| 4 | |
4 | |
| 5 | <para>This topic describes how WinMerge detects and displays differences |
5 | <para>This topic describes how WinMerge detects and displays differences |
| 6 | within files, and demonstrates simple file comparing and merging |
6 | within files, and demonstrates simple file comparing and merging |
| 7 | operations.</para> |
7 | operations.</para> |
| 8 | |
8 | |
| .9 | <section> |
9 | <section id="Intro_diffs_comparing"> |
| 10 | <title>Comparing files</title> |
10 | <title>Comparing files</title> |
| 11 | |
11 | |
| 12 | <para>We usually compare two files that are related in some way, such as two |
12 | <para>We usually compare two files that are related in some way, such as two |
| 13 | versions that were edited at different times, or by different people. If you |
13 | versions that were edited at different times, or by different people. If you |
| 14 | examine two such files you can usually see some similar areas, and also |
14 | examine two such files you can usually see some similar areas, and also |
| | | |
| 84 | <listitem> |
84 | <listitem> |
| 85 | <para>In the Select Files and Folders dialog, specify |
85 | <para>In the Select Files and Folders dialog, specify |
| 86 | <filename>File1</filename> as the <guilabel>Left</guilabel> file and |
86 | <filename>File1</filename> as the <guilabel>Left</guilabel> file and |
| 87 | <filename>File2</filename> as the <guilabel>Right</guilabel> file, |
87 | <filename>File2</filename> as the <guilabel>Right</guilabel> file, |
| 88 | then click <guibutton>OK</guibutton>. The File Compare window displays |
88 | then click <guibutton>OK</guibutton>. The File Compare window displays |
| .89 | the two files in the left and right document pane, like this:</para> |
89 | the two files in the left and right File pane, like this:</para> |
| 90 | |
90 | |
| 91 | <mediaobject> |
91 | <mediaobject> |
| 92 | <imageobject> |
92 | <imageobject> |
| 93 | <imagedata contentwidth="600" |
93 | <imagedata contentwidth="600" |
| 94 | fileref="screenshots/missing_lines.png" /> |
94 | fileref="screenshots/missing_lines.png" /> |
| | | |
| 97 | <textobject> |
97 | <textobject> |
| 98 | <phrase>Compare Files screen shot</phrase> |
98 | <phrase>Compare Files screen shot</phrase> |
| 99 | </textobject> |
99 | </textobject> |
| 100 | </mediaobject> |
100 | </mediaobject> |
| 101 | |
101 | |
| .102 | <para>The window elements are described in more detail in <xref |
102 | <para>The elements are described in more detail in <xref |
| 103 | linkend="CompareFiles" />. Here are some features you should notice in |
103 | linkend="CompareFiles" />. Here are some features you should notice in |
| 104 | this example:</para> |
104 | this example:</para> |
| 105 | |
105 | |
| 106 | <variablelist> |
106 | <variablelist> |
| 107 | <varlistentry> |
107 | <varlistentry> |
| 108 | <term>Number of differences</term> |
108 | <term>Number of differences</term> |
| 109 | |
109 | |
| 110 | <listitem> |
110 | <listitem> |
| .111 | <para>The message in the status bar (at the bottom) tells you |
111 | <para>The message in the status bar at the bottom of the |
| 112 | that two differences were detected.</para> |
112 | WinMerge window tells you that two differences were |
| |
113 | detected.</para> |
| 113 | </listitem> |
114 | </listitem> |
| 114 | </varlistentry> |
115 | </varlistentry> |
| 115 | |
116 | |
| 116 | <varlistentry> |
117 | <varlistentry> |
| 117 | <term>Difference colors</term> |
118 | <term>Difference colors</term> |
| 118 | |
119 | |
| 119 | <listitem> |
120 | <listitem> |
| .120 | <para>WinMerge marks differences with various background colors |
121 | <para>The basic difference color is dark yellow, by default. |
| 121 | (which you can configure in WinMerge options). The basic |
122 | Identical lines (like the third line in the example) are |
| 122 | difference color is dark yellow, by default. Within each line |
123 | unmarked: they have white backgrounds.</para> |
| 123 | difference, WinMerge marks words and characters that are |
| |
| 124 | different with a lighter background color. Identical lines (like |
| |
| 125 | the third line in the example) are unmarked: they have white |
| |
| 126 | backgrounds.</para> |
| |
| 127 | </listitem> |
124 | </listitem> |
| 128 | </varlistentry> |
125 | </varlistentry> |
| 129 | |
126 | |
| 130 | <varlistentry> |
127 | <varlistentry> |
| 131 | <term>Blank lines</term> |
128 | <term>Blank lines</term> |
| | | |
| 237 | </listitem> |
234 | </listitem> |
| 238 | </orderedlist> |
235 | </orderedlist> |
| 239 | </section> |
236 | </section> |
| 240 | </section> |
237 | </section> |
| 241 | |
238 | |
| .242 | <section> |
239 | <section id="Intro_diffs_merging"> |
| 243 | <title>Merging files</title> |
240 | <title>Merging files</title> |
| 244 | |
241 | |
| 245 | <para>The purpose of merging is to combine changes from two files into one |
242 | <para>The purpose of merging is to combine changes from two files into one |
| 246 | file. Merging extends the concepts and functions used in comparing |
243 | file. Merging extends the concepts and functions used in comparing |
| 247 | operation: please read the preceding section before beginning this section. |
244 | operation: please read the preceding section before beginning this section. |
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