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30 .\" @(#)diff3.1 8.2 (Berkeley) 4/18/94
38 .Nd 3-way differential file comparison
46 utility compares the contents of three different versions of a file,
51 writing the result to the standard output.
52 The options describe different methods of merging and
54 the separate versions into a new file.
58 to merge specific versions or create
61 The options are as follows:
62 .Bl -tag -width "-E, -X"
64 Produces an output script suitable for
70 Treat all files as ASCII.
76 respectively, but treat overlapping changes (i.e., changes that would
77 be noted with ==== in the normal listing) differently.
78 The overlapping lines from both files will be inserted by the edit script,
79 bracketed by "<<<<<<" and ">>>>>>" lines.
81 Produces output in a form suitable as an input script for the
84 The script may then be used to merge differences common between all
85 three files and differences specific to
91 option ignores differences specific to
99 It is useful for backing out changes specific to
103 Produces an output script suitable for
106 specific only to all three versions.
114 to ensure that overlapping changes in the merged files are preserved
115 and brought to someone's attention.
117 For example, suppose lines 7-8 are changed in both
121 Applying the edit script generated by the command
123 .Dl $ diff3 -E file1 file2 file3
128 .Bd -literal -offset indent
141 The default output of
143 makes notation of the differences between all files, and those
144 differences specific to each pair of files.
145 The changes are described by the commands necessary for
147 to create the desired target from the different versions.
150 for a description of the commands.
151 .Bl -tag -width "====="
153 The lines beneath this notation are ranges of lines which are different
156 The lines beneath this notation are ranges of lines which are exclusively
174 option cannot catch and change lines which have
176 as the first and only character on the line.
177 The resulting script will fail on that line