Feature Request: Expand "Run External Tools"
Notepad++ project is moving to GitHub:
Brought to you by:
donho
Menu
▾
▴
I believe that in order to support more classes of external tools (including the oft-requested diff/merge), that the Environmental Variables available to Run External Tools should be expanded to include an additional set representing a secondary view.
This idea was not my own, it was by Martijn Coppoolse (vor0nwe), but I've taken it upon myself to publicize it: [edited for length]
>RE: Option : merge files ??
>By: Martijn Coppoolse (vor0nwe) - 2007-02-03 03:07
>
>For example:
>$(FULL_CURRENT_PATH) or $(FULL_CURRENT_PATH:1) for the primary view,
>and $(FULL_CURRENT_PATH:2) for the secondary view.
>Or even:
>$(FULL_CURRENT_PATH) for the current view (the one that has the focus),
>$(FULL_CURRENT_PATH:1) for the primary view,
>$(FULL_CURRENT_PATH:2) for the secondary view.
>
>And the same for all $(parameters)
vor0nwe's idea would allow Notepad++ to add the large array of available diff and merge tools to its feature set, whole also being the easiest way to finally give users a highly requested feature.
What I love about vor0nwe's idea is that it combines:
-minimal effort (just adding to the environmental variables in Run External Tools)
-maximum result (you can use any diff or merge tool, and probably some other types of tools i haven't thought of)
Personally, I'm very surprised this didn't get any further discussion when it was first brought up.
*poke*
Say you want to compare two files this way, what would you _really_ want to compare? The files themselves, as they are, saved on the drive, or the edits inside NP++? In case of the latter, passing the filenames to the Diff tool wouldn't work, of course...
That is, of course, as long as you didn't save the files after editing.
I considered the saving thing, but that also applies to the current implementation of Run External Tool, so its not really an additional problem.