setup-control-frame-hook | |
1243 @vindex ediff-before-setup-control-frame-hook | |
1244 @vindex ediff-after-setup-control-frame-hook | |
1245 These two hooks run before and after Ediff sets up the control frame. | |
1246 They can be used to relocate Ediff control frame when Ediff runs in a | |
1247 multiframe mode (i.e., when the control buffer is in its own dedicated | |
1248 frame). Be aware that many variables that drive Ediff are local to | |
1249 Ediff Control Panel (@code{ediff-control-buffer}), which requires | |
1250 special care in writing these hooks. Take a look at | |
1251 @code{ediff-default-suspend-hook} and @code{ediff-default-quit-hook} to | |
1252 see what's involved. | |
1253 | |
1254 @item ediff-startup-hook | |
1255 @vindex ediff-startup-hook | |
1256 This hook is run at the end of Ediff startup. | |
1257 | |
1258 @item ediff-select-hook | |
1259 @vindex ediff-select-hook | |
1260 This hook is run after Ediff selects the next difference region. | |
1261 | |
1262 @item ediff-unselect-hook | |
1263 @vindex ediff-unselect-hook | |
1264 This hook is run after Ediff unselects the current difference region. | |
1265 | |
1266 @item ediff-prepare-buffer-hook | |
1267 @vindex ediff-prepare-buffer-hook | |
1268 This hook is run for each Ediff buffer (A, B, C) right after the buffer | |
1269 is arranged. | |
1270 | |
1271 @item ediff-display-help-hook | |
1272 @vindex ediff-display-help-hook | |
1273 Ediff runs this hook each time after setting up the help message. It | |
1274 can be used to alter the help message for custom packages that run on | |
1275 top of Ediff. | |
1276 | |
1277 @item ediff-mode-hook | |
1278 @vindex ediff-mode-hook | |
1279 This hook is run just after Ediff mode is set up in the control | |
1280 buffer. This is done before any Ediff window is created. You can use it to | |
1281 set local variables that alter the look of the display. | |
1282 | |
1283 @item ediff-registry-setup-hook | |
1284 @vindex ediff-registry-setup-hook | |
1285 Hooks run after setting up the registry for all active Ediff session. | |
1286 @xref{Session Groups}, for details. | |
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1287 @item ediff-before-session-group-setup-hook |
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1288 @vindex ediff-before-session-group-setup-hook |
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1289 Hooks run before setting up a control panel for a group of related Ediff |
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1290 sessions. Can be used, for example, to save window configuration to restore |
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1291 later. |
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1292 @item ediff-after-session-group-setup-hook |
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1293 @vindex ediff-after-session-group-setup-hook |
25829 | 1294 Hooks run after setting up a control panel for a group of related Ediff |
1295 sessions. @xref{Session Groups}, for details. | |
1296 @item ediff-quit-session-group-hook | |
1297 @vindex ediff-quit-session-group-hook | |
1298 Hooks run just before exiting a session group. | |
1299 @item ediff-meta-buffer-keymap-setup-hook | |
1300 @vindex ediff-meta-buffer-keymap-setup-hook | |
1301 @vindex ediff-meta-buffer-map | |
1302 Hooks run just after setting up the @code{ediff-meta-buffer-map} --- the | |
1303 map that controls key bindings in the meta buffer. Since | |
1304 @code{ediff-meta-buffer-map} is a local variable, you can set different | |
1305 bindings for different kinds of meta buffers. | |
1306 @end table | |
1307 | |
1308 @node Quick Help Customization, Window and Frame Configuration, Hooks, Customization | |
1309 @section Quick Help Customization | |
1310 @vindex ediff-use-long-help-message | |
1311 @vindex ediff-control-buffer | |
1312 @vindex ediff-startup-hook | |
1313 @vindex ediff-help-message | |
1314 | |
1315 Ediff provides quick help using its control panel window. Since this window | |
1316 takes a fair share of the screen real estate, you can toggle it off by | |
1317 typing @kbd{?}. The control window will then shrink to just one line and a | |
1318 mode line, displaying a short help message. | |
1319 | |
1320 The variable @code{ediff-use-long-help-message} tells Ediff whether | |
1321 you use the short message or the long one. By default, it | |
1322 is set to @code{nil}, meaning that the short message is used. | |
1323 Set this to @code{t}, if you want Ediff to use the long | |
1324 message by default. This property can always be changed interactively, by | |
1325 typing @kbd{?} into Ediff Control Buffer. | |
1326 | |
1327 If you want to change the appearance of the help message on a per-buffer | |
1328 basis, you must use @code{ediff-startup-hook} to change the value of | |
1329 the variable @code{ediff-help-message}, which is local to | |
1330 @code{ediff-control-buffer}. | |
1331 | |
1332 @node Window and Frame Configuration, Selective Browsing, Quick Help Customization, Customization | |
1333 @section Window and Frame Configuration | |
1334 | |
1335 On a non-windowing display, Ediff sets things up in one frame, splitting | |
1336 it between a small control window and the windows for buffers A, B, and C. | |
1337 The split between these windows can be horizontal or | |
1338 vertical, which can be changed interactively by typing @kbd{|} while the | |
1339 cursor is in the control window. | |
1340 | |
1341 On a window display, Ediff sets up a dedicated frame for Ediff Control | |
1342 Panel and then it chooses windows as follows: If one of the buffers | |
1343 is invisible, it is displayed in the currently selected frame. If | |
1344 a buffer is visible, it is displayed in the frame where it is visible. | |
1345 If, according to the above criteria, the two buffers fall into the same | |
1346 frame, then so be it---the frame will be shared by the two. The same | |
1347 algorithm works when you type @kbd{C-l} (@code{ediff-recenter}), @kbd{p} | |
1348 (@code{ediff-previous-difference}), @kbd{n} | |
1349 (@code{ediff-next-difference}), etc. | |
1350 | |
1351 The above behavior also depends on whether the current frame is splittable, | |
1352 dedicated, etc. Unfortunately, the margin of this book is too narrow to | |
1353 present the details of this remarkable algorithm. | |
1354 | |
1355 The upshot of all this is that you can compare buffers in one frame or | |
1356 in different frames. The former is done by default, while the latter can | |
1357 be achieved by arranging buffers A, B (and C, if applicable) to be seen in | |
1358 different frames. Ediff respects these arrangements, automatically | |
1359 adapting itself to the multi-frame mode. | |
1360 | |
1361 Ediff uses the following variables to set up its control panel | |
1362 (a.k.a.@: control buffer, a.k.a.@: quick help window): | |
1363 | |
1364 @table @code | |
1365 @item ediff-control-frame-parameters | |
1366 @vindex ediff-control-frame-parameters | |
1367 You can change or augment this variable including the font, color, | |
1368 etc. The X resource name of Ediff Control Panel frames is @samp{Ediff}. Under | |
1369 X-windows, you can use this name to set up preferences in your | |
1370 @file{~/.Xdefaults}, @file{~/.xrdb}, or whatever X resource file is in | |
1371 use. Usually this is preferable to changing | |
1372 @code{ediff-control-frame-parameters} directly. For instance, you can | |
1373 specify in @file{~/.Xdefaults} the color of the control frame | |
1374 using the resource @samp{Ediff*background}. | |
1375 | |
1376 In general, any X resource pertaining the control frame can be reached | |
1377 via the prefix @code{Ediff*}. | |
1378 | |
1379 @item ediff-control-frame-position-function | |
1380 @vindex ediff-control-frame-position-function | |
1381 The preferred way of specifying the position of the control frame is by | |
1382 setting the variable @code{ediff-control-frame-position-function} to an | |
1383 appropriate function. | |
1384 The default value of this variable is | |
1385 @code{ediff-make-frame-position}. This function places the control frame in | |
1386 the vicinity of the North-East corner of the frame displaying buffer A. | |
1387 | |
1388 @findex ediff-make-frame-position | |
1389 @end table | |
1390 | |
1391 The following variables can be used to adjust the location produced by | |
1392 @code{ediff-make-frame-position} and for related customization. | |
1393 | |
1394 @table @code | |
1395 @item ediff-narrow-control-frame-leftward-shift | |
1396 @vindex ediff-narrow-control-frame-leftward-shift | |
1397 Specifies the number of characters for shifting | |
1398 the control frame from the rightmost edge of frame A when the control | |
1399 frame is displayed as a small window. | |
1400 | |
1401 @item ediff-wide-control-frame-rightward-shift | |
1402 @vindex ediff-wide-control-frame-rightward-shift | |
1403 Specifies the rightward shift of the control frame | |
1404 from the left edge of frame A when the control frame shows the full | |
1405 menu of options. | |
1406 | |
1407 @item ediff-control-frame-upward-shift | |
1408 @vindex ediff-control-frame-upward-shift | |
1409 Specifies the number of pixels for the upward shift | |
1410 of the control frame. | |
1411 | |
1412 @item ediff-prefer-iconified-control-frame | |
1413 @vindex ediff-prefer-iconified-control-frame | |
1414 If this variable is @code{t}, the control frame becomes iconified | |
1415 automatically when you toggle the quick help message off. This saves | |
1416 valuable real estate on the screen. Toggling help back will deiconify | |
1417 the control frame. | |
1418 | |
1419 To start Ediff with an iconified Control Panel, you should set this | |
1420 variable to @code{t} and @code{ediff-prefer-long-help-message} to | |
1421 @code{nil} (@pxref{Quick Help Customization}). This behavior is useful | |
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1422 only if icons are allowed to accept keybord input (which depend on the |
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1423 window manager and other factors). |
25829 | 1424 @end table |
1425 | |
1426 @findex ediff-setup-windows | |
1427 To make more creative changes in the way Ediff sets up windows, you can | |
1428 rewrite the function @code{ediff-setup-windows}. However, we believe | |
1429 that detaching Ediff Control Panel from the rest and making it into a | |
1430 separate frame offers an important opportunity by allowing you to | |
1431 iconify that frame. The icon will usually accept all of the Ediff | |
1432 commands, but will free up valuable real estate on your screen (this may | |
1433 depend on your window manager, though). | |
1434 | |
1435 The following variable controls how windows are set up: | |
1436 | |
1437 @table @code | |
1438 @item ediff-window-setup-function | |
1439 @vindex ediff-window-setup-function | |
1440 The multiframe setup is done by the | |
1441 @code{ediff-setup-windows-multiframe} function, which is the default on | |
1442 windowing displays. The plain setup, one where all windows are always | |
1443 in one frame, is done by @code{ediff-setup-windows-plain}, which is the | |
1444 default on a non-windowing display (or in an xterm window). In fact, | |
1445 under Emacs, you can switch freely between these two setups by executing | |
1446 the command @code{ediff-toggle-multiframe} using the Minibuffer of the | |
1447 Menubar. | |
1448 @findex ediff-setup-windows-multiframe | |
1449 @findex ediff-setup-windows-plain | |
1450 @findex ediff-toggle-multiframe | |
1451 | |
1452 If you don't like any of these setups, write your own function. See the | |
1453 documentation for @code{ediff-window-setup-function} for the basic | |
1454 guidelines. However, writing window setups is not easy, so you should | |
1455 first take a close look at @code{ediff-setup-windows-plain} and | |
1456 @code{ediff-setup-windows-multiframe}. | |
1457 @end table | |
1458 | |
1459 You can run multiple Ediff sessions at once, by invoking Ediff several | |
1460 times without exiting previous Ediff sessions. Different sessions | |
1461 may even operate on the same pair of files. | |
1462 | |
1463 Each session has its own Ediff Control Panel and all the regarding a | |
1464 particular session is local to the associated control panel buffer. You | |
1465 can switch between sessions by suspending one session and then switching | |
1466 to another control panel. (Different control panel buffers are | |
1467 distinguished by a numerical suffix, e.g., @samp{Ediff Control Panel<3>}.) | |
1468 | |
1469 @node Selective Browsing, Highlighting Difference Regions, Window and Frame Configuration, Customization | |
1470 @section Selective Browsing | |
1471 | |
1472 Sometimes it is convenient to be able to step through only some difference | |
1473 regions, those that match certain regular expressions, and to ignore all | |
1474 others. On other occasions, you may want to ignore difference regions that | |
1475 match some regular expressions, and to look only at the rest. | |
1476 | |
1477 The commands @kbd{#f} and @kbd{#h} let you do precisely this. | |
1478 | |
1479 Typing @kbd{#f} lets you specify regular expressions that match difference | |
1480 regions you want to focus on. | |
1481 We shall call these regular expressions @var{regexp-A}, @var{regexp-B} and | |
1482 @var{regexp-C}. | |
1483 Ediff will then start stepping through only those difference regions | |
1484 where the region in buffer A matches @var{regexp-A} and/or the region in | |
1485 buffer B matches @var{regexp-B}, etc. Whether `and' or `or' will be used | |
1486 depends on how you respond to a question. | |
1487 | |
1488 When scanning difference regions for the aforesaid regular expressions, | |
1489 Ediff narrows the buffers to those regions. This means that you can use | |
1490 the expressions @kbd{\`} and @kbd{\'} to tie search to the beginning or end | |
1491 of the difference regions. | |
1492 | |
1493 On the other hand, typing @kbd{#h} lets you specify (hide) uninteresting | |
1494 regions. That is, if a difference region in buffer A matches | |
1495 @var{regexp-A}, the corresponding region in buffer B matches @var{regexp-B} | |
1496 and (if applicable) buffer C's region matches @var{regexp-C}, then the | |
1497 region will be ignored by the commands @kbd{n}/@key{SPC} | |
1498 (@code{ediff-next-difference}) and @kbd{p}/@key{DEL} | |
1499 (@code{ediff-previous-difference}) commands. | |
1500 | |
1501 Typing @kbd{#f} and @kbd{#h} toggles selective browsing on and off. | |
1502 | |
1503 Note that selective browsing affects only @code{ediff-next-difference} | |
1504 and @code{ediff-previous-difference}, i.e., the commands | |
1505 @kbd{n}/@key{SPC} and @kbd{p}/@key{DEL}. @kbd{#f} and @kbd{#h} do not | |
1506 change the position of the point in the buffers. And you can still jump | |
1507 directly (using @kbd{j}) to any numbered | |
1508 difference. | |
1509 | |
1510 Users can supply their own functions to specify how Ediff should do | |
1511 selective browsing. To change the default Ediff function, add a function to | |
1512 @code{ediff-load-hook} which will do the following assignments: | |
1513 | |
1514 @example | |
1515 (setq ediff-hide-regexp-matches-function 'your-hide-function) | |
1516 (setq ediff-focus-on-regexp-matches-function 'your-focus-function) | |
1517 @end example | |
1518 | |
1519 @strong{Useful hint}: To specify a regexp that matches everything, don't | |
1520 simply type @key{RET} in response to a prompt. Typing @key{RET} tells Ediff | |
1521 to accept the default value, which may not be what you want. Instead, you | |
1522 should enter something like @key{^} or @key{$}. These match every | |
1523 line. | |
1524 | |
1525 You can use the status command, @kbd{i}, to find out whether | |
1526 selective browsing is currently in effect. | |
1527 | |
1528 The regular expressions you specified are kept in the local variables | |
1529 @code{ediff-regexp-focus-A}, @code{ediff-regexp-focus-B}, | |
1530 @code{ediff-regexp-focus-C}, @code{ediff-regexp-hide-A}, | |
1531 @code{ediff-regexp-hide-B}, @code{ediff-regexp-hide-C}. Their default value | |
1532 is the empty string (i.e., nothing is hidden or focused on). To change the | |
1533 default, set these variables in @file{.emacs} using @code{setq-default}. | |
1534 | |
1535 In addition to the ability to ignore regions that match regular | |
1536 expressions, Ediff can be ordered to start skipping over certain | |
1537 ``uninteresting'' difference regions. This is controlled by the following | |
1538 variable: | |
1539 | |
1540 @table @code | |
1541 @item ediff-ignore-similar-regions | |
1542 @vindex ediff-ignore-similar-regions | |
1543 If @code{t}, causes Ediff to skip over "uninteresting" difference regions, | |
1544 which are the regions where the variants differ only in the amount of the | |
1545 white space and newlines. This feature can be toggled on/off interactively, | |
1546 via the command @kbd{##}. | |
1547 @end table | |
1548 | |
1549 @strong{Note:} In order for this feature to work, auto-refining of | |
1550 difference regions must be on, since otherwise Ediff won't know if there | |
1551 are fine differences between regions. On devices where Emacs can display | |
1552 faces, auto-refining is a default, but it is not turned on by default on | |
1553 text-only terminals. In that case, you must explicitly turn auto-refining | |
1554 on (such as, by typing @kbd{@@}). | |
1555 | |
1556 @strong{Reassurance:} If many such uninteresting regions appear in a row, | |
1557 Ediff may take a long time to skip over them because it has to compute fine | |
1558 differences of all intermediate regions. This delay does not indicate any | |
1559 problem. | |
1560 | |
1561 @node Highlighting Difference Regions, Narrowing, Selective Browsing, Customization | |
1562 @section Highlighting Difference Regions | |
1563 | |
1564 The following variables control the way Ediff highlights difference | |
1565 regions: | |
1566 | |
1567 @table @code | |
1568 @item ediff-before-flag-bol | |
1569 @itemx ediff-after-flag-eol | |
1570 @itemx ediff-before-flag-mol | |
1571 @itemx ediff-after-flag-mol | |
1572 @vindex ediff-before-flag-bol | |
1573 @vindex ediff-after-flag-eol | |
1574 @vindex ediff-before-flag-mol | |
1575 @vindex ediff-after-flag-mol | |
1576 These variables hold strings that Ediff uses to mark the beginning and the | |
1577 end of the differences found in files A, B, and C on devices where Emacs | |
1578 cannot display faces. Ediff uses different flags to highlight regions that | |
1579 begin/end at the beginning/end of a line or in a middle of a line. | |
1580 | |
1581 @item ediff-current-diff-face-A | |
1582 @itemx ediff-current-diff-face-B | |
1583 @itemx ediff-current-diff-face-C | |
1584 @vindex ediff-current-diff-face-A | |
1585 @vindex ediff-current-diff-face-B | |
1586 @vindex ediff-current-diff-face-C | |
1587 Ediff uses these faces to highlight current differences on devices where | |
1588 Emacs can display faces. These and subsequently described faces can be set | |
1589 either in @file{.emacs} or in @file{.Xdefaults}. The X resource for Ediff | |
1590 is @samp{Ediff}, @emph{not} @samp{emacs}. Please refer to Emacs manual for | |
1591 the information on how to set X resources. | |
1592 @item ediff-fine-diff-face-A | |
1593 @itemx ediff-fine-diff-face-B | |
1594 @itemx ediff-fine-diff-face-C | |
1595 @vindex ediff-fine-diff-face-A | |
1596 @vindex ediff-fine-diff-face-B | |
1597 @vindex ediff-fine-diff-face-C | |
1598 Ediff uses these faces to show the fine differences between the current | |
1599 differences regions in buffers A, B, and C, respectively. | |
1600 | |
1601 @item ediff-even-diff-face-A | |
1602 @itemx ediff-even-diff-face-B | |
1603 @itemx ediff-even-diff-face-C | |
1604 @itemx ediff-odd-diff-face-A | |
1605 @itemx ediff-odd-diff-face-B | |
1606 @itemx ediff-odd-diff-face-C | |
1607 @vindex ediff-even-diff-face-A | |
1608 @vindex ediff-even-diff-face-B | |
1609 @vindex ediff-even-diff-face-C | |
1610 @vindex ediff-odd-diff-face-A | |
1611 @vindex ediff-odd-diff-face-B | |
1612 @vindex ediff-odd-diff-face-C | |
1613 Non-current difference regions are displayed using these alternating | |
1614 faces. The odd and the even faces are actually identical on monochrome | |
1615 displays, because without colors options are limited. | |
1616 So, Ediff uses italics to highlight non-current differences. | |
1617 | |
1618 @item ediff-force-faces | |
1619 @vindex ediff-force-faces | |
1620 Ediff generally can detect when Emacs is running on a device where it can | |
1621 use highlighting with faces. However, if it fails to determine that faces | |
1622 can be used, the user can set this variable to @code{t} to make sure that | |
1623 Ediff uses faces to highlight differences. | |
1624 | |
1625 @item ediff-highlight-all-diffs | |
1626 @vindex ediff-highlight-all-diffs | |
1627 Indicates whether---on a windowind display---Ediff should highlight | |
1628 differences using inserted strings (as on text-only terminals) or using | |
1629 colors and highlighting. Normally, Ediff highlights all differences, but | |
1630 the selected difference is highlighted more visibly. One can cycle through | |
1631 various modes of highlighting by typing @kbd{h}. By default, Ediff starts | |
1632 in the mode where all difference regions are highlighted. If you prefer to | |
1633 start in the mode where unselected differences are not highlighted, you | |
1634 should set @code{ediff-highlight-all-diffs} to @code{nil}. Type @kbd{h} to | |
1635 restore highlighting for all differences. | |
1636 | |
1637 Ediff lets you switch between the two modes of highlighting. That is, | |
1638 you can switch interactively from highlighting using faces to | |
1639 highlighting using string flags, and back. Of course, switching has | |
1640 effect only under a windowing system. On a text-only terminal or in an | |
1641 xterm window, the only available option is highlighting with strings. | |
1642 @end table | |
1643 | |
1644 @noindent | |
1645 If you want to change the default settings for @code{ediff-force-faces} and | |
1646 @code{ediff-highlight-all-diffs}, you must do it @strong{before} Ediff is | |
1647 loaded. | |
1648 | |
1649 You can also change the defaults for the faces used to highlight the | |
1650 difference regions. There are two ways to do this. The simplest and the | |
1651 preferred way is to use the customization widget accessible from the | |
1652 menubar. Ediff's customization group is located under "Tools", which in | |
1653 turn is under "Programming". The faces that are used to highlight | |
1654 difference regions are located in the "Highlighting" subgroup of the Ediff | |
1655 customization group. | |
1656 | |
1657 The second, much more arcane, method to change default faces is to include | |
1658 some Lisp code in @file{~/.emacs}. For instance, | |
1659 | |
1660 @example | |
1661 (setq ediff-current-diff-face-A | |
1662 (copy-face 'bold-italic 'ediff-current-diff-face-A)) | |
1663 @end example | |
1664 | |
1665 @noindent | |
1666 would use the pre-defined fase @code{bold-italic} to highlight the current | |
1667 difference region in buffer A (this face is not a good choice, by the way). | |
1668 | |
1669 If you are unhappy with just @emph{some} of the aspects of the default | |
1670 faces, you can modify them when Ediff is being loaded using | |
1671 @code{ediff-load-hook}. For instance: | |
1672 | |
1673 @smallexample | |
1674 (add-hook 'ediff-load-hook | |
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1675 (lambda () |
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1676 (set-face-foreground |
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1677 ediff-current-diff-face-B "blue") |
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1678 (set-face-background |
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1679 ediff-current-diff-face-B "red") |
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1680 (make-face-italic |
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1681 ediff-current-diff-face-B))) |
25829 | 1682 @end smallexample |
1683 | |
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1684 @strong{Note:} To set Ediff's faces, use only @code{copy-face} or |
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1685 @code{set/make-face-@dots{}} as shown above. Emacs' low-level |
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1686 face-manipulation functions should be avoided. |
25829 | 1687 |
1688 @node Narrowing, Refinement of Difference Regions, Highlighting Difference Regions, Customization | |
1689 @section Narrowing | |
1690 | |
1691 If buffers being compared are narrowed at the time of invocation of | |
1692 Ediff, @code{ediff-buffers} will preserve the narrowing range. However, | |
1693 if @code{ediff-files} is invoked on the files visited by these buffers, | |
1694 that would widen the buffers, since this command is defined to compare the | |
1695 entire files. | |
1696 | |
1697 Calling @code{ediff-regions-linewise} or @code{ediff-windows-linewise}, or | |
1698 the corresponding @samp{-wordwise} commands, narrows the variants to the | |
1699 particular regions being compared. The original accessible ranges are | |
1700 restored when you quit Ediff. During the command, you can toggle this | |
1701 narrowing on and off with the @kbd{%} command. | |
1702 | |
1703 These two variables control this narrowing behavior: | |
1704 | |
1705 @table @code | |
1706 @item ediff-start-narrowed | |
1707 @vindex ediff-start-narrowed | |
1708 If @code{t}, Ediff narrows the display to the appropriate range when it | |
1709 is invoked with an @samp{ediff-regions@dots{}} or | |
1710 @samp{ediff-windows@dots{}} command. If @code{nil}, these commands do | |
1711 not automatically narrow, but you can still toggle narrowing on and off | |
1712 by typing @kbd{%}. | |
1713 | |
1714 @item ediff-quit-widened | |
1715 @vindex ediff-quit-widened | |
1716 Controls whether on quitting Ediff should restore the accessible range | |
1717 that existed before the current invocation. | |
1718 @end table | |
1719 | |
1720 @node Refinement of Difference Regions, Patch and Diff Programs, Narrowing, Customization | |
1721 @section Refinement of Difference Regions | |
1722 | |
1723 Ediff has variables to control the way fine differences are | |
1724 highlighted. This feature gives you control over the process of refinement. | |
1725 Note that refinement ignores spaces, tabs, and newlines. | |
1726 | |
1727 @table @code | |
1728 @item ediff-auto-refine | |
1729 @vindex ediff-auto-refine | |
1730 This variable controls whether fine differences within regions are | |
1731 highlighted automatically (``auto-refining''). The default is yes | |
1732 (@samp{on}). | |
1733 | |
1734 On a slow machine, automatic refinement may be painful. In that case, | |
1735 you can turn auto-refining on or off interactively by typing | |
1736 @kbd{@@}. You can also turn off display of refining that has | |
1737 already been done. | |
1738 | |
1739 When auto-refining is off, fine differences are shown only for regions | |
1740 for which these differences have been computed and saved before. If | |
1741 auto-refining and display of refining are both turned off, fine | |
1742 differences are not shown at all. | |
1743 | |
1744 Typing @kbd{*} computes and displays fine differences for the current | |
1745 difference region, regardless of whether auto-refining is turned on. | |
1746 | |
1747 @item ediff-auto-refine-limit | |
1748 @vindex ediff-auto-refine-limit | |
1749 If auto-refining is on, this variable limits the size of the regions to | |
1750 be auto-refined. This guards against the possible slowdown that may be | |
1751 caused by extraordinary large difference regions. | |
1752 | |
1753 You can always refine the current region by typing @kbd{*}. | |
1754 | |
1755 @item ediff-forward-word-function | |
1756 @vindex ediff-forward-word-function | |
1757 This variable controls how fine differences are computed. The | |
1758 value must be a Lisp function that determines how the current difference | |
1759 region should be split into words. | |
1760 | |
1761 @vindex ediff-diff-program | |
1762 @vindex ediff-forward-word-function | |
1763 @findex ediff-forward-word | |
1764 Fine differences are computed by first splitting the current difference | |
1765 region into words and then passing the result to | |
1766 @code{ediff-diff-program}. For the default forward word function (which is | |
1767 @code{ediff-forward-word}), a word is a string consisting of letters, | |
1768 @samp{-}, or @samp{_}; a string of punctuation symbols; a string of digits, | |
1769 or a string consisting of symbols that are neither space, nor a letter. | |
1770 | |
1771 This default behavior is controlled by four variables: @code{ediff-word-1}, | |
1772 ..., @code{ediff-word-4}. See the on-line documentation for these variables | |
1773 and for the function @code{ediff-forward-word} for an explanation of how to | |
1774 modify these variables. | |
1775 @vindex ediff-word-1 | |
1776 @vindex ediff-word-2 | |
1777 @vindex ediff-word-3 | |
1778 @vindex ediff-word-4 | |
1779 @end table | |
1780 | |
1781 Sometimes, when a region has too many differences between the variants, | |
1782 highlighting of fine differences is inconvenient, especially on | |
1783 color displays. If that is the case, type @kbd{*} with a negative | |
1784 prefix argument. This unhighlights fine differences for the current | |
1785 region. | |
1786 | |
1787 To unhighlight fine differences in all difference regions, use the | |
1788 command @kbd{@@}. Repeated typing of this key cycles through three | |
1789 different states: auto-refining, no-auto-refining, and no-highlighting | |
1790 of fine differences. | |
1791 | |
1792 @node Patch and Diff Programs, Merging and diff3, Refinement of Difference Regions, Customization | |
1793 @section Patch and Diff Programs | |
1794 | |
1795 This section describes variables that specify the programs to be used for | |
1796 applying patches and for computing the main difference regions (not the | |
1797 fine difference regions): | |
1798 | |
1799 @table @code | |
1800 @item ediff-diff-program | |
1801 @itemx ediff-diff3-program | |
1802 @vindex ediff-patch-program | |
1803 @vindex ediff-diff-program | |
1804 @vindex ediff-diff3-program | |
1805 These variables specify the programs to use to produce differences | |
1806 and do patching. | |
1807 | |
1808 @item ediff-diff-options | |
1809 @itemx ediff-diff3-options | |
1810 @vindex ediff-patch-options | |
1811 @vindex ediff-diff-options | |
1812 @vindex ediff-diff3-options | |
1813 These variables specify the options to pass to the above utilities. | |
1814 | |
1815 In @code{ediff-diff-options}, it may be useful to specify options | |
1816 such as @samp{-w} that ignore certain kinds of changes. However, | |
1817 Ediff does not let you use the option @samp{-c}, as it doesn't recognize this | |
1818 format yet. | |
1819 | |
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1820 @item ediff-coding-system-for-read |
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1821 @vindex ediff-coding-system-for-read |
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1822 This variable specifies the coding system to use when reading the output |
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1823 that the programs @code{diff3} and @code{diff} send to Emacs. The default |
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1824 is @code{raw-text}, and this should work fine on GNU, Unix, and in most |
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1825 cases under Windows NT/95/98/2000. There are @code{diff} programs |
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1826 for which the default option doesn't work under Windows. In such cases, |
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1827 @code{raw-text-dos} might work. If not, you will have to experiment with |
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1828 other coding systems or use GNU diff. |
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1829 |
25829 | 1830 @item ediff-patch-program |
1831 The program to use to apply patches. Since there are certain | |
1832 incompatibilities between the different versions of the patch program, the | |
1833 best way to stay out of trouble is to use a GNU-compatible version. | |
1834 Otherwise, you may have to tune the values of the variables | |
1835 @code{ediff-patch-options}, @code{ediff-backup-specs}, and | |
1836 @code{ediff-backup-extension} as described below. | |
1837 @item ediff-patch-options | |
1838 Options to pass to @code{ediff-patch-program}. | |
1839 | |
1840 Note: the `-b' and `-z' options should be specified in | |
1841 `ediff-backup-specs', not in @code{ediff-patch-options}. | |
1842 | |
1843 It is recommended to pass the `-f' option to the patch program, so it won't | |
1844 ask questions. However, some implementations don't accept this option, in | |
1845 which case the default value of this variable should be changed. | |
1846 | |
1847 @item ediff-backup-extension | |
1848 Backup extension used by the patch program. Must be specified, even if | |
1849 @code{ediff-backup-specs} is given. | |
1850 @item ediff-backup-specs | |
1851 Backup directives to pass to the patch program. | |
1852 Ediff requires that the old version of the file (before applying the patch) | |
1853 is saved in a file named @file{the-patch-file.extension}. Usually | |
1854 `extension' is `.orig', but this can be changed by the user, and may also be | |
1855 system-dependent. Therefore, Ediff needs to know the backup extension used | |
1856 by the patch program. | |
1857 | |
1858 Some versions of the patch program let the user specify `-b backup-extension'. | |
1859 Other versions only permit `-b', which (usually) assumes the extension `.orig'. | |
1860 Yet others force you to use `-z<backup-extension>'. | |
1861 | |
1862 Note that both `ediff-backup-extension' and `ediff-backup-specs' must be | |
1863 properly set. If your patch program takes the option `-b', but not | |
1864 `-b extension', the variable `ediff-backup-extension' must still | |
1865 be set so Ediff will know which extension to use. | |
1866 | |
1867 @item ediff-custom-diff-program | |
1868 @itemx ediff-custom-diff-options | |
1869 @vindex ediff-custom-diff-program | |
1870 @vindex ediff-custom-diff-options | |
1871 @findex ediff-save-buffer | |
1872 Because Ediff limits the options you may want to pass to the @code{diff} | |
1873 program, it partially makes up for this drawback by letting you save the | |
1874 output from @code{diff} in your preferred format, which is specified via | |
1875 the above two variables. | |
1876 | |
1877 The output generated by @code{ediff-custom-diff-program} (which doesn't | |
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1878 even have to be a standard-style @code{diff}!)@: is not used by Ediff. It is |
25829 | 1879 provided exclusively so that you can |
1880 refer to | |
1881 it later, send it over email, etc. For instance, after reviewing the | |
1882 differences, you may want to send context differences to a colleague. | |
1883 Since Ediff ignores the @samp{-c} option in | |
1884 @code{ediff-diff-program}, you would have to run @code{diff -c} separately | |
1885 just to produce the list of differences. Fortunately, | |
1886 @code{ediff-custom-diff-program} and @code{ediff-custom-diff-options} | |
1887 eliminate this nuisance by keeping a copy of a difference list in the | |
1888 desired format in a buffer that can be displayed via the command @kbd{D}. | |
1889 | |
1890 @item ediff-patch-default-directory | |
1891 @vindex ediff-patch-default-directory | |
1892 Specifies the default directory to look for patches. | |
1893 | |
1894 @end table | |
1895 | |
1896 @noindent | |
1897 @strong{Warning:} Ediff does not support the output format of VMS | |
1898 @code{diff}. Instead, make sure you are using some implementation of POSIX | |
1899 @code{diff}, such as @code{gnudiff}. | |
1900 | |
1901 @node Merging and diff3, Support for Version Control, Patch and Diff Programs, Customization | |
1902 @section Merging and diff3 | |
1903 | |
1904 Ediff supports three-way comparison via the functions @code{ediff-files3} and | |
1905 @code{ediff-buffers3}. The interface is the same as for two-way comparison. | |
1906 In three-way comparison and merging, Ediff reports if any two difference | |
1907 regions are identical. For instance, if the current region in buffer A | |
1908 is the same as the region in buffer C, then the mode line of buffer A will | |
1909 display @samp{[=diff(C)]} and the mode line of buffer C will display | |
1910 @samp{[=diff(A)]}. | |
1911 | |
1912 Merging is done according to the following algorithm. | |
1913 | |
1914 If a difference region in one of the buffers, say B, differs from the ancestor | |
1915 file while the region in the other buffer, A, doesn't, then the merge buffer, | |
1916 C, gets B's region. Similarly when buffer A's region differs from | |
1917 the ancestor and B's doesn't, A's region is used. | |
1918 | |
1919 @vindex ediff-default-variant | |
1920 If both regions in buffers A and B differ from the ancestor file, Ediff | |
1921 chooses the region according to the value of the variable | |
1922 @code{ediff-default-variant}. If its value is @code{default-A} then A's | |
1923 region is chosen. If it is @code{default-B} then B's region is chosen. | |
1924 If it is @code{combined} then the region in buffer C will look like | |
1925 this: | |
1926 | |
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1927 @comment Use @set to avoid triggering merge conflict detectors like CVS. |
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1928 @set seven-left <<<<<<< |
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1929 @set seven-right >>>>>>> |
25829 | 1930 @example |
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1931 @value{seven-left} variant A |
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1932 the difference region from buffer A |
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1933 @value{seven-right} variant B |
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1934 the difference region from buffer B |
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1935 ####### Ancestor |
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1936 the difference region from the ancestor buffer, if available |
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1937 ======= end |
25829 | 1938 @end example |
1939 | |
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1940 The above is the default template for the combined region. The user can |
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1941 customize this template using the variable |
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1942 @code{ediff-combination-pattern}. |
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1943 |
25829 | 1944 @vindex ediff-combination-pattern |
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1945 The variable @code{ediff-combination-pattern} specifies the template that |
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1946 determines how the combined merged region looks like. The template is |
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1947 represented as a list of the form @code{(STRING1 Symbol1 STRING2 Symbol2 |
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1948 STRING3 Symbol3 STRING4)}. The symbols here must be atoms of the form |
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1949 @code{A}, @code{B}, or @code{Ancestor}. They determine the order in which |
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1950 the corresponding difference regions (from buffers A, B, and the ancestor |
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1951 buffer) are displayed in the merged region of buffer C. The strings in the |
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1952 template determine the text that separates the aforesaid regions. The |
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1953 default template is |
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1954 |
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1955 @smallexample |
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1956 ("@value{seven-left} variant A" A "@value{seven-right} variant B" B |
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1957 "####### Ancestor" Ancestor "======= end") |
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1958 @end smallexample |
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1959 |
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1960 @noindent |
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1961 (this is one long line) and the corresponding combined region is shown |
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1962 above. The order in which the regions are shown (and the separator |
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1963 strings) can be changed by changing the above template. It is even |
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1964 possible to add or delete region specifiers in this template (although |
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1965 the only possibly useful such modification seems to be the deletion of |
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1966 the ancestor). |
25829 | 1967 |
1968 In addition to the state of the difference, Ediff displays the state of the | |
1969 merge for each region. If a difference came from buffer A by default | |
1970 (because both regions A and B were different from the ancestor and | |
1971 @code{ediff-default-variant} was set to @code{default-A}) then | |
1972 @samp{[=diff(A) default-A]} is displayed in the mode line. If the | |
1973 difference in buffer C came, say, from buffer B because the difference | |
1974 region in that buffer differs from the ancestor, but the region in buffer A | |
1975 does not (if merging with an ancestor) then @samp{[=diff(B) prefer-B]} is | |
1976 displayed. The indicators default-A/B and prefer-A/B are inspired by | |
1977 Emerge and have the same meaning. | |
1978 | |
1979 Another indicator of the state of merge is @samp{combined}. It appears | |
1980 with any difference region in buffer C that was obtained by combining | |
1981 the difference regions in buffers A and B as explained above. | |
1982 | |
1983 In addition to the state of merge and state of difference indicators, while | |
1984 merging with an ancestor file or buffer, Ediff informs the user when the | |
1985 current difference region in the (normally invisible) ancestor buffer is | |
1986 empty via the @emph{AncestorEmpty} indicator. This helps determine if the | |
1987 changes made to the original in variants A and B represent pure insertion | |
1988 or deletion of text: if the mode line shows @emph{AncestorEmpty} and the | |
1989 corresponding region in buffers A or B is not empty, this means that new | |
1990 text was inserted. If this indicator is not present and the difference | |
1991 regions in buffers A or B are non-empty, this means that text was | |
1992 modified. Otherwise, the original text was deleted. | |
1993 | |
1994 Although the ancestor buffer is normally invisible, Ediff maintains | |
1995 difference regions there and advances the current difference region | |
1996 accordingly. All highlighting of difference regions is provided in the | |
1997 ancestor buffer, except for the fine differences. Therefore, if desired, the | |
1998 user can put the ancestor buffer in a separate frame and watch it | |
1999 there. However, on a TTY, only one frame can be visible at any given time, | |
2000 and Ediff doesn't support any single-frame window configuration where all | |
2001 buffers, including the ancestor buffer, would be visible. However, the | |
2002 ancestor buffer can be displayed by typing @kbd{/} to the control | |
2003 window. (Type @kbd{C-l} to hide it again.) | |
2004 | |
2005 Note that the state-of-difference indicators @samp{=diff(A)} and | |
2006 @samp{=diff(B)} above are not redundant, even in the presence of a | |
2007 state-of-merge indicator. In fact, the two serve different purposes. | |
2008 | |
2009 For instance, if the mode line displays @samp{=diff(B) prefer(B)} and | |
2010 you copy a difference region from buffer A to buffer C then | |
2011 @samp{=diff(B)} will change to @samp{diff-A} and the mode line will | |
2012 display @samp{=diff(A) prefer-B}. This indicates that the difference | |
2013 region in buffer C is identical to that in buffer A, but originally | |
2014 buffer C's region came from buffer B. This is useful to know because | |
2015 you can recover the original difference region in buffer C by typing | |
2016 @kbd{r}. | |
2017 | |
2018 | |
2019 Ediff never changes the state-of-merge indicator, except in response to | |
2020 the @kbd{!} command (see below), in which case the indicator is lost. | |
2021 On the other hand, the state-of-difference indicator is changed | |
2022 automatically by the copying/recovery commands, @kbd{a}, @kbd{b}, @kbd{r}, | |
2023 @kbd{+}. | |
2024 | |
2025 The @kbd{!} command loses the information about origins of the regions | |
2026 in the merge buffer (default-A, prefer-B, or combined). This is because | |
2027 recomputing differences in this case means running @code{diff3} on | |
2028 buffers A, B, and the merge buffer, not on the ancestor buffer. (It | |
2029 makes no sense to recompute differences using the ancestor file, since | |
2030 in the merging mode Ediff assumes that you have not edited buffers A and | |
2031 B, but that you may have edited buffer C, and these changes are to be | |
2032 preserved.) Since some difference regions may disappear as a result of | |
2033 editing buffer C and others may arise, there is generally no simple way | |
2034 to tell where the various regions in the merge buffer came from. | |
2035 | |
2036 In three-way comparison, Ediff tries to disregard regions that consist | |
2037 entirely of white space. For instance, if, say, the current region in | |
2038 buffer A consists of the white space only (or if it is empty), Ediff will | |
2039 not take it into account for the purpose of computing fine differences. The | |
2040 result is that Ediff can provide a better visual information regarding the | |
2041 actual fine differences in the non-white regions in buffers B and | |
2042 C. Moreover, if the regions in buffers B and C differ in the white space | |
2043 only, then a message to this effect will be displayed. | |
2044 | |
2045 @vindex ediff-merge-window-share | |
2046 In the merge mode, the share of the split between window C (the window | |
2047 displaying the merge-buffer) and the windows displaying buffers A and B | |
2048 is controlled by the variable @code{ediff-merge-window-share}. Its | |
2049 default value is 0.5. To make the merge-buffer window smaller, reduce | |
2050 this amount. | |
2051 | |
2052 We don't recommend increasing the size of the merge-window to more than | |
2053 half the frame (i.e., to increase the value of | |
2054 @code{ediff-merge-window-share}) to more than 0.5, since it would be | |
2055 hard to see the contents of buffers A and B. | |
2056 | |
2057 You can temporarily shrink the merge window to just one line by | |
2058 typing @kbd{s}. This change is temporary, until Ediff finds a reason to | |
2059 redraw the screen. Typing @kbd{s} again restores the original window size. | |
2060 | |
2061 With a positive prefix argument, the @kbd{s} command will make the merge | |
2062 window slightly taller. This change is persistent. With `@kbd{-}' or | |
2063 with a negative prefix argument, the command @kbd{s} makes the merge | |
2064 window slightly shorter. This change also persistent. | |
2065 | |
2066 @vindex ediff-show-clashes-only | |
2067 Ediff lets you automatically ignore the regions where only one of the | |
2068 buffers A and B disagrees with the ancestor. To do this, set the | |
2069 variable @code{ediff-show-clashes-only} to non-@code{nil}. | |
2070 | |
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2071 You can toggle this feature interactively by typing @kbd{$$}. |
25829 | 2072 |
2073 Note that this variable affects only the show next/previous difference | |
2074 commands. You can still jump directly to any difference region directly | |
2075 using the command @kbd{j} (with a prefix argument specifying the difference | |
2076 number). | |
2077 | |
2078 @vindex ediff-autostore-merges | |
2079 @vindex ediff-quit-merge-hook | |
2080 @findex ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge | |
2081 The variable @code{ediff-autostore-merges} controls what happens to the | |
2082 merge buffer when Ediff quits. If the value is @code{nil}, nothing is done | |
2083 to the merge buffer---it will be the user's responsibility to save it. | |
2084 If the value is @code{t}, the user will be asked where to save the buffer | |
2085 and whether to delete it afterwards. It the value is neither @code{nil} nor | |
2086 @code{t}, the merge buffer is saved @emph{only} if this merge session was | |
2087 invoked from a group of related Ediff session, such as those that result | |
2088 from @code{ediff-merge-directories}, | |
2089 @code{ediff-merge-directory-revisions}, etc. | |
2090 @xref{Session Groups}. This behavior is implemented in the function | |
2091 @code{ediff-maybe-save-and-delete-merge}, which is a hook in | |
2092 @code{ediff-quit-merge-hook}. The user can supply a different hook, if | |
2093 necessary. | |
2094 | |
2095 The variable @code{ediff-autostore-merges} is buffer-local, so it can be | |
2096 set in a per-buffer manner. Therefore, use @code{setq-default} to globally | |
2097 change this variable. | |
2098 | |
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2099 @vindex ediff-merge-filename-prefix |
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2100 When merge buffers are saved automatically as directed by |
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2101 @code{ediff-autostore-merges}, Ediff attaches a prefix to each file, as |
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2102 specified by the variable @code{ediff-merge-filename-prefix}. The default |
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2103 is @code{merge_}, but this can be changed by the user. |
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2104 |
25829 | 2105 @node Support for Version Control, Customizing the Mode Line, Merging and diff3, Customization |
2106 @section Support for Version Control | |
2107 | |
2108 | |
2109 Ediff supports version control and lets you compare versions of files | |
2110 visited by Emacs buffers via the function @code{ediff-revision}. This | |
2111 feature is controlled by the following variables: | |
2112 | |
2113 @table @code | |
2114 @item ediff-version-control-package | |
2115 @vindex ediff-version-control-package | |
2116 A symbol. The default is @samp{vc}. | |
2117 | |
2118 If you are like most Emacs users, Ediff will use VC as the version control | |
2119 package. This is the standard Emacs interface to RCS, CVS, and SCCS. | |
2120 | |
2121 However, if your needs are better served by other interfaces, you will | |
2122 have to tell Ediff which version control package you are using, e.g., | |
2123 @example | |
2124 (setq ediff-version-control-package 'rcs) | |
2125 @end example | |
2126 | |
2127 Apart from the standard @file{vc.el}, Ediff supports three other interfaces | |
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2128 to version control: @file{rcs.el}, @file{pcl-cvs.el} (recently renamed |
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2129 pcvs.el), and @file{generic-sc.el}. The package @file{rcs.el} is written |
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2130 by Sebastian Kremer <sk@@thp.Uni-Koeln.DE> and is available as |
25829 | 2131 @example |
2132 @file{ftp.cs.buffalo.edu:pub/Emacs/rcs.tar.Z} | |
2133 @file{ftp.uni-koeln.de:/pub/gnu/emacs/rcs.tar.Z} | |
2134 @end example | |
2135 @pindex @file{vc.el} | |
2136 @pindex @file{rcs.el} | |
2137 @pindex @file{pcl-cvs.el} | |
2138 @pindex @file{generic-sc.el} | |
2139 @end table | |
2140 | |
2141 Ediff's interface to the above packages allows the user to compare the | |
2142 versions of the current buffer or to merge them (with or without an | |
2143 ancestor-version). These operations can also be performed on directories | |
2144 containing files under version control. | |
2145 | |
2146 In case of @file{pcl-cvs.el}, Ediff can also be invoked via the function | |
2147 @code{run-ediff-from-cvs-buffer}---see the documentation string for this | |
2148 function. | |
2149 | |
2150 @node Customizing the Mode Line, Miscellaneous, Support for Version Control, Customization | |
2151 @section Customizing the Mode Line | |
2152 | |
2153 When Ediff is running, the mode line of @samp{Ediff Control Panel} | |
2154 buffer shows the current difference number and the total number of | |
2155 difference regions in the two files. | |
2156 | |
2157 The mode line of the buffers being compared displays the type of the | |
2158 buffer (@samp{A:}, @samp{B:}, or @samp{C:}) and (usually) the file name. | |
2159 Ediff tries to be intelligent in choosing the mode line buffer | |
2160 identification. In particular, it works well with the | |
2161 @file{uniquify.el} and @file{mode-line.el} packages (which improve on | |
2162 the default way in which Emacs displays buffer identification). If you | |
2163 don't like the way Ediff changes the mode line, you can use | |
2164 @code{ediff-prepare-buffer-hook} to modify the mode line. | |
2165 @vindex ediff-prepare-buffer-hook | |
2166 @pindex @file{uniquify.el} | |
2167 @pindex @file{mode-line.el} | |
2168 | |
2169 @node Miscellaneous, Notes on Heavy-duty Customization, Customizing the Mode Line, Customization | |
2170 @section Miscellaneous | |
2171 | |
2172 Here are a few other variables for customizing Ediff: | |
2173 | |
2174 @table @code | |
2175 @item ediff-split-window-function | |
2176 @vindex ediff-split-window-function | |
2177 Controls the way you want the window be split between file-A and file-B | |
2178 (and file-C, if applicable). It defaults to the vertical split | |
2179 (@code{split-window-vertically}, but you can set it to | |
2180 @code{split-window-horizontally}, if you so wish. | |
2181 Ediff also lets you switch from vertical to horizontal split and back | |
2182 interactively. | |
2183 | |
2184 Note that if Ediff detects that all the buffers it compares are displayed in | |
2185 separate frames, it assumes that the user wants them to be so displayed | |
2186 and stops splitting windows. Instead, it arranges for each buffer to | |
2187 be displayed in a separate frame. You can switch to the one-frame mode | |
2188 by hiding one of the buffers A/B/C. | |
2189 | |
2190 You can also swap the windows where buffers are displayed by typing | |
2191 @kbd{~}. | |
2192 | |
2193 @item ediff-merge-split-window-function | |
2194 @vindex ediff-merge-split-window-function | |
2195 Controls how windows are | |
2196 split between buffers A and B in the merge mode. | |
2197 This variable is like @code{ediff-split-window-function}, but it defaults | |
2198 to @code{split-window-horizontally} instead of | |
2199 @code{split-window-vertically}. | |
2200 | |
2201 @item ediff-make-wide-display-function | |
2202 @vindex ediff-make-wide-display-function | |
2203 The value is a function to be called to widen the frame for displaying | |
2204 the Ediff buffers. See the on-line documentation for | |
2205 @code{ediff-make-wide-display-function} for details. It is also | |
2206 recommended to look into the source of the default function | |
2207 @code{ediff-make-wide-display}. | |
2208 | |
2209 You can toggle wide/regular display by typing @kbd{m}. In the wide | |
2210 display mode, buffers A, B (and C, when applicable) are displayed in a | |
2211 single frame that is as wide as the entire workstation screen. This is | |
2212 useful when files are compared side-by-side. By default, the display is | |
2213 widened without changing its height. | |
2214 | |
2215 @item ediff-use-last-dir | |
2216 @vindex ediff-use-last-dir | |
2217 Controls the way Ediff presents the | |
2218 default directory when it prompts the user for files to compare. If | |
2219 @code{nil}, | |
2220 Ediff uses the default directory of the current buffer when it | |
2221 prompts the user for file names. Otherwise, it will use the | |
2222 directories it had previously used for files A, B, or C, respectively. | |
2223 | |
2224 @item ediff-no-emacs-help-in-control-buffer | |
2225 @vindex ediff-no-emacs-help-in-control-buffer | |
2226 If @code{t}, makes @kbd{C-h} | |
2227 behave like the @key{DEL} key, i.e., it will move you back to the previous | |
2228 difference rather than invoking help. This is useful when, in an xterm | |
2229 window or a text-only terminal, the Backspace key is bound to @kbd{C-h} and is | |
2230 positioned more conveniently than the @key{DEL} key. | |
2231 | |
2232 @item ediff-toggle-read-only-function | |
2233 @vindex ediff-toggle-read-only-function | |
2234 This variable's value is a function that Ediff uses to toggle | |
2235 the read-only property in its buffers. | |
2236 | |
2237 The default function that Ediff uses simply toggles the read-only property, | |
2238 unless the file is under version control. For a checked-in file under | |
2239 version control, Ediff first tries to check the file out. | |
2240 | |
2241 @item ediff-make-buffers-readonly-at-startup nil | |
2242 @vindex ediff-make-buffers-readonly-at-startup | |
2243 If t, all variant buffers are made read-only at Ediff startup. | |
2244 | |
2245 @item ediff-keep-variants | |
2246 @vindex @code{ediff-keep-variants} | |
2247 The default is @code{t}, meaning that the buffers being compared or merged will | |
2248 be preserved when Ediff quits. Setting this to @code{nil} causes Ediff to | |
2249 offer the user a chance to delete these buffers (if they are not modified). | |
2250 Supplying a prefix argument to the quit command (@code{q}) temporarily | |
2251 reverses the meaning of this variable. This is convenient when the user | |
2252 prefers one of the behaviors most of the time, but occasionally needs the | |
2253 other behavior. | |
2254 | |
2255 However, Ediff temporarily resets this variable to @code{t} if it is | |
2256 invoked via one of the "buffer" jobs, such as @code{ediff-buffers}. | |
2257 This is because it is all too easy to loose day's work otherwise. | |
2258 Besides, in a "buffer" job, the variant buffers have already been loaded | |
2259 prior to starting Ediff, so Ediff just preserves status quo here. | |
2260 | |
2261 Using @code{ediff-cleanup-hook}, one can make Ediff delete the variants | |
2262 unconditionally (e.g., by making @code{ediff-janitor} into one of these hooks). | |
2263 @item ediff-grab-mouse | |
2264 @vindex @code{ediff-grab-mouse} | |
2265 Default is @code{t}. Normally, Ediff grabs mouse and puts it in its | |
2266 control frame. This is useful since the user can be sure that when he | |
2267 needs to type an Ediff command the focus will be in an appropriate Ediff's | |
2268 frame. However, some users prefer to move the mouse by themselves. The | |
2269 above variable, if set to @code{maybe}, will prevent Ediff from grabbing | |
2270 the mouse in many situations, usually after commands that may take more | |
2271 time than usual. In other situation, Ediff will continue grabbing the mouse | |
2272 and putting it where it believes is appropriate. If the value is | |
2273 @code{nil}, then mouse is entirely user's responsibility. | |
2274 Try different settings and see which one is for you. | |
2275 @end table | |
2276 | |
2277 | |
2278 @node Notes on Heavy-duty Customization, , Miscellaneous, Customization | |
2279 @section Notes on Heavy-duty Customization | |
2280 | |
2281 Some users need to customize Ediff in rather sophisticated ways, which | |
2282 requires different defaults for different kinds of files (e.g., SGML, | |
2283 etc.). Ediff supports this kind of customization in several ways. First, | |
2284 most customization variables are buffer-local. Those that aren't are | |
2285 usually accessible from within Ediff Control Panel, so one can make them | |
2286 local to the panel by calling make-local-variable from within | |
2287 @code{ediff-startup-hook}. | |
2288 | |
2289 Second, the function @code{ediff-setup} accepts an optional sixth | |
2290 argument which has the form @code{((@var{var-name-1} .@: @var{val-1}) | |
2291 (@var{var-name-2} .@: @var{val-2}) @dots{})}. The function | |
2292 @code{ediff-setup} sets the variables in the list to the respective | |
2293 values, locally in the Ediff control buffer. This is an easy way to | |
2294 throw in custom variables (which usually should be buffer-local) that | |
2295 can then be tested in various hooks. | |
2296 | |
2297 Make sure the variable @code{ediff-job-name} and @code{ediff-word-mode} are set | |
2298 properly in this case, as some things in Ediff depend on this. | |
2299 | |
2300 Finally, if you want custom-tailored help messages, you can set the | |
2301 variables @code{ediff-brief-help-message-function} and | |
2302 @code{ediff-long-help-message-function} | |
2303 to functions that return help strings. | |
2304 @vindex ediff-startup-hook | |
2305 @findex ediff-setup | |
2306 @vindex ediff-job-name | |
2307 @vindex ediff-word-mode | |
2308 @vindex ediff-brief-help-message-function | |
2309 @vindex ediff-long-help-message-function | |
2310 | |
2311 When customizing Ediff, some other variables are useful, although they are | |
2312 not user-definable. They are local to the Ediff control buffer, so this | |
2313 buffer must be current when you access these variables. The control buffer | |
2314 is accessible via the variable @code{ediff-control-buffer}, which is also | |
2315 local to that buffer. It is usually used for checking if the current buffer | |
2316 is also the control buffer. | |
2317 | |
2318 Other variables of interest are: | |
2319 @table @code | |
2320 @item ediff-buffer-A | |
2321 The first of the data buffers being compared. | |
2322 | |
2323 @item ediff-buffer-B | |
2324 The second of the data buffers being compared. | |
2325 | |
2326 @item ediff-buffer-C | |
2327 In three-way comparisons, this is the third buffer being compared. | |
2328 In merging, this is the merge buffer. | |
2329 In two-way comparison, this variable is nil. | |
2330 | |
2331 @item ediff-window-A | |
2332 The window displaying buffer A. If buffer A is not visible, this variable | |
2333 is nil or it may be a dead window. | |
2334 | |
2335 @item ediff-window-B | |
2336 The window displaying buffer B. | |
2337 | |
2338 @item ediff-window-C | |
2339 The window displaying buffer C, if any. | |
2340 | |
2341 @item ediff-control-frame | |
2342 A dedicated frame displaying the control buffer, if it exists. | |
2343 It is non-nil only if Ediff uses the multiframe display, i.e., when the | |
2344 control buffer is in its own frame. | |
2345 @end table | |
2346 | |
2347 @node Credits, Index, Customization, Top | |
2348 @chapter Credits | |
2349 | |
2350 Ediff was written by Michael Kifer <kifer@@cs.sunysb.edu>. It was inspired | |
2351 by emerge.el written by Dale R.@: Worley <drw@@math.mit.edu>. An idea due to | |
2352 Boris Goldowsky <boris@@cs.rochester.edu> made it possible to highlight | |
2353 fine differences in Ediff buffers. Alastair Burt <burt@@dfki.uni-kl.de> | |
2354 ported Ediff to XEmacs, Eric Freudenthal <freudent@@jan.ultra.nyu.edu> | |
2355 made it work with VC, Marc Paquette <marcpa@@cam.org> wrote the | |
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2356 toolbar support package for Ediff, and Hrvoje Niksic <hniksic@@xemacs.org> |
25829 | 2357 adapted it to the Emacs customization package. |
2358 | |
2359 Many people provided help with bug reports, patches, and advice. | |
2360 Without them, Ediff would not be nearly as useful as it is today. | |
2361 Here is a full list of contributors (I hope I didn't miss anyone): | |
2362 | |
2363 @example | |
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2364 Adrian Aichner (aichner@@ecf.teradyne.com), |
25829 | 2365 Steve Baur (steve@@xemacs.org), |
2366 Neal Becker (neal@@ctd.comsat.com), | |
2367 E.@: Jay Berkenbilt (ejb@@ql.org), | |
2368 Alastair Burt (burt@@dfki.uni-kl.de), | |
2369 Paul Bibilo (peb@@delcam.co.uk), | |
2370 Kevin Broadey (KevinB@@bartley.demon.co.uk), | |
2371 Harald Boegeholz (hwb@@machnix.mathematik.uni-stuttgart.de), | |
2372 Bradley A.@: Bosch (brad@@lachman.com), | |
2373 Michael D.@: Carney (carney@@ltx-tr.com), | |
2374 Jin S.@: Choi (jin@@atype.com), | |
2375 Scott Cummings (cummings@@adc.com), | |
2376 Albert Dvornik (bert@@mit.edu), | |
2377 Eric Eide (eeide@@asylum.cs.utah.edu), | |
2378 Paul Eggert (eggert@@twinsun.com), | |
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2379 Urban Engberg (ue@@cci.dk), |
25829 | 2380 Kevin Esler (esler@@ch.hp.com), |
2381 Robert Estes (estes@@ece.ucdavis.edu), | |
2382 Jay Finger (jayf@@microsoft.com), | |
2383 Xavier Fornari (xavier@@europe.cma.fr), | |
2384 Eric Freudenthal (freudent@@jan.ultra.nyu.edu), | |
2385 Job Ganzevoort (Job.Ganzevoort@@cwi.nl), | |
2386 Boris Goldowsky (boris@@cs.rochester.edu), | |
2387 Allan Gottlieb (gottlieb@@allan.ultra.nyu.edu), | |
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2388 Aaron Gross (aaron@@bfr.co.il), |
25829 | 2389 Thorbjoern Hansen (thorbjoern.hansen@@mchp.siemens.de), |
2390 Xiaoli Huang (hxl@@epic.com), | |
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2391 Andreas Jaeger (aj@@suse.de), |
25829 | 2392 Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen (larsi@@ifi.uio.no), |
2393 Larry Gouge (larry@@itginc.com), | |
2394 Karl Heuer (kwzh@@gnu.org), | |
2395 (irvine@@lks.csi.com), | |
2396 (jaffe@@chipmunk.cita.utoronto.ca), | |
2397 David Karr (dkarr@@nmo.gtegsc.com), | |
2398 Norbert Kiesel (norbert@@i3.informatik.rwth-aachen.de), | |
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2399 Sam Steingold (sds@@goems.com), |
25829 | 2400 Leigh L Klotz (klotz@@adoc.xerox.com), |
2401 Fritz Knabe (Fritz.Knabe@@ecrc.de), | |
2402 Heinz Knutzen (hk@@informatik.uni-kiel.d400.de), | |
2403 Andrew Koenig (ark@@research.att.com), | |
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2404 Hannu Koivisto (azure@@iki.fi), |
25829 | 2405 Ken Laprade (laprade@@dw3f.ess.harris.com), |
2406 Will C Lauer (wcl@@cadre.com), | |
2407 Richard Levitte (levitte@@e.kth.se), | |
2408 Mike Long (mike.long@@analog.com), | |
2409 Martin Maechler (maechler@@stat.math.ethz.ch), | |
2410 Simon Marshall (simon@@gnu.org), | |
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2411 Paul C. Meuse (pmeuse@@delcomsys.com), |
25829 | 2412 Richard Mlynarik (mly@@adoc.xerox.com), |
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2413 Stefan Monnier (monnier@@cs.yale.edu), |
25829 | 2414 Chris Murphy (murphycm@@sun.aston.ac.uk), |
2415 Erik Naggum (erik@@naggum.no), | |
2416 Eyvind Ness (Eyvind.Ness@@hrp.no), | |
2417 Ray Nickson (nickson@@cs.uq.oz.au), | |
2418 David Petchey (petchey_david@@jpmorgan.com), | |
2419 Benjamin Pierce (benjamin.pierce@@cl.cam.ac.uk), | |
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2420 Francois Pinard (pinard@@iro.umontreal.ca), |
25829 | 2421 Tibor Polgar (tlp00@@spg.amdahl.com), |
2422 David Prince (dave0d@@fegs.co.uk), | |
2423 Paul Raines (raines@@slac.stanford.edu), | |
2424 Bill Richter (richter@@math.nwu.edu), | |
2425 C.S.@: Roberson (roberson@@aur.alcatel.com), | |
2426 Kevin Rodgers (kevin.rodgers@@ihs.com), | |
2427 Sandy Rutherford (sandy@@ibm550.sissa.it), | |
2428 Heribert Schuetz (schuetz@@ecrc.de), | |
2429 Andy Scott (ascott@@pcocd2.intel.com), | |
2430 Axel Seibert (axel@@tumbolia.ppp.informatik.uni-muenchen.de), | |
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2431 Vin Shelton (acs@@xemacs.org), |
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2432 Scott O. Sherman (Scott.Sherman@@mci.com), |
25829 | 2433 Richard Stallman (rms@@gnu.org), |
2434 Richard Stanton (stanton@@haas.berkeley.edu), | |
2435 Ake Stenhoff (etxaksf@@aom.ericsson.se), | |
2436 Stig (stig@@hackvan.com), | |
2437 Peter Stout (Peter_Stout@@cs.cmu.edu), | |
2438 Chuck Thompson (cthomp@@cs.uiuc.edu), | |
2439 Ray Tomlinson (tomlinso@@bbn.com), | |
2440 Raymond Toy (toy@@rtp.ericsson.se), | |
2441 Jan Vroonhof (vroonhof@@math.ethz.ch), | |
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2442 Colin Walters (walters@@cis.ohio-state.edu), |
25829 | 2443 Philippe Waroquiers (philippe.waroquiers@@eurocontrol.be), |
2444 Klaus Weber (gizmo@@zork.north.de), | |
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2445 Ben Wing (ben@@xemacs.org), |
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2446 Tom Wurgler (twurgler@@goodyear.com), |
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2447 Steve Youngs (youngs@@xemacs.org), |
25829 | 2448 Ilya Zakharevich (ilya@@math.ohio-state.edu), |
2449 Eli Zaretskii (eliz@@is.elta.co.il) | |
2450 @end example | |
2451 | |
2452 @node Index, , Credits, Top | |
2453 @unnumbered Index | |
2454 @printindex cp | |
2455 | |
29713 | 2456 @setchapternewpage odd |
25829 | 2457 @contents |
2458 @bye |