tkdiff Files

V 5.4             (04/01/2022):

• Visual Inline-diff SUPPRESSION categories (correlates to those of Diff) supported
  • yet specific choices are INDEPENDANT of said same Diff MATCH suppressions
• Optional support for MULTIPLE Preference files w/command-line specification added
  • permits user configuration for disjoint projects w/alternate SCM requirements
• Reengineered optional SyncScroll to no longer permit fractured alignment - FOREVER
  • only specific features needing to TEMPORARILY override the Preference will do so.
• New preference allows specifying filename patterns to EXCLUDE from searches among
  • directories when forming canidate pairings for examination.
• Text searching now (optionally) scrolls EITHER/BOTH windows independent of the current
  • overall synchronized window preference setting. Allows visual alignment between the
  • displayed file content based on individual text searches per each window.
• Within Vpath SCM context, CWD location now effectively TOP-prunes stated VPATH
  • nodes allowing access to yet older V-nodes w/o editting VPATH
• Subdirs WITHIN given Vpath nodes now recognized as legitimate CWD-scoped locations
  • permitting operations on directory-based subdivisions while STILL being Vpath-ed
• Repaired how Vpath searches for Topmost and/or Prior version for consistent results
• MouseWheel now scrolls properly when above checkbuttons WITHIN the filelist Dialog

While the two most visible NEW features of this release (the suppression categories and multiple Preference files) are certainly significant, its is the feature you wont see (re-engineered SyncScroll) which is far more necessary to the long-term sustainability of TkDiff. Future versions of the TK support library identified and provided certain critical information to the application level which permitted TkDiff to not only utilize this info, but to emulate it in a way that will seamlessly "switch over" as that more recent (TK-8.6.5) release becomes more prevalent in the mainstream environments of the user. Note: TkDiff still only requires a TK-8.5 support system, which MOST people readily have. But as people eventually migrate, TkDiff will NOW take it in stride, effortlessly.

Now, about that suppression feature; the Diff engine has long had a list of optional suppression categories, usually to just NOT NOTICE changes of limited value (excess whitespace, and others), and indeed, TkDiff allowed you to specify them as a preference. But, until now, TkDiff still insisted on SHOWING those "suppressed" situations when performing its INLINE highlighting: No longer. As yet another new preference, you can now choose which of the suppressions you really dont want to see. And that preference is independent of the ones passed to the Diff engine. You can (obviously) set BOTH to the SAME values and then SEE exactly why Diff chose to deliver that Diff region. But looking (or not) at aspects when the settings are NOT aligned is suprisingly helpful.

The days of using a single Source Code Management (SCM) system seem to be dying. TkDiff goes to some length to detect/choose the one you need at any given time, but it would be nicer if you could just configure TkDiff with what you want ONE time and then get down to work, instead of re-tuning at every session. This is what MULTIPLE preference files is all about. However, it requires a minor change to your EXISTING runtime environment which TkDiff will not do for you. You MUST read the builtin online help, to learn how to activate this feature if it is something you could benefit from.

As always, we fix what we break, and the prior release (V5.3) VPATH support is no exception. IT should now operate as was originally intended. A minor addendum is yet another new preference to describe filename patterns to EXCLUDE whenever TkDiff is searching directories for files to be paired. It simply keeps those pesky filenames everyone uses as temporaries (README, junk, *.txt, etc) from being picked up accidentally. Lastly it should now be easier to MouseWheel scroll over the filelist (if you happen to USE that method of presentation).

The provided zipfile will unzip to its own subdirectory named "tkdiff-5-4" containing a README.txt file (having installation instructions), a Changelog file to highlight current (and past) modifications, the actual tkdiff Tcl script, and the (required) copy of the GNU License. We hope you find this new version both useful and reliable. Feel free to leave reviews, trouble tickets, new ideas; whatever you would like.