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(diff.info)Detailed diff3 Normal

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Detailed Description of `diff3' Normal Format
=============================================

   Each hunk begins with a line marked `===='.  Three-way hunks have
plain `====' lines, and two-way hunks have `1', `2', or `3' appended to
specify which of the three input files differ in that hunk.  The hunks
contain copies of two or three sets of input lines each preceded by one
or two commands identifying where the lines came from.

   Normally, two spaces precede each copy of an input line to
distinguish it from the commands.  But with the `-T' or `--initial-tab'
option, `diff3' uses a tab instead of two spaces; this lines up tabs
correctly.  Note: Tabs, for more information.

   Commands take the following forms:

`FILE:La'
     This hunk appears after line L of file FILE, and contains no lines
     in that file.  To edit this file to yield the other files, one
     must append hunk lines taken from the other files.  For example,
     `1:11a' means that the hunk follows line 11 in the first file and
     contains no lines from that file.

`FILE:Rc'
     This hunk contains the lines in the range R of file FILE.  The
     range R is a comma-separated pair of line numbers, or just one
     number if the range is a singleton.  To edit this file to yield the
     other files, one must change the specified lines to be the lines
     taken from the other files.  For example, `2:11,13c' means that
     the hunk contains lines 11 through 13 from the second file.

   If the last line in a set of input lines is incomplete (Note:
Incomplete Lines), it is distinguished on output from a full line by
a following line that starts with `\'.