(cvs.info.gz) diff options

 
 A.11.1 diff options
 -------------------
 
 These standard options are supported by `diff' ( Common options,
 for a complete description of them):
 
 `-D DATE'
      Use the most recent revision no later than DATE.  See `-r' for how
      this affects the comparison.
 
 `-k KFLAG'
      Process keywords according to KFLAG.  See  Keyword
      substitution.
 
 `-l'
      Local; run only in current working directory.
 
 `-R'
      Examine directories recursively.  This option is on by default.
 
 `-r TAG[:DATE]'
      Compare with revision specified by TAG or, when DATE is specified
      and TAG is a branch tag, the version from the branch TAG as it
      existed on DATE.  Zero, one or two `-r' options can be present.
      With no `-r' option, the working file will be compared with the
      revision it was based on.  With one `-r', that revision will be
      compared to your current working file.  With two `-r' options
      those two revisions will be compared (and your working file will
      not affect the outcome in any way).
 
      One or both `-r' options can be replaced by a `-D DATE' option,
      described above.
 
    The following options specify the format of the output.  They have
 the same meaning as in GNU diff.  Most options have two equivalent
 names, one of which is a single letter preceded by `-', and the other
 of which is a long name preceded by `--'.
 
 `-LINES'
      Show LINES (an integer) lines of context.  This option does not
      specify an output format by itself; it has no effect unless it is
      combined with `-c' or `-u'.  This option is obsolete.  For proper
      operation, `patch' typically needs at least two lines of context.
 
 `-a'
      Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they
      do not seem to be text.
 
 `-b'
      Ignore trailing white space and consider all other sequences of
      one or more white space characters to be equivalent.
 
 `-B'
      Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines.
 
 `--binary'
      Read and write data in binary mode.
 
 `--brief'
      Report only whether the files differ, not the details of the
      differences.
 
 `-c'
      Use the context output format.
 
 `-C LINES'
 `--context[=LINES]'
      Use the context output format, showing LINES (an integer) lines of
      context, or three if LINES is not given.  For proper operation,
      `patch' typically needs at least two lines of context.
 
 `--changed-group-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a line group containing differing lines from
      both files in if-then-else format.   Line group formats.
 
 `-d'
      Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes.
      This makes `diff' slower (sometimes much slower).
 
 `-e'
 `--ed'
      Make output that is a valid `ed' script.
 
 `--expand-tabs'
      Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of
      tabs in the input files.
 
 `-f'
      Make output that looks vaguely like an `ed' script but has changes
      in the order they appear in the file.
 
 `-F REGEXP'
      In context and unified format, for each hunk of differences, show
      some of the last preceding line that matches REGEXP.
 
 `--forward-ed'
      Make output that looks vaguely like an `ed' script but has changes
      in the order they appear in the file.
 
 `-H'
      Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous
      scattered small changes.
 
 `--horizon-lines=LINES'
      Do not discard the last LINES lines of the common prefix and the
      first LINES lines of the common suffix.
 
 `-i'
      Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case letters
      equivalent.
 
 `-I REGEXP'
      Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match REGEXP.
 
 `--ifdef=NAME'
      Make merged if-then-else output using NAME.
 
 `--ignore-all-space'
      Ignore white space when comparing lines.
 
 `--ignore-blank-lines'
      Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines.
 
 `--ignore-case'
      Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case to be the
      same.
 
 `--ignore-matching-lines=REGEXP'
      Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match REGEXP.
 
 `--ignore-space-change'
      Ignore trailing white space and consider all other sequences of
      one or more white space characters to be equivalent.
 
 `--initial-tab'
      Output a tab rather than a space before the text of a line in
      normal or context format.  This causes the alignment of tabs in
      the line to look normal.
 
 `-L LABEL'
      Use LABEL instead of the file name in the context format and
      unified format headers.
 
 `--label=LABEL'
      Use LABEL instead of the file name in the context format and
      unified format headers.
 
 `--left-column'
      Print only the left column of two common lines in side by side
      format.
 
 `--line-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output all input lines in if-then-else format.
       Line formats.
 
 `--minimal'
      Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes.
      This makes `diff' slower (sometimes much slower).
 
 `-n'
      Output RCS-format diffs; like `-f' except that each command
      specifies the number of lines affected.
 
 `-N'
 `--new-file'
      In directory comparison, if a file is found in only one directory,
      treat it as present but empty in the other directory.
 
 `--new-group-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a group of lines taken from just the second
      file in if-then-else format.   Line group formats.
 
 `--new-line-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a line taken from just the second file in
      if-then-else format.   Line formats.
 
 `--old-group-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a group of lines taken from just the first
      file in if-then-else format.   Line group formats.
 
 `--old-line-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a line taken from just the first file in
      if-then-else format.   Line formats.
 
 `-p'
      Show which C function each change is in.
 
 `--rcs'
      Output RCS-format diffs; like `-f' except that each command
      specifies the number of lines affected.
 
 `--report-identical-files'
 `-s'
      Report when two files are the same.
 
 `--show-c-function'
      Show which C function each change is in.
 
 `--show-function-line=REGEXP'
      In context and unified format, for each hunk of differences, show
      some of the last preceding line that matches REGEXP.
 
 `--side-by-side'
      Use the side by side output format.
 
 `--speed-large-files'
      Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous
      scattered small changes.
 
 `--suppress-common-lines'
      Do not print common lines in side by side format.
 
 `-t'
      Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of
      tabs in the input files.
 
 `-T'
      Output a tab rather than a space before the text of a line in
      normal or context format.  This causes the alignment of tabs in
      the line to look normal.
 
 `--text'
      Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they
      do not appear to be text.
 
 `-u'
      Use the unified output format.
 
 `--unchanged-group-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a group of common lines taken from both files
      in if-then-else format.   Line group formats.
 
 `--unchanged-line-format=FORMAT'
      Use FORMAT to output a line common to both files in if-then-else
      format.   Line formats.
 
 `-U LINES'
 `--unified[=LINES]'
      Use the unified output format, showing LINES (an integer) lines of
      context, or three if LINES is not given.  For proper operation,
      `patch' typically needs at least two lines of context.
 
 `-w'
      Ignore white space when comparing lines.
 
 `-W COLUMNS'
 `--width=COLUMNS'
      Use an output width of COLUMNS in side by side format.
 
 `-y'
      Use the side by side output format.
(cvs.info.gz) diff options

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