cleardiff

Compares or merges text files

APPLICABILITY

ClearCase (command)

SYNOPSIS

• Compare files:

  cleardiff [ -dif·f_format | -ser·ial_format | -col·umns n ]

  
  

  [ -hea·ders_only | -qui·et | -sta·tus_only ] [ -b·lank_ignore ] pname1 pname2 ...

• Merge files:

  cleardiff -out output-pname [ -bas·e pname ] [ -q·uery | -qal·l | -abo·rt ]

  
  

  [ -dif·f_format | -ser·ial_format | -col·umns n ]
  [ -hea·ders_only | -qui·et | -sta·tus_only ] pname1 pname2 ...

DESCRIPTION

cleardiff is a line-oriented file comparison and merge utility with a character-based user interface. It can process up to 32 files.

Alternative interfaces: cleardiff can be invoked with the cleartool diff command to perform a file comparison, or with the cleartool merge subcommand to perform a merge.

NOTE: You cannot compare directory versions with cleardiff; you must use diff. (The diff command first analyzes the directory versions, then calls cleardiff, using the type manager mechanism.)

See the diff and merge reference pages for discussions of how files are compared and merged.

OPTIONS AND ARGUMENTS

-dif·f_format

-ser·ial_format

-col·umns n (mutually exclusive)

-diff_format reports both headers and differences in the same style as diff, and suppresses the file summary from the beginning of the report.

-serial_format reports differences with each line containing output from a single file, instead of using a side-by-side format.

-columns establishes the overall width of a side-by-side report. The default width is 80 (that is, only the first 40 or so characters of corresponding difference lines appear). If n does not exceed the default width, this option is ignored.

NOTE: Any of the following options can be invoked with the diff -options or merge -options commands.

-hea·ders_only

-qui·et

-sta·tus_only (mutually exclusive)

-headers_only lists only the header line of each difference. The difference lines themselves are omitted.

-quiet suppresses the file summary from the beginning of the report.

-status_only suppresses all output, returning only an exit status: a 0 status indicates that no differences were found; a 1 status indicates that one or more differences were found. This option is useful in shell scripts.

-b·lank_ignore

Ignores extra white space characters in text lines: leading and trailing white space is ignored altogether; internal runs of white space characters are treated like a single <SPACE> character.

-out output-pname

Stores the output of a merge in file output-pname. This file is not used for input, and must not already exist.

-bas·e pname

Makes file pname the base contributor for the comparison or merge. If you omit this option, the pname1 argument becomes the base contributor, and the comparison or merge automatically runs with the -qall option invoked.

-q·uery

-qal·l

-abo·rt (mutually exclusive)

-query turns off automatic merging for nontrivial merges (where two or more contributors differ from the base contributor) and prompts you to proceed with every change in the from-versions. Changes in the to-version are accepted unless a conflict exists.

-qall turns off automatic acceptance of changes in which only one contributor differs from the base contributor. cleardiff prompts for confirmation of such changes, as it does when two or more contributors differ from the base contributor.

-abort is intended for use with scripts or batch jobs that involve merges. It allows completely automatic merges to proceed, but aborts any merge that requires user interaction.

pname1 pname2 ...

The pathnames of contributors to compare or merge. These can be view-extended or version-extended pathnames. Only one such argument is required if you also specify a file with the -base option.

EXAMPLES

• Compare the current version of an element with a scratch copy in your home directory.

z:\myvob> cleardiff msg.c C:\users\susan\msg.c.tmp

********************************
<<< file 1: msg.c
>>> file 2: C:\users\susan\msg.c.tmp
********************************
------------[changed 5]--------|-----------[changed to 5]------------
         static char msg[256]; | static char msg[BUFSIZ];
                              -|-
-----------[changed 9-11]------|-----------[changed to 9]------------
                 env_user(),   | env_user(), env_home(), e+
                 env_home(),   |-
                 env_time() ); |
                              -|

• Compare the most recent versions on two branches of an element.

y:\lib_vob> cleardiff util.c@@\main\LATEST util.c@@\main\rel2_bugfix\LATEST

SEE ALSO

diff, merge, type_manager