Diffing Files

Overview

P4Web enables you to compare (diff) file revisions to display changes. You can diff file revisions as follows:

• To compare two adjacent file revisions (for example, revisions #3 and #4), display the file's revision history and click .
• To display changes you made after opening a file for edit, choose Diff - synced rev vs workspace file.
• To display all changes made to a file after you opened it for edit, including changes submitted by other users, choose Diff - head rev vs workspace file.
• To display changes submitted by other uses after you synced the head revision, choose Diff - synced rev vs head rev.

Configuring Diff Display

To configure default settings for the browser session, click Settings or, if you are viewing a diff, click Diff settings, and choose the desired option.You can configure diff options as follows:

• Two pane (full file): displays the entire contents of both files side by side, with diffs highlighted.
• Two pane (context diffs): displays diffs side by side, preceded and followed by the specified number of context (unchanged) lines, to enable you to see the differences in the context of the surrounding text.
• Diffs only: displays diffs in line, using a UNIX-style format.
• RCS: displays diffs using a format based on Revision Control System (RCS).
• Unified format: displays single diff chunks with flags indicating changes.
• Summary: displays the number of lines added, deleted, and changed.

Two-pane line wrapping: specifies how lines are wrapped when diffs are displayed side by side.

Diffs shown: specifies how white space diffs are handled

Diffs used for resolving files: specifies which diffs are significant when resolving files.

Notes

Configuring diff utilities: By default, P4Web uses Perforce's diff utilities. However, if P4Web and your browser are running on the same computer, you can configure another diff utility by setting the P4DIFF environment variable. To specify the path and executable of the desired program. To specify arguments for the external diff program, use the -d flag.

Diffing large files: if you diff a file that exceed 10% of the P4Web Page content limit setting, P4Web displays the diffs using Context mode, and advises you how much to increase the setting if you want to use full file mode to diff the file.