How Do I...

This page introduces the basic functions of the Guiffy compare / merge tool.

Compare Files

To Compare Files choose File -> Open&Compare Files. This enters the File Open Dialog for the 1st File and then the 2nd File and then performs the Compare.

Compare Folders

To Compare Folders choose File -> Open&Compare Folders. This enters the Folder Open Dialog for the 1st Folder and then the 2nd Folder and then performs the Compare.

To Compare Trees - Folders and SubFolders(Recursively), select the Folder Compare Options "Show SubFolders (Recursively)".
Folder Compares can be viewed as FileTrees (the default) or text listings. Folder Compares are Saved and Printed as text listings.
A Double LeftClick on a file in the FolderCompare Tree View performs a File Compare.
To refresh the Compare Folders view(after comparing two files) choose File -> Compare Folders. This performs the Folder Compare and returns the view positioned at the files compared.
To filter the files diplayed in the Folder Compare use the File Types Options selection.

Save Compare Text

To Save the Compare Text choose File -> Save Difference. This enters the File Save Dialog and allows you to choose a name for the saved file. The saved file contains the "Together" view text. File Compares or Folder Compares can be Saved this way.

Print Compare Text

To Print the Compare Text choose File -> Print Difference. This enters the Print Dialog. The printed file contains the "Together" view text. File Compares or Folder Compares can be Printed this way. Compare differences are printed in bold.

Save as RCS Difference

To Save the Compare as a RCS Difference choose File -> Save as RCS Difference. This enters the File Save Dialog and allows you to name the saved file. The saved file is a RCS Differnce expression for the compare - useful for updating a RCS or CVS version.

Save Compare as HTML

To Save the Compare as HTML choose File -> Save Difference as HTML. This enters the File Save Dialog and allows you to choose a name for the saved files. Actually a set of files including sub-folders is generated and saved - the saved file name specified is used as a prefix. The saved files can be viewed with any browser. The browser view provides the user a choice of the 3 Guiffy views: Together, Side-by-Side, or Split Horizontally. The browser view will appear very much like Guiffy's view - with color and font styles specified according to the settings when the Save as HTML is performed. File Compares or Folder Compares can be Saved this way.

Merge Files

First, Compare two files.
Then, to Merge the Files choose File -> Merge Files. This enters Merge mode - A third window (the merge view) will appear above the compare view with a row of buttons below it for interactively choosing the merge content. Merge mode will position the Merge and Compare views at each change. Choose the merge content by pressing one of the 3 selection buttons.

After choosing the merge content for each change, Save the Merged File(File ->Save Merge File).

OR, After comparing the two files, use Guiffy's SureMerge to choose all the merge contents except the changes which conflict with each other. Choose File ->SureMerge(3-Way). A File Open Dialog will appear to specify the parent file of the two files being merged. Guiffy will enter merge mode, automatically choose the merge content for all the changes except those that require your attention, and then enter the interactive merge mode for your resolution of those changes.


If you make a mistake and keep the wrong file's content for a change, just go back to that change using either the choice list or Next/Previous Difference logical scrollers . The Merge button row will indicate the change has already been merged and looks like this:

Clickon the Undo button and then reselect the change contents for the merge.


The current merge block always has the little "spotlite" on it that looks like this:

Using the scollbar you can position the merge view away from the current merge block - But, the merge operation is always performed on the current block(and the spotlite sticks to it).


Once a change has been merged, the changes NOT kept are displayed with a strikethru in each line that look like this:

These lines are NOT written to the Saved merge file.


The Merge View can be edited at any time. Make a minor change, insert or delete a line... You can even perform, Edit ->Copy, Cut, Paste, and Undo operations!


The merge file can be Saved before you resolve all the changes. The unresolved changes will have lines wrapped around them in the saved file that look like this:
<<----- Guiffy: Begin Merge TODO ----->>
< set bb [$w(graph) bbox $id]
> set bb [$w(cvs) bbox $id]
>>----- Guiffy: Endof Merge TODO -----<<
NOTE: The lines also include their < or > prefix, indicating from file 1 or file 2.

See also:

Toolbar
File Menu
Controlling Compare
Choosing View Attributes
Selecting Compare Views