Groups > linux.debian.user > #256576 > unrolled thread

Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

Started by	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
First post	2023-03-31 18:40 +0200
Last post	2023-04-01 14:20 +0200
Articles	20 on this page of 50 — 12 participants

Back to article view | Back to linux.debian.user

Page 2 of 3 — ← Prev page 1 [2] 3 Next page →

#256750

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-04 19:40 +0200
Message-ID	<GgSNr-hlpk-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256678

    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@freevolt.org
    Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 11:39:59 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304041139540.12607@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304041109440.12607@azone.org>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304041106390.12607@azone.org> <[🔎]
alpine.DEB.2.21.2304041109440.12607@azone.org>

On Tue, 4 Apr 2023 davidson@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256768

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-05 09:40 +0200
Message-ID	<Gh5Ul-hukd-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256750

On 04/04/2023, davidson <davidson@freevolt.org> 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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2023 11:06:47 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304041106390.12607@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎]
CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@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' ' ' <file1 ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <file2 )
>
> You can define a function to do the same thing, to save some typing at
> future invocations,
>
>  $ icdiff-flowed () { <( tr '\n' ' ' <file1 ) <( tr '\n' ' ' <file2 ) ; }
>
> 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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256785 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-05 18:00 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GhdId-hzks-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256768

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote:
> On 04/04/2023, davidson <davidson@freevolt.org> 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 icdiff

> Could you please change the html files you had used for
> experimentation into text files and then run the experiment again?
[trimmed signoff]

That would serve no purpose. Html files are already text files.

-- 
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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256786 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-05 18:10 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GhdRT-hzD3-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256785

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  sed            4.7-1        amd64        GNU 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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256788 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-05 18:30 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<Ghebf-hzJA-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256785

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256855 — paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?)

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-08 07:50 +0200
Subject	paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?)
Message-ID	<Gi9Cy-yTq-3@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256785

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 davidson wrote:
> On Wed, 5 Apr 2023 Susmita/Rajib wrote:
>> On 04/04/2023, davidson <davidson@freevolt.org> 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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256802

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-06 08:40 +0200
Message-ID	<GhrrP-6YL-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256768

    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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2023 16:25:06 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304051620250.20060@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304051324580.20060@azone.org>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304051324580.20060@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256819 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-06 20:30 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GhCwV-dTi-7@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256802

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256820 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson@freevolt.org
Date	2023-04-06 20:40 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GhCGB-dWq-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256819

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256833

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-07 06:40 +0200
Message-ID	<GhM3f-jUn-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256802

    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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2023 18:21:29 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304061821250.7217@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎]
CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@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@freevolt.org
    Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2023 18:29:56 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304061829500.7217@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304061821250.7217@azone.org>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304061821250.7217@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256869 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-08 15:30 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GigNH-DvO-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256833

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256873 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-08 16:10 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<Gihqp-DYN-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256869

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256916

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-08 20:10 +0200
Message-ID	<GilaF-Gms-7@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256833

    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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:27:54 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081043580.22228@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎]
CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@mail.gmail.com>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 14:02:15 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081359510.22228@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081043580.22228@azone.org>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081043580.22228@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256918 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	"Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@einval.com>
Date	2023-04-08 20:30 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<Gilu1-GsW-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256916

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256929

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-09 04:50 +0200
Message-ID	<GithT-LcQ-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256916

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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 13:27:54 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081043580.22228@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎]
CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@mail.gmail.com>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZW5aXEVwx0dZrOhcD2q44S8g75OGgUH+hrVe23joqPz0A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@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 <davidson@freevolt.org>
    Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 14:02:15 +0000 (UTC)
    Message-id: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081359510.22228@azone.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081043580.22228@azone.org>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUS4DYT02PVm5bYvrpxTxVDEYBTHFGWHRHi80uPoY962A@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVrPz=aZN6C0V0J3EPYMrH=UGkWcbVCc8xY=31FF_PqQA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] alpine.DEB.2.21.2304081043580.22228@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256945

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-09 12:10 +0200
Message-ID	<GiA9H-PNm-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256929

To: Debian Users ML <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: Brad Rogers <brad@fineby.me.uk>
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2023 08:46:18 +0100
Message-id: <[🔎] 20230409084618.1807a2fc@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 <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: Brad Rogers <brad@fineby.me.uk>
    Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2023 08:46:18 +0100
    Message-id: <[🔎] 20230409084618.1807a2fc@earth.stargate.org.uk>
    Reply-to: Debian Users ML <debian-user@lists.debian.org>
    In-reply-to: <[🔎]
CAEG4cZU12LTMR8k3TUZHyuJRkp1vzzCAXrhcJYwhJTTWEC3O9w@mail.gmail.com>
    References:
<CAEG4cZU336q12B2DXH_O52=00up2fG+sd8Oz3WjKXou+Y1Menw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUXaUAxG=0zLWpXuY44X9RTf7TNEwvGfuDDMZQ7iLEfzA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVcE+49-MKWGW7Le3L1T6ztSak7JD3KchkEVFGH30366w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWKu1LVJY_Js+VtXA00tVEDPR_JuPaCJ=jrqeRAe4413w@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU4ZCCbKC9FFF66nwWr2ubD_1p_z1BDNHRh_sjP3ikEYg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZXvzBMjbsRRih6Ku1wSJN0oWP_=Y_TLFBUOObGPLiOKxg@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUbT-mfzN4rn1OdMyemA0tmUFAUwZCH1S3PBC+z7w2aVw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVoCYZUx5GJXBdV5uYT1MxhmfdXGLz_aSbppMkjch2bXA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZX0DogxF=8-rjc_TzqgL8=eVmorEP8bq3zV8WycNT26Cw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZUHrTGhpv2XswpW0XhFwO+udKk-bsFJWT1UDr6iRO=zeA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZVuT9BR_7AcYuk-pYLJkatXLXGvXOszUPuGPiUGH6kwVA@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZWR7jFCnPXqdq29qSq=oKXPUAdUZZUM4uufK48TP_Pu0A@mail.gmail.com>
<CAEG4cZVJLi1Bu=50eiBXjjvFcxqVCYWT3TZnZLS8MzS=knVFmw@mail.gmail.com>
<[🔎] CAEG4cZU12LTMR8k3TUZHyuJRkp1vzzCAXrhcJYwhJTTWEC3O9w@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256961 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	Greg Wooledge <greg@wooledge.org>
Date	2023-04-09 14:50 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GiCEx-Rbu-5@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256945

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?

<SNIP!>

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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256983 — [Solved] Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	"Susmita/Rajib" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date	2023-04-09 20:10 +0200
Subject	[Solved] Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GiHEd-Ute-19@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256945

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" <bkpsusmitaa@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2023 23:12:57 +0530
Message-id: <[🔎]
CAEG4cZWR7jFCnPXqdq29qSq=oKXPUAdUZZUM4uufK48TP_Pu0A@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.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256946 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-09 12:20 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<GiAjn-PQI-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256929

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

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#256655 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

From	davidson <davidson@freevolt.org>
Date	2023-04-03 03:30 +0200
Subject	Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?
Message-ID	<Gghbb-gXxN-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
In reply to	#256615

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_

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

Page 2 of 3 — ← Prev page 1 [2] 3 Next page →

csiph-web

Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

Contents

#256750

#256768

#256785 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256786 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256788 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256855 — paragraph conversion (was Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?)

#256802

#256819 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256820 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256833

#256869 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256873 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256916

#256918 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256929

#256945

#256961 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256983 — [Solved] Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256946 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?

#256655 — Re: Which Diff tool could I use for visually comparing two text files where Word Wrap is possible?