Examining Differences

Merging highlights the unresolved difference, which it identifies as the line numbered 6 in file_1 and file_2. When differences are being resolved with Merging, the resulting Merging window (filemerge.out) shows the current state of the file with automatic merging.

You could proceed to the next difference by clicking the down arrow above the appropriate file or choosing Navigate > Next. The next difference becomes the current difference.

You could proceed through the differences by clicking on the down arrow.

Automerging preserves a change that was made to one file if no change was made in the other file.

Glyphs

When a difference has not been resolved by automerging, as indicated by the solid highlighted glyph next to the lines involved in the difference, you need to resolve the difference by making a choice. The vertical line indicates that the line has been changed (as opposed to added or deleted). In this case, automerging failed because the same line was changed differently in the two files, and Merging could not decide which change was more valid.

Resolving a Difference

You could resolve this difference in one of the following ways:

• Clicking the Accept or Accept & Next button on the left to place the line from file_1 into the output file

• Clicking the Accept or Accept & Next button on the right to place the line from file_2 into the output file

• Editing the output file by hand

Editing the Output File

To edit the output file, you would move the pointer into the output file's text pane and place it in the line you want to change. In this example, the following line was typed in:

>>> This line edited by hand <<<

You would choose Edit > Mark Selected as Resolved. This menu item marks the difference as resolved. In this example there are no more unresolved differences, so the next difference remains the current one.

The message in the upper left part of the window now indicates that all differences have been resolved. Nevertheless, you would proceed to verify the automerged differences.

You could continue to navigate through the differences by clicking the down arrow.

The final difference results from a line that was added only to file_2. Merging would place the new line in the output file just as it did when a new line was added to file_1, which resulted in the third difference.