Automatic Text File Merging

In DeltaWalker, the term automatic text file merging is meaningful only in the context of a three-way comparison and operates only on non-conflicting differences. While a powerful tool, the concept behind it is simple: walk through all differences b/n the ancestor and the first file, and between the ancestor and the second file and merge, one-by-one all differences that do not represent conflicts. A conflicting difference here refers to a block of text, present in all three files, that has been modified in more than one file e.g. in the first and in the second file. At the end of the automatic merge, if there were conflicting differences, they are left as is, and marked accordingly i.e. they are surrounded by red-colored rectangles. As with other DeltaWalker colors, the conflicting color can be customized.

The following example, with before and after screenshots, illustrates the concept:

Three-way comparison image

This image shows:

Here are the same three files after performing an automatic-merge of non-conflicting differences:

Three-way comparison after automatic merging image

The auto-merge engine made two changes to the ancestor file:

Notice the QuickDiffs in the ancestor editor—the blue background of line numbers 1 and 2 and the green background of line number 10. These QuickDiffs communicate the exact nature of the changes just performed—addition and inline change, respectively.

The conflicting lines were left intact as proper resolution of such conflicts usually depends on the context and is best done by the person(s) with knowledge of that context.

DeltaWalker's undo-redo mechanism tracks any changes made to the editors, including changes made by the auto-merge engine. This sets you free of worries as to the exact final result of the auto-merge and lets you experiment with it, combine auto-merge with manual conflict resolution, or perform any other combination of operations you find appropriate.

Related topics