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GNU Info (diff.info)diff OptionsOptions to `diff' ================= Below is a summary of all of the options that GNU `diff' accepts. 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 `--'. Multiple single letter options (unless they take an argument) can be combined into a single command line word: `-ac' is equivalent to `-a -c'. Long named options can be abbreviated to any unique prefix of their name. Brackets ([ and ]) indicate that an option takes an optional argument. `-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' (Note: Context Format) or `-u' (Note: Unified Format). This option is obsolete.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. Note: Binary. `-b' Ignore changes in amount of white space. Note: White Space. `-B' Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines. Note: Blank Lines. `--binary' Read and write data in binary mode. Note: Binary. `--brief' Report only whether the files differ, not the details of the differences. Note: Brief. `-c' Use the context output format. Note: Context Format. `-C LINES' `--context[=LINES]' Use the context output format, showing LINES (an integer) lines of context, or three if LINES is not given. Note: Context Format. 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. Note: Line Group Formats. `-d' Change the algorithm perhaps find a smaller set of changes. This makes `diff' slower (sometimes much slower). Note: diff Performance. `-D NAME' Make merged `#ifdef' format output, conditional on the preprocessor macro NAME. Note: If-then-else. `-e' `--ed' Make output that is a valid `ed' script. Note: ed Scripts. `--exclude=PATTERN' When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames match PATTERN. Note: Comparing Directories. `--exclude-from=FILE' When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames match any pattern contained in FILE. Note: Comparing Directories. `--expand-tabs' Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of tabs in the input files. Note: Tabs. `-f' Make output that looks vaguely like an `ed' script but has changes in the order they appear in the file. Note: Forward ed. `-F REGEXP' In context and unified format, for each hunk of differences, show some of the last preceding line that matches REGEXP. Note: Specified Headings. `--forward-ed' Make output that looks vaguely like an `ed' script but has changes in the order they appear in the file. Note: Forward ed. `-h' This option currently has no effect; it is present for Unix compatibility. `-H' Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous scattered small changes. Note: diff Performance. `--horizon-lines=LINES' Do not discard the last LINES lines of the common prefix and the first LINES lines of the common suffix. Note: diff Performance. `-i' Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case letters equivalent. Note: Case Folding. `-I REGEXP' Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match REGEXP. Note: Specified Folding. `--ifdef=NAME' Make merged if-then-else output using NAME. Note: If-then-else. `--ignore-all-space' Ignore white space when comparing lines. Note: White Space. `--ignore-blank-lines' Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank lines. Note: Blank Lines. `--ignore-case' Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and lower-case to be the same. Note: Case Folding. `--ignore-matching-lines=REGEXP' Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines that match REGEXP. Note: Specified Folding. `--ignore-space-change' Ignore changes in amount of white space. Note: White Space. `--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. Note: Tabs. `-l' Pass the output through `pr' to paginate it. Note: Pagination. `-L LABEL' Use LABEL instead of the file name in the context format (Note: Context Format) and unified format (Note: Unified Format) headers. Note: RCS. `--label=LABEL' Use LABEL instead of the file name in the context format (Note: Context Format) and unified format (Note: Unified Format) headers. `--left-column' Print only the left column of two common lines in side by side format. Note: Side by Side Format. `--line-format=FORMAT' Use FORMAT to output all input lines in if-then-else format. Note: Line Formats. `--minimal' Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set of changes. This makes `diff' slower (sometimes much slower). Note: diff Performance. `-n' Output RCS-format diffs; like `-f' except that each command specifies the number of lines affected. Note: RCS. `-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. Note: Comparing Directories. `--new-group-format=FORMAT' Use FORMAT to output a group of lines taken from just the second file in if-then-else format. Note: Line Group Formats. `--new-line-format=FORMAT' Use FORMAT to output a line taken from just the second file in if-then-else format. Note: 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. Note: Line Group Formats. `--old-line-format=FORMAT' Use FORMAT to output a line taken from just the first file in if-then-else format. Note: Line Formats. `-p' Show which C function each change is in. Note: C Function Headings. `-P' When comparing directories, if a file appears only in the second directory of the two, treat it as present but empty in the other. Note: Comparing Directories. `--paginate' Pass the output through `pr' to paginate it. Note: Pagination. `-q' Report only whether the files differ, not the details of the differences. Note: Brief. `-r' When comparing directories, recursively compare any subdirectories found. Note: Comparing Directories. `--rcs' Output RCS-format diffs; like `-f' except that each command specifies the number of lines affected. Note: RCS. `--recursive' When comparing directories, recursively compare any subdirectories found. Note: Comparing Directories. `--report-identical-files' Report when two files are the same. Note: Comparing Directories. `-s' Report when two files are the same. Note: Comparing Directories. `-S FILE' When comparing directories, start with the file FILE. This is used for resuming an aborted comparison. Note: Comparing Directories. `--sdiff-merge-assist' Print extra information to help `sdiff'. `sdiff' uses this option when it runs `diff'. This option is not intended for users to use directly. `--show-c-function' Show which C function each change is in. Note: C Function Headings. `--show-function-line=REGEXP' In context and unified format, for each hunk of differences, show some of the last preceding line that matches REGEXP. Note: Specified Headings. `--side-by-side' Use the side by side output format. Note: Side by Side Format. `--speed-large-files' Use heuristics to speed handling of large files that have numerous scattered small changes. Note: diff Performance. `--starting-file=FILE' When comparing directories, start with the file FILE. This is used for resuming an aborted comparison. Note: Comparing Directories. `--suppress-common-lines' Do not print common lines in side by side format. Note: Side by Side Format. `-t' Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve the alignment of tabs in the input files. Note: Tabs. `-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. Note: Tabs. `--text' Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line, even if they do not appear to be text. Note: Binary. `-u' Use the unified output format. Note: Unified Format. `--unchanged-group-format=FORMAT' Use FORMAT to output a group of common lines taken from both files in if-then-else format. Note: Line Group Formats. `--unchanged-line-format=FORMAT' Use FORMAT to output a line common to both files in if-then-else format. Note: Line Formats. `--unidirectional-new-file' When comparing directories, if a file appears only in the second directory of the two, treat it as present but empty in the other. Note: Comparing Directories. `-U LINES' `--unified[=LINES]' Use the unified output format, showing LINES (an integer) lines of context, or three if LINES is not given. Note: Unified Format. For proper operation, `patch' typically needs at least two lines of context. `-v' `--version' Output the version number of `diff'. `-w' Ignore white space when comparing lines. Note: White Space. `-W COLUMNS' `--width=COLUMNS' Use an output width of COLUMNS in side by side format. Note: Side by Side Format. `-x PATTERN' When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames match PATTERN. Note: Comparing Directories. `-X FILE' When comparing directories, ignore files and subdirectories whose basenames match any pattern contained in FILE. Note: Comparing Directories. `-y' Use the side by side output format. Note: Side by Side Format. automatically generated by info2www version 1.2.2.9 |