[Solved] Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
As mentioned in the following email: To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: "Susmita/Rajib" Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 23:12:57 +0530 Message-id: <[] CAEG4cZWR7jFCnPXqdq29qSq=okxpuaduzzum4uufk48tp_p...@mail.gmail.com> [ ... ] Thank you, Mr. Davidson, Mr. Sascha Steinbiss, Mr. Jeff Kaufman, Mr. l0f4r0 and my senior members and leaders of the Debian Universe who interacted with me in this thread to help me fulfil my needs with diff. I apologise that I didn't thank you by name. Thank you all once again. Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sun, Apr 09, 2023 at 03:13:22PM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: > I apologise I didn't get you. Do you not want me to quote the following > portion? Perhaps you don't understand what your own messages look like. Therefore, the best advice I can give you is to look at them through an external lens. Here's a message from this thread which is written in a "normal" way, conforming to the standards and expectations of Internet email: https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2023/04/msg00339.html And here's one of yours: https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2023/04/msg00350.html Compare and contrast.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sun, 9 Apr 2023 15:13:22 +0530
"Susmita/Rajib" wrote:
Hello Susmita/Rajib,
>Sometimes I have difficulties understanding some emails.
That's understandable if, as I'm assuming, English is not your first
language.
>Could you please elaborate a little further please?
Use a quote style like everybody else does. Do not add all the
references in the body. Doing so serves no purpose.
>My need is fulfilled. So I requested Mr. Davidson's permission to
>close this thread.
You don't need permission, you just thank those that assisted you for
their help, and move on. You may, also add something like [SOLVED] to
the subject line in that message to make it clear to others that your
needs have been satisfied.
--
Regards _ "Valid sig separator is {dash}{dash}{space}"
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is never immediately apparent"
/ _)rad "Is it only me that has a working delete key?"
But they didn't tell him the first two didn't count
Tin Soldiers - Stiff Little Fingers
pgp_bfGvnJ_Sx.pgp
Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sun, 9 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: [trim] I just received an email from Mr. Sascha Steinbiss, the maintainer for icdiff, and tried implementing his advice on columns. I have received messages from Mr. Jeff Kaufman, the original creator. Copies of my emails have been sent you too. My system's screen accommodated upto 170 columns. icdiff --cols=170 file1.txt file2.txt | less -R I am glad to learn that the column width switch solved your problem. So this should rest the case, with your permission. You are the judge that decides the matter. Good luck completing your work. -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: Debian Users ML Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: Brad Rogers Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2023 08:46:18 +0100 Message-id: <[] 20230409084618.1807a...@earth.stargate.org.uk> Mr. Brad Rogers said: [ ... ] Please be are that people here are volunteering their time, and time is a precious commodity. Would you therefore, make life easy for them by using a convention quoting style in your messages to the list. Persist with the style you currently employ and you will find that people's desire to help wanes. In short; Help us to help you. [ ... ] I apologise I didn't get you. Do you not want me to quote the following portion? - To: Debian Users ML Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: Brad Rogers Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2023 08:46:18 +0100 Message-id: <[] 20230409084618.1807a...@earth.stargate.org.uk> Reply-to: Debian Users ML In-reply-to: <[] caeg4czu12ltmr8k3tuzhyujrkp1vzzcaxrhcjywhjttwec3...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZWR7jFCnPXqdq29qSq=okxpuaduzzum4uufk48tp_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czu12ltmr8k3tuzhyujrkp1vzzcaxrhcjywhjttwec3...@mail.gmail.com> - Sometimes I have difficulties understanding some emails. Could you please elaborate a little further please? My need is fulfilled. So I requested Mr. Davidson's permission to close this thread. Best, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Please be are that people here are volunteering their time, and time is
a precious commodity. Would you therefore, make life easy for them by
using a convention quoting style in your messages to the list.
Persist with the style you currently employ and you will find that
people's desire to help wanes.
In short; Help us to help you.
--
Regards _ "Valid sig separator is {dash}{dash}{space}"
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is never immediately apparent"
/ _)rad "Is it only me that has a working delete key?"
Early morning when I wake up, I look like Kiss but without the make up
Strong - Robbie Williams
pgpuW9De9JdxP.pgp
Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
In further response to two emails received from Mr. Davidson.
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: davidson
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:27:54 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081043580.22...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[]
caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com>
and
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: davidson
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 14:02:15 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081359510.22...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081043580.22...@azone.org>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081043580.22...@azone.org>
[ ... ]
Dear Mr. Davidson,
I just received an email from Mr. Sascha Steinbiss, the
maintainer for icdiff, and tried implementing his advice on
columns. I have received messages from Mr. Jeff Kaufman, the original creator.
Copies of my emails have been sent you too.
My system's screen accommodated upto 170 columns.
icdiff --cols=170 file1.txt file2.txt | less -R
So this should rest the case, with your permission.
Best wishes,
Rajib
Etc.
Re: paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?)
Dear Mr. Davidson, I just received an email from and tried implementing his advice on columns. I have received messages from Mr. Sascha Steinbiss, the maintainer for icdiff, and Mr. Jeff Kaufman, the original creator. Copies of my emails have been sent you too. My system's screen accommodated upto 170 columns. icdiff --cols=170 file1.txt file2.txt | less -R So this should rest the case, with your permission. Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, Apr 08, 2023 at 11:12:57PM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: > > No, easier. I use Libre Office buttons for Left, Right, Centre or > Justified alignment. No keystrokes. Only one Enter Key after a full > stop, no space bar. But if Heading, then no full stop, no space bar, > but only paragraph. No other use of Paragraph "Enter" key. As > simplified as possible. In libreoffice I use Heading Levels to create > Chapters, Sections, Sub-sections, et al. Very simple style, or no > style at all. > > So the text file is all Left aligned in every paragraph. > > Just like I write my emails in plain text without Line Breaks. Google > introduces the line breaks in every line. I don't. My text is > free-flowing, no Line Breaks unless one paragraph or Title/Heading. As > simple as can be. > Don't do that please. The mailing list Code of Conduct and other suggestions within Debian suggest creating lines no longer than 72 characters. Line breaks make things significantly easier to read as does breaking up large blocks of text. Likewise the references above from Gmail mails. Please don't - it means that each of us has 13 lines of incomprehensibility repeated whenever you reply to any mail. Jon Postel's suggestion to be strict in what you put out and generous in what you accept is being stretched to the limit here. If all you are doing is comparing LibreOffice documents, use LibreOffice document tracking to compare documents. When you deal with a (human) editor who doesn't use LibreOffice, export it as a basic Word document and reimport. If that doesn't work then exchange basic text and use TeX to format the output appropriately. Messing around with complex word-processing documents and expecting to use diff to do this is probably the wrong way round. You might *even* be better exchanging Markdown files and using git to version track ... All the very best, as ever, Andy Cater
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: davidson
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:27:54 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081043580.22...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[]
caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com>
and
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: davidson
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 14:02:15 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081359510.22...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081043580.22...@azone.org>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvut9br_7acyuk-pyljkatxlxgvxoszupugpiugh6k...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304081043580.22...@azone.org>
[ ... ]
I am not familiar with Bin, but I imagine it is a hex viewer/editor.
[ ... ]
Apologies. I meant binary code. Yes, in a Hex editor. wxhexeditor. I
usually use okteta in Knoppix.
[ ... ]
Are saying that this entire sequence of three keystrokes is how you
type a paragraph break? So that your paragraphs look like this (but
wider)?
[ ... ]
No, easier. I use Libre Office buttons for Left, Right, Centre or
Justified alignment. No keystrokes. Only one Enter Key after a full
stop, no space bar. But if Heading, then no full stop, no space bar,
but only paragraph. No other use of Paragraph "Enter" key. As
simplified as possible. In libreoffice I use Heading Levels to create
Chapters, Sections, Sub-sections, et al. Very simple style, or no
style at all.
So the text file is all Left aligned in every paragraph.
Just like I write my emails in plain text without Line Breaks. Google
introduces the line breaks in every line. I don't. My text is
free-flowing, no Line Breaks unless one paragraph or Title/Heading. As
simple as can be.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, 8 Apr 2023 davidson wrote: On Fri, 7 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: Hanging Style___ Also called the Epstein style, this one is probably not the one you are using in your document. At least, not unless you are writing a glossary, or some kind of dictionary. Hanging style does not include a blank line separator like the example above does. -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Fri, 7 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: [trimmed: email headers included in message body] Ok, I shall abide by your greater wisdom. I deny this accusation. I would have been better guided by a simple instruction to inform you about the binary for the line breaks, paragraph marks, et al. With a little introduction. So here goes: While forensic details of your plain text document's file format is interesting and not unhelpful, I apologise for being unclear when I wrote: On Thu, 6 Apr 2023 davidson (DAV): DAV> What indicates a "paragraph break" in a given style depends on DAV> the form, not the content, of the material to be processed. By the term "form", above, I meant the style of the document not the file format of its digital representation. I should have said "document" instead of "material". DAV> It is the style of paragraph that you must reveal here Paragraph style is apparent to the casual observer. Hopefully you will find that one of the examples below match your document style. If not, I trust you can present us with a couple of short example paragraphs populated with lorem ipsum which do. Libre Office file is used as the Editor to write the article. You compose your original document in Libre Office. Understood. It was used to convert the main file in plain text file for the purpose of diff. You then export it to plain text file format before processing it with tools designed for plain text. Sensible. Beginning of the article in Bin: I am not familiar with Bin, but I imagine it is a hex viewer/editor. [Bin code] EF BB BF 0A 0A 0A 4A 75 73 74 20 41 20 53 74 61 74 69 6F 6E 20 ^^ ^^ ^^ The first three bytes there are a unicode BOM, or Byte Order Mark, encoded in utf-8. It is harmless. Libre Office probably put it there. It conveniently suggests that we are looking at unicode characters encoded in utf-8. Next follow three newlines (normally displayed as three blank lines at the top of the document). [/Bin code] Translates to text in a text editor: "Some unreadable characters The BOM, presumably... and Just A Station" ...with 'J' flush to the lefthand margin. That phrase being followed by a space (The Final Frontier). Paragraph break with the key "Enter" is 0A. I am aware of no paragraph style that does not include a newline. This does not help narrow things down, unless one construes the next two items to complete the characterisation of a paragraph break. Line Break with the combo keys "Shift Enter" is also 0A. Space with Space Bar is 20. Are saying that this entire sequence of three keystrokes is how you type a paragraph break? So that your paragraphs look like this (but wider)? Mystery House Style_ This is one paragraph, written within twenty- four columns. Here is another one, written within those same twenty-four col- umns. If so, please confirm. Otherwise, here are some alternatives: Plain Style_ These paragraphs are set in "plain" style. As you can see, its first line is indented. In plain style, there is not usually a blank line dividing each paragraph. The precise depth of the indentation is not important. Its presence is what matters. Flush Style_ Do all O'Reilly books exhibit this style? Are they trying to instill hygienic practices sub- liminally? In this style, a blank line indicates the end of one paragraph and the beginning of, if not a better paragraph, at least a new one. Hanging Style___ Also called the Epstein style, this one is probably not the one you are using in your document. At least, not unless you are writing a glossary, or some kind of dictionary. I will be surprised if one of these styles is not the one you are using. -- It is close to an axiom for me that when rich people expend considerable sums of other people's money to persuade me something is good for us, to disbelieve them. -- George Galloway
Re: paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?)
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?) From: davidson Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 05:47:45 + (UTC) Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304080512420.28...@azone.org> In-reply-to: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304051324580.20...@azone.org> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304051324580.20...@azone.org> [ ... ] Since you have not exhibited here any of the text you are working with, I can only play the role of speculative optimist. [ ... ] But did you not notice my earlier post https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2023/04/msg00254.html wherein I posted the directed information? I shall not begin experimenting unless we both are on the same page. But I really thank you. You know why? The reason: https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=138583 I tried, but was repulsed. But please ignore the post. Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?)
On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 davidson wrote:
On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote:
On 04/04/2023, davidson wrote:
[trim]
Attached (unless the listserv software has nuked it) is a sed script
"flow" (with verbose comments) which might serve your needs. (Since
you have not exhibited here any of the text you are working with, I
can only play the role of speculative optimist.)
For trial purposes make a new, empty directory. Here we'll pretend
that directory is called "testing". Put "flow" in that directory. Then
do
$ cd testing # Make testing your current directory
$ chmod u+x flow # Make flow executable
$ PATH="$PATH:$PWD" # Now "flow" means something, for this session
$ icdiff-flow () { icdiff <( flow <"$1" ) <( flow <"$2" ) ; }
and then you should be able to test it out in that same shell session:
$ flow document # see if flow works as intended with a single document
$ icdiff-flow document1 document2 # see if it works well with icdiff
Attached is a more adequate version of "flow", for converting plain
text paragraphs, in flush or plain style*, to single lines. Unlike the
previous version, version 2.0 does not fumble on the last line of the
document and fail to print material before quitting.
* A "plain" paragraph begins with its first line indented, whereas a
"flush" paragraph is distinguished from its neighbors by blank
newlines.
--
Sometimes it pays to have squirrels in your head running around making
you question everything. -- Clive Robinson#!/usr/bin/env -S sed -f
# Flow text. (Remove intra-paragraph newlines.)
# Version 2.0
# First line of document initialises storage.
1 {
h # 1. A copy goes to storage.
d # 2. The original (still on the workbench) is discarded and a new
cycle begins.
}
# When a line starts with non-whitespace character,
# We assume it belongs to a paragraph accumulating in storage.
/^[^[:blank:]]/ {
H # 1. A copy goes to storage.
$ { # In case this line terminates the document...
g # ...Get everything out of storage.
s/\(.\)\n\(.\)/\1 \2/g# ...Replace every interstitial newline with
a space.
q # ...Print and quit NOW.
}
d # 2. Toss out the original (the one still on the workbench) and
begin new cycle
}
# When a line does not start with non-whitespace character (ie, it is empty or
begins with whitespace),
# We assume it begins a new paragraph.
# We further assume that whatever is in storage we may now format (and print)
as if it were a paragraph.
/^\([[:blank:]]\|$\)/ {
x # 1. Swap: A copy goes to storage, and what was
in storage lands on the workbench.
s/\(.\)\n\(.\)/\1 \2/g# 2. Format: Replace every interstitial newline
with a space. (Then print it.)
$ { # In case this line terminates the document...
p # ...The stuff we just formatted gets printed,
g # ...and then retrieve the line we just stored,
and print it too before we quit.
}
}
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: davidson
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2023 18:21:29 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304061821250.7...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[]
CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
and
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: david...@freevolt.org
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2023 18:29:56 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304061829500.7...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304061821250.7...@azone.org>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=z...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304061821250.7...@azone.org>
[ ... ]
Ok, I shall abide by your greater wisdom.
I would have been better guided by a simple instruction to inform you
about the binary for the line breaks, paragraph marks, et al. With a
little introduction. So here goes:
Libre Office file is used as the Editor to write the article. It was
used to convert the main file in plain text file for the purpose of
diff.
Beginning of the article in Bin:
[Bin code]
EF BB BF 0A 0A 0A 4A 75 73 74 20 41 20 53 74 61 74 69 6F 6E 20
[/Bin code]
Translates to text in a text editor:
"Some unreadable characters and Just A Station"
Paragraph break with the key "Enter" is 0A.
Line Break with the combo keys "Shift Enter" is also 0A.
Space with Space Bar is 20.
Best wishes,
Rajib
Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Thu, 6 Apr 2023 davidson wrote: What indicates a "paragraph break" in a given style depends on the form, not the content, of the material to be processed. Replace "...in a given style" with "...in a given document" -- Sometimes it pays to have squirrels in your head running around making you question everything. -- Clive Robinson
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Thu, 6 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote:
[trimmed: email headers included in message body]
[ ... ]
Dear Mr. Davidson, I think that we better drop this thread for the
time being.
We are each of us the masters of our respective time and attention,
and thank ${DEITY[@]} for that.
I look forward to your return.
I have written to Sascha Steinbiss, the Maintainer, icdiff in debian
repo, with the links to the specific emails of this thread.
As I have already said, I believe that will prove to be an
unproductive line of attack on the text processing problem which
confronts you.
I am sure, the brilliant programmer that he is, he would heed to our
indications and would come up with something apt in the near future.
I suspect that you underestimate your own potential learn how to use
the tools at your disposal. At least as regards the elementary (and
potentially instructive) text processing problem you have presented
here.
I am more concerned about your wasting so much of your precious
energy into the matter
This form of politeness is lost on me, where one pretends that
expedience for oneself is expedience for another.
I do what I please. Rely on it.
that has to be solved from within the program itself,
It does not. Transforming the input is a trivial operation.
programmatically by tweaking the source code, rather than using
scripts.
I refer you back to previous expository comments about tools, and the
productivity of compositionality.
[trimmed: more gracious externalisation of responsibility]
I apologise that I could not explain more on the text as they form a
part of my book and also my research papers
What indicates a "paragraph break" in a given style depends on the
form, not the content, of the material to be processed.
It is the style of paragraph that you must reveal here if iterative
guesswork has become tiresome, not the content of your researches.
which requires the services of an editor.
You wish to display, in a form enabling your review, the differences
between your own copy of a text and an editor's revision.
This requires the services of your computer. Which is why you have
sought help here, appropriately enough.
Since I am an independent researcher, I post my articles in
vixra.org.
Good luck with your researches.
--
Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good
mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures.
-- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: davidson Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2023 16:25:06 + (UTC) Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304051620250.20...@azone.org> In-reply-to: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304051324580.20...@azone.org> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvocyzux5gjxbdv5uyt1mxhmfdxglz_asbppmkjch2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=evmorep8bq3zv8wycnt2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304051324580.20...@azone.org> [ ... ] Dear Mr. Davidson, I think that we better drop this thread for the time being. I have written to Sascha Steinbiss, the Maintainer, icdiff in debian repo, with the links to the specific emails of this thread. I am sure, the brilliant programmer that he is, he would heed to our indications and would come up with something apt in the near future. I am more concerned about your wasting so much of your precious energy into the matter that has to be solved from within the program itself, programmatically by tweaking the source code, rather than using scripts. Please preserve your energy and use it to a better challenge that can be solved. You have done enough already. Given me a clearer perspective. Presently, I shall adjust myself to live with the current limitations of icdiff. What I have is already sufficient for me to proceed ahead. I apologise that I could not explain more on the text as they form a part of my book and also my research papers which requires the services of an editor. Since I am an independent researcher, I post my articles in vixra.org. Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 davidson wrote:
Attached (unless the listserv software has nuked it) is a sed script
"flow" (with verbose comments) which might serve your needs. (Since
you have not exhibited here any of the text you are working with, I
can only play the role of speculative optimist.)
For trial purposes make a new, empty directory. Here we'll pretend
that directory is called "testing". Put "flow" in that directory. Then
do
$ cd testing # Make testing your current directory
$ chmod u+x flow # Make flow executable
$ PATH="$PATH:$PWD" # Now "flow" means something, for this session
$ icdiff-flow () { icdiff <( flow <"$1" ) <( flow <"$2" ) ; }
The shell function can be made a little simpler:
$ icdiff-flow () { icdiff <( flow "$1" ) <( flow "$2" ) ; }
--
Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good
mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures.
-- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 davidson wrote: Attached (unless the listserv software has nuked it) is a sed script "flow" (with verbose comments) which might serve your needs. (Since you have not exhibited here any of the text you are working with, I can only play the role of speculative optimist.) Tested with $ sed --version | head -1 sed (GNU sed) 4.7 $ dpkg-query -l sed # check that it is installed Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad) ||/ Name Version Architecture Description +++-==---= ii sed4.7-1amd64GNU stream editor for filtering/transforming text -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote:
On 04/04/2023, davidson wrote:
[trimmed email headers]
[trimmed preliminary negotiation of what would constitute a solution]
That is, you'd like to be shown as many characters on one screen as
possible, without a lot of wastefully empty margins.
(I expect I have overstated your intent here. Do correct me.)
There can absolutely be no need for correcting you. You have extracted
what I really meant from my poor choice of words. Yes, more "column
width" would reflect in "longer lines" without wasting empty margins.
PERFECT. Thank you indeed.
It looks to me like icdiff tries to remain faithful to the source
comparands, to the files you request it to compare.
By "faithful", I mean two things:
1. icdiff will *wrap* lines so that all characters (relevant to the
diff context) make it onto the screen in whichever half of the
screen they belong. This entails the insertion of line breaks that
are not in the source files. This is nonetheless faithful because
if icdiff did not do this, then it would be unable to display all
characters in the sources (relevant to the diff context).
2. icdiff will not *remove* line breaks that are present in the
source files. This would not be faithful. Line breaks are
characters too.
Its job is to accurately display the distinctions between two files
for you. If it *removed* certain characters to make things prettier
for you, it would sabotage its ability to accomplish its task in full
generality.
In other words, it would make itself less useful.
Your wish to fill the margins with text requires removal of line
breaks. Because icdiff is faithful to its input, you must arrange to
remove those line breaks from the input you provide to icdiff. It will
not do it for you.
[trimmed definition of naive flow-text function]
So the final steps should look like this:
Define a unique function:
icdiff-flowed () { icdiff <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$1" ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$2" ) ; }
Then use that function:
icdiff-flowed file1 file2 | less -R
Perfect.
Well, not quite, as you discovered. We removed ALL the newlines, so
icdiff had to process a pair of lines many thousands of characters
long.
But I received an error when the lxterminal screen was the default
size:
RecursionError: maximum recursion depth exceeded while calling a
Python object
I don't think icdiff was designed for lines that long.
When the screen was maximised, I received an output, but all
line-breaks, paragraph breaks,
If you want to preserve paragraph breaks, you need to arrange for
that. If we remove all newlines, we remove all paragraph breaks.
So you want to remove *some* newlines, but preserve others.
distinctions, separate colours, et al, were made into two colours,
one for the new file and one for the old.
Yeah, it looked like garbage.
May be the translation of '\n' into blank space ' ' is creating the
problem. Removing all formatting.
We literally removed all the newlines. Replaced them with
spaces. That's what "tr" did, and that's *all* it did. The formatting
that you percieve to be removed consisted of nothing but newlines.
Could the creators/maintainers be contacted to amend the program to
adjust column width? Is there a way to set icdiff's column width?
If you read the man page, you will see that there is. But I expect
that you will be disappointed to discover that setting the column
width does not do what you want.
I expect, in fact, that you will find that icdiff *by default* already
sets its width optimally, for whatever dimensions your terminal has at
the time you invoke it.
What you probably want is flowed text.
If you remove paragraph-internal newlines (and *only* those newlines)
from the input you provide to icdiff, then icdiff will wrap the
paragraphs naturally (ie, insert newlines to keep the paragraphs
displayed within the available columns), as needed.
And since they are *your* paragraphs, *you* are the one who knows how
to remove "paragraph-internal" newlines. I do not recommend trying to
harrass the author of a decent general purpose tool into flowing them
for you.
Attached (unless the listserv software has nuked it) is a sed script
"flow" (with verbose comments) which might serve your needs. (Since
you have not exhibited here any of the text you are working with, I
can only play the role of speculative optimist.)
For trial purposes make a new, empty directory. Here we'll pretend
that directory is called "testing". Put "flow" in that directory. Then
do
$ cd testing # Make testing your current directory
$ chmod u+x flow # Make flow executable
$ PATH="$PATH:$PWD" # Now "flow" means something, for this session
$ icdiff-flow () { icdiff <( flow <"$1" ) <( flow <"$2" ) ; }
and then you should be able to test it out in that same shell session:
$ flow document # see if flow works as intended with a single document
$ icdiff-flow document1 document2 # see if it works well with
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On 04/04/2023, davidson wrote:
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing
two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
From: davidson
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 11:06:47 + (UTC)
Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304041106390.12...@azone.org>
In-reply-to: <[]
caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
References:
<[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com>
<[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com>
[ ... ]
> No mistakes means no learning. Learning how to make mistakes, to dare
> the facts to expose one's false beliefs, is a great art.
[ ... ]
> Would it be possible to increase the column length for the either of
> the two files being compared,
I apologise for my yet another idiotic choice of word. It should have
been "width", not "length".
[ ... ]
> I take this to mean that you would like to increase the length of
> lines displayed...
[ ... ]
> ...in order to maximise the use of screen real estate.
>
> That is, you'd like to be shown as many characters on one screen as
> possible, without a lot of wastefully empty margins.
>
> (I expect I have overstated your intent here. Do correct me.)
There can absolutely be no need for correcting you. You have extracted
what I really meant from my poor choice of words. Yes, more "column
width" would reflect in "longer lines" without wasting empty margins.
PERFECT. Thank you indeed.
> It looks to me like icdiff tries to remain faithful to the source
> comparands, to the files you request it to compare.
>
> More concretely: Let's say the source files have newlines at a
> position no greater than column 55 (say). This means a side-by-side
> comparison will require about 113 columns.
>
> Since you have a giant display that can accomodate far more than that,
> icdiff displays sizeable righthand margins on each half of a maximised
> terminal window.
>
> So you would like icdiff to "flow" the text when it displays each
> source on its half of the terminal. You would like icdiff to replace
> newlines with spaces, and then wrap them (ie, inserting new newlines)
> as appropriate to fill up the right margins on each half.
>
> icdiff will not do that. icdiff is faithful to its sources. I have
> determined this by trying it out a little myself, and by examining the
> command line options documented in its manual page ("man icdiff").
>
> You could give it different sources:
>
> $ icdiff <( tr '\n' ' '
> You can define a function to do the same thing, to save some typing at
> future invocations,
>
> $ icdiff-flowed () { <( tr '\n' ' '
> and then use it like so
>
> $ icdiff-flowed file1 file2 | less -R
>
> I imagine this is not quite what you want. But this seems like a good
> place to pause, to give you an opportunity to correct me, or to
> elaborate on the requirements.
Perfectly set to go.
> If that is not possible
>
>
> I expect it is, but I may not yet fully understand what you are
> looking for.
Yes, you really did step into my shoes. Thank you indeed.
So the final steps should look like this:
Define a unique function:
icdiff-flowed () { icdiff <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$1" ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$2" ) ; }
Then use that function:
icdiff-flowed file1 file2 | less -R
Perfect.
But I received an error when the lxterminal screen was the default size:
RecursionError: maximum recursion depth exceeded while calling a Python object
When the screen was maximised, I received an output, but all
line-breaks, paragraph breaks, distinctions, separate colours, et al,
were made into two colours, one for the new file and one for the old.
May be the translation of '\n' into blank space ' ' is creating the
problem. Removing all formatting. Could the creators/maintainers be
contacted to amend the program to adjust column width? Is there a way
to set icdiff's column width?
Could you please change the html files you had used for
experimentation into text files and then run the experiment again? To
see if our objectives could be fulfilled?
Thanks once more.
Best wishes,
Rajib
Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: david...@freevolt.org Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 11:39:59 + (UTC) Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304041139540.12...@azone.org> In-reply-to: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304041109440.12...@azone.org> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=y_tlfbuoobgplio...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czubt-mfzn4rn1odmyema0tmufauwzch1s3pbc+z7w2...@mail.gmail.com> <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304041106390.12...@azone.org> <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304041109440.12...@azone.org> On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 david...@freevolt.org wrote: [ ... ] I will try to comprehend, then try and get back. But I had to admire you for the efforts you have put in to solve my issue. My files are around 40k, so shouldn't pose much of a problem, $wc -m book1.txt 41466 book1.txt $wc -m book2.txt 32798 book2.txt Rest feedback, after I have been able to implement your ideas, will follow. Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 david...@freevolt.org wrote:
On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 davidson wrote:
[trim]
icdiff will not do that. icdiff is faithful to its sources. I have
determined this by trying it out a little myself, and by examining the
command line options documented in its manual page ("man icdiff").
You could give it different sources:
$ icdiff <( tr '\n' ' '
Typos ahead:
True.
$ icdiff-flowed () { <( tr '\n' ' '
Correction:
$ icdiff-flowed () { <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$1" ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$2" ) ; }
Yet another correction:
$ icdiff-flowed () { icdiff <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$1" ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$2" ) ; }
and then use it like so
$ icdiff-flowed file1 file2 | less -R
And a caveat:
I recall that the files you are comparing are quite large.
The above worked on okay on about 1000 line files with about 50,000
characters.
But I would not use it with significantly larger files.
$ wc -l vinge_1981_true_names.*html # how many lines
3688 vinge_1981_true_names.html
4152 vinge_1981_true_names.parafix.html
$ du -h vinge_1981_true_names.*html
176Kvinge_1981_true_names.html
176Kvinge_1981_true_names.parafix.html
I think those were too big:
$ icdiff-flowed vinge_1981_true_names.html vinge_1981_true_names.parafix.html
>vinge_1981_true_names.icdiff_flowed
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/icdiff", line 11, in
load_entry_point('icdiff==1.9.5', 'console_scripts', 'icdiff')()
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 598, in start
diff(options, *args)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 635, in diff
diff_files(options, a, b)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 764, in diff_files
for line in cd.make_table(
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 350, in make_table
for left, right in self._generate_table(fromdesc, todesc, diffs):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 360, in _generate_table
for i, line in enumerate(diffs):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 255, in _collect_lines
for fromdata, todata, flag in diffs:
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 232, in _line_wrapper
self._split_line(fromlist, fromline, fromtext)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 217, in _split_line
self._split_line(data_list, '>', line2)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 217, in _split_line
self._split_line(data_list, '>', line2)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 217, in _split_line
self._split_line(data_list, '>', line2)
[Previous line repeated 984 more times]
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 180, in _split_line
if ((self._display_len(text) - (text.count('\0') * 3) <=
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 163, in _display_len
return sum(width(c) for c in s)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 163, in
return sum(width(c) for c in s)
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/icdiff.py", line 156, in width
if ((isinstance(c, type(u"")) and
RecursionError: maximum recursion depth exceeded while calling a Python object
--
Sometimes it pays to have squirrels in your head running around making
you question everything. -- Clive Robinson
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 davidson wrote:
[trim]
icdiff will not do that. icdiff is faithful to its sources. I have
determined this by trying it out a little myself, and by examining the
command line options documented in its manual page ("man icdiff").
You could give it different sources:
$ icdiff <( tr '\n' ' '
Typos ahead:
$ icdiff-flowed () { <( tr '\n' ' '
Correction:
$ icdiff-flowed () { <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$1" ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <"$2" ) ; }
and then use it like so
$ icdiff-flowed file1 file2 | less -R
--
Sometimes it pays to have squirrels in your head running around making
you question everything. -- Clive Robinson
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote:
[trimmed headers]
[ ... ]
You have reported that redirecting icdiff output to a file, in your
words, "drops all colors".
And so I have three questions:
[trimmed davidson's questions]
$ icdiff file1 file2 > pretty_diff
$ less -R pretty_diff
[ ... ]
Yes, thank you. From your indications it became apparent to me the
idiocy that I was engaged in.
No mistakes means no learning. Learning how to make mistakes, to dare
the facts to expose one's false beliefs, is a great art.
Children tend to be adept at this. But grown-ups can do it too with
practice.
I failed to look into what was really meant by your two lines of
codes. I was redirecting the output to a file with a .txt
extension. So when the default application for my Debian
installation, mousepad, opened the file it dropped all colours.
with a lot of extended chars.
The output contains, in addition to the characters that comprise your
document's text, embedded character sequences which you can display
literally with (for example),
$ cat -v pretty_diff.txt # the digraph '^[' is the ESC character
and these instruct a terminal which implements them to do various
things.
As I understand it, the semantics of these sequences were defined for
terminals. They implement many functions --not just color-- useful for
any teletype-descendant like a unix terminal emulator. Expecting other
applications to implement them too will probably lead to
disappointment. But do prove me wrong if you like.
[trimmed]
This leads me to the next automatic questions:
Would it be possible to increase the column length for the either of
the two files being compared,
I take this to mean that you would like to increase the length of
lines displayed...
so that I could let the terminal window frame occupy the entire
screen space?
...in order to maximise the use of screen real estate.
That is, you'd like to be shown as many characters on one screen as
possible, without a lot of wastefully empty margins.
(I expect I have overstated your intent here. Do correct me.)
It looks to me like icdiff tries to remain faithful to the source
comparands, to the files you request it to compare.
More concretely: Let's say the source files have newlines at a
position no greater than column 55 (say). This means a side-by-side
comparison will require about 113 columns.
Since you have a giant display that can accomodate far more than that,
icdiff displays sizeable righthand margins on each half of a maximised
terminal window.
So you would like icdiff to "flow" the text when it displays each
source on its half of the terminal. You would like icdiff to replace
newlines with spaces, and then wrap them (ie, inserting new newlines)
as appropriate to fill up the right margins on each half.
icdiff will not do that. icdiff is faithful to its sources. I have
determined this by trying it out a little myself, and by examining the
command line options documented in its manual page ("man icdiff").
You could give it different sources:
$ icdiff <( tr '\n' ' '
If that is not possible
I expect it is, but I may not yet fully understand what you are
looking for.
then which application should I use in GUI to have all colours
faithfully represented?
You will have far more experience with the range of GUI applications
that might serve your needs than I ever will. Control by keyboard is a
hard requirement of mine. GUIs, naturally enough, rarely meet it.
This might help me overcome the column restrictions.
Do correct or extend my understanding of what you seek.
--
Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good
mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures.
-- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: davidson Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2023 01:27:46 + (UTC) Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304030127380.28...@azone.org> In-reply-to: <[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqerae44...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czu4zccbkc9fff66nwwr2ubd_1p_z1bdnhrh_sjp3ik...@mail.gmail.com> [ ... ] You have reported that redirecting icdiff output to a file, in your words, "drops all colors". And so I have three questions: 1. Show us the full command line you enter, to redirect the output of icdiff to a file. 2. Show us the full command line you enter, to view the contents of that file. 3. For a suitable pair of files, report whether colors are displayed as expected when you do $ icdiff file1 file2 > pretty_diff $ less -R pretty_diff [ ... ] Yes, thank you. From your indications it became apparent to me the idiocy that I was engaged in. I failed to look into what was really meant by your two lines of codes. I was redirecting the output to a file with a .txt extension. So when the default application for my Debian installation, mousepad, opened the file it dropped all colours. with a lot of extended chars. This time, I just redirected the output to a file without extension. Yes, your 2nd line, less -R reproduces all colours. I imagined myself in your position and looked into what was supposedly intended with those two lines of codes. So, thank you for bringing to me to notice my idiocy. This leads me to the next automatic questions: Would it be possible to increase the column length for the either of the two files being compared, so that I could let the terminal window frame occupy the entire screen space? If that is not possible then which application should I use in GUI to have all colours faithfully represented? This might help me overcome the column restrictions. Thank you, truly. Best wishes, Rajib
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sun, 2 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: [trimmed: email headers] On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: [ ... ] You do not tell us what application you are using to view the file contents. If it is not a terminal application, it might well fail to independently implement for your delightful spectation the ECMA-48 set graphics control sequences. [ ... ] Sorry for replying late. Take all the time you like. Eisenhower tells us that what is urgent is rarely important, and that what is important is rarely urgent. It is the same lxterminal available with the live ISO as narrated earlier. Was it not apparent from my email? I do not recall you specifying here what terminal you use. And it is interesting to know. But I meant to ask something different. I will try to be more clear. You have reported that redirecting icdiff output to a file, in your words, "drops all colors". And so I have three questions: 1. Show us the full command line you enter, to redirect the output of icdiff to a file. 2. Show us the full command line you enter, to view the contents of that file. 3. For a suitable pair of files, report whether colors are displayed as expected when you do $ icdiff file1 file2 > pretty_diff $ less -R pretty_diff -- "The first beginnings of wisdom," he said, "is to ask questions but never to answer any. You get wisdom from asking and not from answering." -- Flann O'Brien, _The Third Policeman_
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: rhkra...@gmail.com Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 09:07:47 -0400 Message-id: <[] 202304010907.47888.rhkra...@gmail.com> In-reply-to: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> On Friday, March 31, 2023 11:37:30 PM Susmita/Rajib wrote: [ ...] Thanks for the reply! I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name) ... ... Aside: I'm not sure I can show crossout in an email, so will precede and end it with "-". ... The utility also showed a vertical line at the beginning of either a line or paragraph that had changed. ... I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). [ ... ] In your later reply you were helped by debian-u...@howorth.org.uk to have recalled the MS application called MS-Word. I had used it too till 2008. It was called "show/hide Corrections" that had to be activated from the Options menu. It would strike through (not underline) changed lines/words and mark the corrected parts in red. Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: davidson Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 10:54:06 + (UTC) Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304011044320.15...@azone.org> In-reply-to: <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> <[] caeg4czvce+49-mkwgw7le3l1t6ztsak7jd3kchkevfgh303...@mail.gmail.com> On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: [ ... ] You do not tell us what application you are using to view the file contents. If it is not a terminal application, it might well fail to independently implement for your delightful spectation the ECMA-48 set graphics control sequences. [ ... ] Sorry for replying late. It is the same lxterminal available with the live ISO as narrated earlier. Was it not apparent from my email? Best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Saturday, April 01, 2023 10:22:24 AM debian-u...@howorth.org.uk wrote: > rhkra...@gmail.com wrote: > > I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the > > Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines > > or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). > It sounds like you're describing the way Microsoft Word displays > differences between versions. Yes, exactly. (But there was also a non-Microsoft utility that did (just about) the same thing.) > I believe LibreOffice will do something > very much the same. Good to know, I'll have to try that some time. (I do most of my writing in an editor these days.) -- rhk (sig revised 20230312 -- modified first paragraph, some other irrelevant wordsmithing) | No entity has permission to use this email to train an AI.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
rhkra...@gmail.com wrote: > On Friday, March 31, 2023 11:37:30 PM Susmita/Rajib wrote: > > Suppose I wrote a book book1.txt. I then send it to an editor who > > corrects the initial mistakes, altering some lines while doing so, > > renaming to another file book2.txt. > > > > When I receive the editor's correction, I don't accept them > > straightaway, but based on his suggestions I change my book1 and > > edit and alter it further. Diff helps in comparing the two draft > > editions. > > > > This one cycle could again be repeated. > > > I checked wdiff and also dwdiff. But they are very bland > > and very complicated to handle as dwdiff uses a lot of braces with + > > and - signs, but doesn't present the two files side by side for > > intuitive/visual comparison. > > Thanks for the reply! > > I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the > Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines > or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). > > Just to create an example, suppose I changed the previious paragraph > to say "I never used in Linux:" then that utility would show > something like what I show below. > > Aside: I'm not sure I can show crossout in an email, so will precede > and end it with "-". > > The utility also showed a vertical line at the beginning of either a > line or paragraph that had changed. > > I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the > Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines > or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). > > > | I don't remember the name of the utility that I *never used in > Linux:* -used to use in the Microsoft world-, but it was very nice in > showing changes within lines or paragraphs, using underline and > crossout (wrong name). It sounds like you're describing the way Microsoft Word displays differences between versions. I believe LibreOffice will do something very much the same. > I found that very useful for generally text based documents like > specifications and contracts. > > It did have trouble "resynchronizing" -- I mean, for example, if a > section of text was not changed but moved a fair distance (for some > definition of "fair") it often showed that as a deletion of the text > from the original location and insertion of the (unchaged) text in a > new location (which wasn't necessarily all bad). > > IIRC, there was another problem that I characterized as trouble with > resynchronizing, but, atm, I can't recall any details. > > When I moved to Linux, I looked for a similar utility, and the > closest I could find (at the time -- possibly 20 years ago) was wdiff. > > I hope you find wnat you're looking for (or maybe even something > better ;-) >
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Saturday, April 01, 2023 09:07:47 AM rhkra...@gmail.com wrote: > On Friday, March 31, 2023 11:37:30 PM Susmita/Rajib wrote: > I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the > Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines or > paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). Ahh, some things are coming back to me (it is interesting getting old -- among other things, I'm remembering things from long ago that I had forgotten -- I sort of wonder if that is a slow motion version of my life flashing before my eyes which might mean I'm in deep trouble ;-) Anyway, I now remember that there were at least two ways that I found to do that in the Microsoft world -- one was a standalone utility, which name I still don't remember, but the other was a feature built into Microsoft Word (at least in the versions I used 20 to 30 years ago). I don't know if [Libre | Open] Office has a similar feature. Far aside: I am remembering that I once wrote a literate program (ala Knuth) in Microsoft Word (and it worked) -- I could (easily compile it from the Word document, or view it with or without the "literacy". Unfortunately, the client company went out of business before the program was put in service. (Wouldn't you be worried if you remembered something like that ;-) -- rhk (sig revised 20230312 -- modified first paragraph, some other irrelevant wordsmithing) | No entity has permission to use this email to train an AI.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Friday, March 31, 2023 11:37:30 PM Susmita/Rajib wrote: > Suppose I wrote a book book1.txt. I then send it to an editor who > corrects the initial mistakes, altering some lines while doing so, > renaming to another file book2.txt. > > When I receive the editor's correction, I don't accept them > straightaway, but based on his suggestions I change my book1 and edit > and alter it further. Diff helps in comparing the two draft editions. > > This one cycle could again be repeated. > I checked wdiff and also dwdiff. But they are very bland > and very complicated to handle as dwdiff uses a lot of braces with + > and - signs, but doesn't present the two files side by side for > intuitive/visual comparison. Thanks for the reply! I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). Just to create an example, suppose I changed the previious paragraph to say "I never used in Linux:" then that utility would show something like what I show below. Aside: I'm not sure I can show crossout in an email, so will precede and end it with "-". The utility also showed a vertical line at the beginning of either a line or paragraph that had changed. I don't remember the name of the utility that I used to use in the Microsoft world, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). | I don't remember the name of the utility that I *never used in Linux:* -used to use in the Microsoft world-, but it was very nice in showing changes within lines or paragraphs, using underline and crossout (wrong name). I found that very useful for generally text based documents like specifications and contracts. It did have trouble "resynchronizing" -- I mean, for example, if a section of text was not changed but moved a fair distance (for some definition of "fair") it often showed that as a deletion of the text from the original location and insertion of the (unchaged) text in a new location (which wasn't necessarily all bad). IIRC, there was another problem that I characterized as trouble with resynchronizing, but, atm, I can't recall any details. When I moved to Linux, I looked for a similar utility, and the closest I could find (at the time -- possibly 20 years ago) was wdiff. I hope you find wnat you're looking for (or maybe even something better ;-) -- rhk (sig revised 20230312 -- modified first paragraph, some other irrelevant wordsmithing) | No entity has permission to use this email to train an AI.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
I prefer vimdiff. - Nate -- "The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true." Web: https://www.n0nb.us Projects: https://github.com/N0NB GPG fingerprint: 82D6 4F6B 0E67 CD41 F689 BBA6 FB2C 5130 D55A 8819 signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On 01/04/2023 14:59, DdB wrote: In fact, unfortunately, i did not understand the necessity to wrap the output, as i am happily using the synchronised scrollbar (inside meld) in such cases, but ofc, that may not fit your use case. If it is prose text formatted as a line per paragraph then wrapped lines become a must have feature. I do not use such approach, but sometimes I use :wrap command in vimdiff. I tried meld several years ago, but I found no reason to use it instead of vim. Out of curiosity I have tried "meld wrap line" in a search engine and got a couple of stackoverflow questions. Answers recommend Meld → Preferences → Editor → Enable text wrapping. I believe that an editor is suited much better than a viewer for reviewing of edited version of text. Certainly changes should be tracked in a version control system.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 davidson wrote: The "colors" are control sequences, instructions for terminal emulators conforming to a standard. Terminals understand them to mean "now paint glyphs red" or "now make them bold" or "now stop doing all that fancy stuff" etc. Erm, what I meant to say is that the instructions are for conforming terminals. And a terminal *emulator* knows what they mean, because it is an emulator of terminals. -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: [ ... ] Try icdiff file1 file2 | less -R and report back. [ ... ] Yes, it worked. Worked better than the code-line with " | more". Mouse-scrolling working both ways. So really thank you. My need should have been fulfilled so far as the purpose of the present thread is concerned. But I have another immediately related query: how could I capture the output from the code-line with all its colours to a file on the HDD? The "colors" are control sequences, instructions for terminal emulators conforming to a standard. Terminals understand them to mean "now paint glyphs red" or "now make them bold" or "now stop doing all that fancy stuff" etc. Then repeated invoking the line won't be required. "> file.txt" drops all colours. You do not tell us what application you are using to view the file contents. If it is not a terminal application, it might well fail to independently implement for your delightful spectation the ECMA-48 set graphics control sequences. Applications that transparently pass such sequences to a terminal permit it to paint the glyphs as the control sequences direct. $ icdiff file1 file2 > pretty_diff $ less -R pretty_diff # Still pretty? -- Believe you do in the church, not in front of the computer, when we see the output we can conclude ourself. -- deloptes
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 10:14:44 +0200 Message-id: In-reply-to: <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31ff_p...@mail.gmail.com> <[] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zlwpxuy44x9rtf7tnewvgfuddmzq7ile...@mail.gmail.com> On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 12:10:27PM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: [ ... ] > Strange, isn't it, Mr. Tomas? They named the project as OpenAI. Perhaps (quite probably) the original authors dreamt of some openness. Then, big Microsoft money flowed in. Those things happen time and again. Remember when Google had "do no evil" as motto? Yes, I have a problem with the Android ecosystem, closed source and the restrictions on the synthetic speech binary. I remember that I had talked about the libttspico0 package, the svox binary and the pico2wave program generating good quality TTS. I have an intuitive belief that if the phonemes are broken down further into sub-phonemes like it is done in differential calculus, into tiny 횫s, then the natural voices could well be possible even in Debian across the board. But I am not a programmer. So I can't translate my intuition into a real binary. [ ... ] > Would > like to know the aspects on "... Besides, it's being used in very > free-software unfriendly ways, but this > is a whole different story." I'm not going into big depths here. One use of OpenAI's software, though, has been discussed in this list: Github Copilot (a Microsoft product). It uses all the software published under Github (even that published under copyleft licenses) without even helping the users to follow the license the software is coming from. Microsoft says this is no problem. On the other hand, they don't train Copilot with their own proprietary software (they seem to see a problem there). I'm convinced that they are trying to dilute the significance of copyleft licenses. I don't think that's their main thrust, but they see that as a collateral benefit. This is, in my eyes, hostile to free software. Cheers -- t [ ... ] Thank you, Mr. Tomas. You have given me a direction to find out more. Yes, Doze's "proprietary"-ty is troublesome. One day I might repackage free air as cleaned, pure air and charge you for it. Thank you and best wishes, Rajib Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: davidson Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 07:34:39 + (UTC) Message-id: <[] alpine.deb.2.21.2304010734350.15...@azone.org> In-reply-to: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> Dear Mr. Davidson, thank you for your reply. My lines are interspersed in between your lines to maintain their relevance. [ ... ] "Didn't work." A remarkably inarticulate non-description, and uncharacteristic of our honored declaimant. [ ... ] Wow! What exposition! But the inspiration to address my senior user-group members thus is felt from within, not merely rhetorical. You all, who guide me so well with your insights and experiences, are truly my leaders and seniors in the present field. And indeed, I shall forever remain a novice in these matters. [ ... ] Try icdiff file1 file2 | less -R and report back. [ ... ] Yes, it worked. Worked better than the code-line with " | more". Mouse-scrolling working both ways. So really thank you. My need should have been fulfilled so far as the purpose of the present thread is concerned. But I have another immediately related query: how could I capture the output from the code-line with all its colours to a file on the HDD? Then repeated invoking the line won't be required. "> file.txt" drops all colours. Thank you, my leaders and seniors on the debian-user group for the support that you have provided. Best wishes, Rajib B Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 12:10:27PM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: > To: debian-user@lists.debian.org > Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing > two text files where Word Wrap is possible? > From: > Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 07:56:24 +0200 > Message-id: <[] zcfhibipctx8o...@tuxteam.de> > In-reply-to: <[] > caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> > References: > > > <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> > > On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 09:07:30AM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: > > [...] > > > The above limitations directs me to suggest to Debian Teams across all > > Mailing Lists and the Board to have GPT4 added to extend > > functionalities of GNU-Linux systems [...] > > GPT is not free software, so it can't be included in Debian. > > Besides, it's being used in very free-software unfriendly ways, but this > is a whole different story. > > Cheers > -- > t > > > [ ... ] > > Strange, isn't it, Mr. Tomas? They named the project as OpenAI. Perhaps (quite probably) the original authors dreamt of some openness. Then, big Microsoft money flowed in. Those things happen time and again. Remember when Google had "do no evil" as motto? > Would > like to know the aspects on "... Besides, it's being used in very > free-software unfriendly ways, but this > is a whole different story." I'm not going into big depths here. One use of OpenAI's software, though, has been discussed in this list: Github Copilot (a Microsoft product). It uses all the software published under Github (even that published under copyleft licenses) without even helping the users to follow the license the software is coming from. Microsoft says this is no problem. On the other hand, they don't train Copilot with their own proprietary software (they seem to see a problem there). I'm convinced that they are trying to dilute the significance of copyleft licenses. I don't think that's their main thrust, but they see that as a collateral benefit. This is, in my eyes, hostile to free software. Cheers -- t signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Am 01.04.2023 um 05:37 schrieb Susmita/Rajib: > Dear Mr. DdB: > I fondly remember my interaction with you some time during May 2022. > Perhaps you have overlooked that I needed text wrapping for diff. I > have checked the synaptic screenshot for meld, have installed and > tried it. But it too suffers from the lack of text wrapping function. > For huge text files it is thus problematic. Is a text wrap option > available? Am I missing something? Thank you, Sir, for your exquisite feedback. From what i read, your problem found a resolution suiting your needs, which i refrain from reading as an aprils fool prank. ;-) In fact, unfortunately, i did not understand the necessity to wrap the output, as i am happily using the synchronised scrollbar (inside meld) in such cases, but ofc, that may not fit your use case. Sorry for that. Happy diffing DdB
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: My illustrious team leaders and senior debian-user list-members, [trimmed: admirably comprehensive description of OPs use-case] Diff helps in comparing the two draft editions. It does indeed do what it was designed to do. Dear Mr. l0f4r0: that pointer, https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/537418/how-to-make-text-wrap-with-diff-y; indeed helped and led me to icdiff which is wonderful. Unfortunately, for two very large text files, the terminal truncates the beginning and just highlights the end sections of the files. As you have discovered, if you do not pipe output to a pager, it will not be paged. Icdiff didn't work with " | less". "Didn't work." A remarkably inarticulate non-description, and uncharacteristic of our honored declaimant. Try icdiff file1 file2 | less -R and report back. But it sure worked with " | more". Similarly, with diff -y <(fold -s -w72 file1) <(fold -s -w72 file2) -W 200, the beginning is truncated and only the end is displayed. And yes, it works with " | more". But it is bland. "Bland" is not a bug. If "spicy" is a requirement for your professional tools, my sympathy dwindles to a trickle. Without colours differences can't be spotted so easily. One gets the feeling that you find colors very helpful. Sounds like a requirement to me. Say so prominently: "I require differences to be highlighted in vibrant color." [trimmed: copious acknowledgments] Bottom line is: icdiff is wonderful, but from a terminal it becomes limited. Can;t a good programmer have icdiff ported to GUI? In its present form its output can be piped to other utilities, such as the pagers more, less, and most. This is compositionality, which multiplies the usefulness of a tool. Toolmakers appreciate this, as do intelligent tool users. It would be the best solution available for me, and for people like me. [rest trimmed] If you are in the business of producing and processing text, it might be more productive for you to invest more time in learning how to take professional advantage of unix text-processing tools, and to spend less time trying to tell the rare developer that may peruse debian-user what they ought to develop for you. -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, 2023-04-01 at 12:10 +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: > To: debian-user@lists.debian.org > Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing > two text files where Word Wrap is possible? > From: > Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 07:56:24 +0200 > Message-id: <[] zcfhibipctx8o...@tuxteam.de> > In-reply-to: <[] > caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> > References: > > > <[] > caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> > > On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 09:07:30AM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: > > [...] > > > The above limitations directs me to suggest to Debian Teams across > > all > > Mailing Lists and the Board to have GPT4 added to extend > > functionalities of GNU-Linux systems [...] > > GPT is not free software, so it can't be included in Debian. Russia is currently developing an equivalent, so it may pay to keep an eye on that. They have already developed an equivalent to ChatGPT. Cheers!
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
To: debian-user@lists.debian.org Subject: Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible? From: Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2023 07:56:24 +0200 Message-id: <[] zcfhibipctx8o...@tuxteam.de> In-reply-to: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> References: <[] caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com> On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 09:07:30AM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: [...] > The above limitations directs me to suggest to Debian Teams across all > Mailing Lists and the Board to have GPT4 added to extend > functionalities of GNU-Linux systems [...] GPT is not free software, so it can't be included in Debian. Besides, it's being used in very free-software unfriendly ways, but this is a whole different story. Cheers -- t [ ... ] Strange, isn't it, Mr. Tomas? They named the project as OpenAI. Would like to know the aspects on "... Besides, it's being used in very free-software unfriendly ways, but this is a whole different story." You could write to me privately, as this forum shouldn't be used for our discussions on the issue. Best wishes, Rajib
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 09:07:30AM +0530, Susmita/Rajib wrote: [...] > The above limitations directs me to suggest to Debian Teams across all > Mailing Lists and the Board to have GPT4 added to extend > functionalities of GNU-Linux systems [...] GPT is not free software, so it can't be included in Debian. Besides, it's being used in very free-software unfriendly ways, but this is a whole different story. Cheers -- t signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
My illustrious team leaders and senior debian-user list-members, Thank you for replying to my email and for your help. I had posted another, a second message on the issue and clarified my requirements. But between this time, a couple of emails were received from Mr. Davidson, and also from Mr. Stefan Monnier, Mr. Van Snyder and Mr. Greg Wooledge. I thank Mr. Davidson and Mr. Greg Wooledge for their advice. I fondly remember Mr. Wooledge and his support earlier too. Since my earlier 2nd post on this very subject at Sat, 1 Apr 2023 09:07:30 +0530 with message-Id: caeg4czus4dyt02pvm5byvrpxtxvdeybthfgwhrhi80upoy9...@mail.gmail.com makes my need clear, I would like to avoid diff. My reason has been posted in that earlier 2nd post. Dear Mr. Stefan Monnier and Mr. Van Snyder: Unfortunately, I once tried to learn emacs but it is complex. So it is difficult for me to use diff from within emacs. I am sorry that I am not a worthy student. I would refer to my earlier post but like to repeat the last paragraphs of that post: [quote] Bottom line is: icdiff is wonderful, but from a terminal it becomes limited. Can;t a good programmer have icdiff ported to GUI? It would be the best solution available for me, and for people like me. The above limitations directs me to suggest to Debian Teams across all Mailing Lists and the Board to have GPT4 added to extend functionalities of GNU-Linux systems, for example, in this present case, have icdiff extended to a GUI, and then have gifted and humane programmers work in tandem with GPT4 to plug in the insecurities accompanying a new program. Thank you for your suggestions. Shall be expecting better solutions with my having explained my needs clearer this time. [/quote] Best wishes, Rajib B Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
My illustrious team leaders and senior debian-user list-members, Thank you for replying to my email and for your help. The situation is complex. The alteration can't be straightaway applied by plain replacing. I will try to illustrate the situation with a clear example: Suppose I wrote a book book1.txt. I then send it to an editor who corrects the initial mistakes, altering some lines while doing so, renaming to another file book2.txt. When I receive the editor's correction, I don't accept them straightaway, but based on his suggestions I change my book1 and edit and alter it further. Diff helps in comparing the two draft editions. This one cycle could again be repeated. Dear Mr. l0f4r0: that pointer, https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/537418/how-to-make-text-wrap-with-diff-y; indeed helped and led me to icdiff which is wonderful. Unfortunately, for two very large text files, the terminal truncates the beginning and just highlights the end sections of the files. Icdiff didn't work with " | less". But it sure worked with " | more". Similarly, with diff -y <(fold -s -w72 file1) <(fold -s -w72 file2) -W 200, the beginning is truncated and only the end is displayed. And yes, it works with " | more". But it is bland. Without colours differences can't be spotted so easily. Of course, I could use icdiff part by part also. Though tedious, might help. But presently, I am thinking of sticking to icdiff with " | more". Dear Mr. Kramer: Thank you. I fondly remember my interactions with you on several occasions. I checked wdiff and also dwdiff. But they are very bland and very complicated to handle as dwdiff uses a lot of braces with + and - signs, but doesn't present the two files side by side for intuitive/visual comparison. And regarding your "... A person who writes a sig this long probably has issues and disrespects (and offends) a large number of readers. ;-) ...", yes it is generally true. For me, the post below your solution did confuse me, but I am generally adept at skimming and skipping paras. Dear Mr. DdB: I fondly remember my interaction with you some time during May 2022. Perhaps you have overlooked that I needed text wrapping for diff. I have checked the synaptic screenshot for meld, have installed and tried it. But it too suffers from the lack of text wrapping function. For huge text files it is thus problematic. Is a text wrap option available? Am I missing something? Dear Mr. local10: I can't try kompare though meld appears to be monocrome. Since my Desktop Environment is lxde, installing kompare, accompanied by a huge download of kde packages, is impossible unless I use knoppix, which I do. Dear Mr. Davidson: I have already mentioned about diff above. So won't repeat it. But thank you very much for the line. Bottom line is: icdiff is wonderful, but from a terminal it becomes limited. Can;t a good programmer have icdiff ported to GUI? It would be the best solution available for me, and for people like me. The above limitations directs me to suggest to Debian Teams across all Mailing Lists and the Board to have GPT4 added to extend functionalities of GNU-Linux systems, for example, in this present case, have icdiff extended to a GUI, and then have gifted and humane programmers work in tandem with GPT4 to plug in the insecurities accompanying a new program. Thank you for your suggestions. Shall be expecting better solutions with my having explained my needs clearer this time. Best wishes, Rajib B Etc.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, Apr 01, 2023 at 01:41:22AM +, davidson wrote: > On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 davidson wrote: > > Start here instead: > > > > $ diff file1 file2 > > > > It displays the differences, and your terminal will wrap lines (and > > break words) to fit the window for you. > > > > Does it do what you want? > > A concise explanation of diff's default output format (which is a > little cryptic but quite simple) can be viewed in the info browser > with > > $ info -n "Detailed Normal" diffutils # type 'q' to quit > > or written to a text file with > > $ info -o diff_format_explained.txt -n "Detailed Normal" diffutils Most people prefer diff -u format. Here's a quick sample of the three formats: unicorn:~$ diff <(seq 1 3) <(printf '1\n4\n3\n') 2c2 < 2 --- > 4 unicorn:~$ diff -c <(seq 1 3) <(printf '1\n4\n3\n') *** /dev/fd/63 Fri Mar 31 21:53:34 2023 --- /dev/fd/62 Fri Mar 31 21:53:34 2023 *** *** 1,3 1 ! 2 3 --- 1,3 1 ! 4 3 unicorn:~$ diff -u <(seq 1 3) <(printf '1\n4\n3\n') --- /dev/fd/63 2023-03-31 21:53:37.023781025 -0400 +++ /dev/fd/62 2023-03-31 21:53:37.023781025 -0400 @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ 1 -2 +4 3 The first one (default) gives no context lines. It simply says "replace line 2, which is "2", with "4". This works fine for some inputs, but it doesn't allow for applying a code patch to a function that has moved a few lines down in the file since the patch was written. So, the second format, "context", was introduced. It shows the lines before and after the change. This allows the patch applier to look around in the file and find the appropriate place to apply the patch, if the content has moved around. The third format, "unified", is just a more compact version of "context". It shows the lines before and after the change, but only once instead of twice. In some ways, the "context" format can be easier to read, because you see the actual new content exactly as it should appear, without the old lines interwoven. On the other hand, the "unified" format shows you the before and after lines right next to each other. In some cases, that can be easier to use. Especially once you get used to it.
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Sat, 1 Apr 2023 davidson wrote: Start here instead: $ diff file1 file2 It displays the differences, and your terminal will wrap lines (and break words) to fit the window for you. Does it do what you want? A concise explanation of diff's default output format (which is a little cryptic but quite simple) can be viewed in the info browser with $ info -n "Detailed Normal" diffutils # type 'q' to quit or written to a text file with $ info -o diff_format_explained.txt -n "Detailed Normal" diffutils -- We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things. -- Chesty Puller
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 davidson wrote: Some elaboration on my first take. On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: My dear illustrious leaders and senior debian-user list-members, I neglected to notice the proper subset of readers on whom you intended to inflict your request. I tried diffuse, I see that diffuse has quite a number of features: diffuse - graphical tool for merging and comparing text files Diffuse is a graphical tool for merging and comparing text files. Diffuse is able to compare an arbitrary number of files side-by-side and gives users the ability to manually adjust line-matching and directly edit files. Diffuse can also retrieve revisions of files from bazaar, CVS, darcs, git, mercurial, monotone, Subversion and GNU Revision Control System (RCS) repositories for comparison and merging. Which of these features do you *require*? but it appears to me that it suffers from a limitation so far as my need is concerned. It compares files by lines and line numbers, so I can't use word-wrap By "word-wrap", do you mean you need to break *lines* into smaller lines (so that your screen can accomodate their content)? Or do you mean instead that you are dealing with words so long that some words won't fit within a single line on your screen until you turn them into smaller words by inserting newlines. to have the differences between two files within the program window without venturing out to the right within the two file windows. I see (from its package description above) that diffuse can display files' content side-by-side. Is this a requirement of yours? Because if it is not, you can double your effective screen width by simply discarding the side-by-side feature. $ diff <(fmt file1) <(fmt file2) fmt has a -w option to adjust the max line width. The default is 75. If I may say so myself, this is almost certainly not a helpful solution. How embarrassing. Start here instead: $ diff file1 file2 It displays the differences, and your terminal will wrap lines (and break words) to fit the window for you. Does it do what you want? Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which program would be the best suited for my work for comparing text files? It depends on your precise requirements, which we cannot know until you tell us what they are. (Sometimes one does not know oneself. This is also okay.) I don't believe you have specified any of your requirements that the solution above does not provide. -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote: My dear illustrious leaders and senior debian-user list-members, I tried diffuse, but it appears to me that it suffers from a limitation so far as my need is concerned. It compares files by lines and line numbers, so I can't use word-wrap to have the differences between two files within the program window without venturing out to the right within the two file windows. $ diff <(fmt file1) <(fmt file2) fmt has a -w option to adjust the max line width. The default is 75. Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which program would be the best suited for my work for comparing text files? It depends on your precise requirements, which we cannot know until you tell us what they are. (Sometimes one does not know oneself. This is also okay.) I don't believe you have specified any of your requirements that the solution above does not provide. -- Hackers are free people. They are like artists. If they are in a good mood, they get up in the morning and begin painting their pictures. -- Vladimir Putin
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Fri, 2023-03-31 at 22:50 +0200, local10 wrote: > Mar 31, 2023, 16:30 by bkpsusmi...@gmail.com: > > I tried diffuse, but it appears to me that it suffers from > > alimitation so far as my need is concerned. It compares files by > > linesand line numbers, so I can't use word-wrap to have the > > differencesbetween two files within the program window without > > venturing out tothe right within the two file windows. > > Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which > > programwould be the best suited for my work for comparing text > > files? > > Try Kompare. I tried several diff tools but I liked Kompare the most: > clean, intuitive interface, easy to use, lots of features. emacs includes a nice side-by-side compare and merge feature. > Regards,
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Mar 31, 2023, 16:30 by bkpsusmi...@gmail.com: > I tried diffuse, but it appears to me that it suffers from a > limitation so far as my need is concerned. It compares files by lines > and line numbers, so I can't use word-wrap to have the differences > between two files within the program window without venturing out to > the right within the two file windows. > > Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which program > would be the best suited for my work for comparing text files? > Try Kompare. I tried several diff tools but I liked Kompare the most: clean, intuitive interface, easy to use, lots of features. Regards,
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Am 31.03.2023 um 18:13 schrieb Susmita/Rajib: > My dear illustrious leaders and senior debian-user list-members, > > I tried diffuse, but it appears to me that it suffers from a > limitation so far as my need is concerned. It compares files by lines > and line numbers, so I can't use word-wrap to have the differences > between two files within the program window without venturing out to > the right within the two file windows. > > Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which program > would be the best suited for my work for comparing text files? > > There is a package called diffoscope but it has to install a long list > of dependent packages in my present Debian system installed from > "Official Debian GNU/Linux Live 11.6.0 lxde 2022-12-17T11:46" > > Eagerly awaiting your advice. > > Best wishes, > Rajib B > Etc. > > I may be misunderstanding your needs: In many cases, i replace diff with meld, an interactive diff UI
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
On Friday, March 31, 2023 12:13:33 PM Susmita/Rajib wrote: > There is a package called diffoscope but it has to install a long list > of dependent packages in my present Debian system installed from > "Official Debian GNU/Linux Live 11.6.0 lxde 2022-12-17T11:46" It's been quite a while since I actually used diff, but I always preferred a word diff (to a line based diff). Two options are wdiff and wdiff2 (aka mdiff -w) -- rhk (sig revised 20230312 -- modified first paragraph, some other irrelevant wordsmithing) | No entity has permission to use this email to train an AI. If you reply: snip, snip, and snip again; leave attributions; avoid HTML; avoid top posting; and keep it "on list". (Oxford comma (and semi-colon) included at no charge.) If you revise the topic, change the Subject: line. If you change the topic, start a new thread. Writing is often meant for others to read and understand (legal documents excepted?) -- make it easier for your reader by various means, including liberal use of whitespace (short paragraphs, separated by whitespace / blank lines) and minimal use of (obscure?) jargon, abbreviations, acronyms, and references. If someone has already responded to a question, decide whether any response you add will be helpful or not ... A picture is worth a thousand words. A video (or "audio"): not so much -- divide by 10 for each minute of video (or audio) or create a transcript and edit it to 10% of the original. A speaker who uses ahhs, ums, or such may have a real physical or mental disability, or may be showing disrespect for his listeners by not properly preparing in advance and thinking before speaking. (That speaker might have been "trained" to do this by being interrupted often if he pauses.) (Remember Cicero who did not have enough time to write a short missive.) A radio (or TV) station which broadcasts speakers with high pitched voices (or very low pitched / gravelly voices) (which older people might not be able to hear properly) disrespects its listeners. Likewise if it broadcasts extraneous or disturbing sounds (like gunfire or crying), or broadcasts speakers using their native language (with or without an overdubbed translation). A person who writes a sig this long probably has issues and disrespects (and offends) a large number of readers. ;-) '
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
>> Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? >> Which program would be the best suited for my work for comparing >> text files? I'd expect most text editors to do that for you. E.g. when I ask Emacs to give me a diff for "files with long lines", the long lines are wrapped and the diff is colored to show the specific words that are changed within each line. Stefan
Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Hi, 31 mars 2023, 18:30 de bkpsusmi...@gmail.com: > Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which program > would be the best suited for my work for comparing text files? > Does that pointer help you? https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/537418/how-to-make-text-wrap-with-diff-y l0f4r0
Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
My dear illustrious leaders and senior debian-user list-members, I tried diffuse, but it appears to me that it suffers from a limitation so far as my need is concerned. It compares files by lines and line numbers, so I can't use word-wrap to have the differences between two files within the program window without venturing out to the right within the two file windows. Is there a way to Word Wrap? Am I making a mistake here? Which program would be the best suited for my work for comparing text files? There is a package called diffoscope but it has to install a long list of dependent packages in my present Debian system installed from "Official Debian GNU/Linux Live 11.6.0 lxde 2022-12-17T11:46" Eagerly awaiting your advice. Best wishes, Rajib B Etc.
