Feature Request: DiffMerge

[arden_dan]

Do you have any plans to include a text search in DiffMerge?

Most of our ex-VSS users were quite fond of the text search in the VSS diff.

[ericsink]

Yes, we do intend to add this feature.

[soerend]

First let me express how pleased I am with the DiffMerge, especially compared to VSS. It is awesome!

Then I would like a to request a few basic features:

1) The window should remember its state. I get bored with maximizing it on every open.
2) When 'Input files are identical' I would like to close it by a single keystroke, preferrably Escape. Now I have to press Esc for the MessageBox and subsequently Alt-F4
3) I would prefer Esc to close the window (as Alt-F4 is not as easily accessible)

[dan]

First let me express how pleased I am with the DiffMerge, especially compared to VSS. It is awesome!

Then I would like a to request a few basic features:

1) The window should remember its state. I get bored with maximizing it on every open.
2) When 'Input files are identical' I would like to close it by a single keystroke, preferrably Escape. Now I have to press Esc for the MessageBox and subsequently Alt-F4
3) I would prefer Esc to close the window (as Alt-F4 is not as easily accessible)

Thanks for the feedback.

For 1), we have this on our list, and a number of people have requested it, so we will implement it in the next round of diff features

For 2) & 3), I can't promise that we'll do these. This would break windows conventions for how to exit an app (the diff tool is a separate app), so we will probably keep that the way it is.

thanks again,

[soerend]

Alright, I'd hate to be the one who makes you break Windows conventions ...
I guess I can learn to use ALt-F4.

An alternative suggestion to 2) is to get rid of the annoying 'Input files are identical' message box, and choose another visual clue, like a text in bold coloured letters somewhere inside the window. (I am so lazy that two keystrokes to close a window seems like a waste to me...)

[Roman]

I have a different opinion: nobody really cares if DiffMerge is a separate application from the programmers writing Vault perspective. From the user perspective it is a utility hooked to Vault. As such, using both Esc and Alt-F4 should be a natural choice.

The Diff utility in SourceSafe allows to close using Esc, so for my users it is a second nature to click on Esc after using SourceSafe for years.

It takes just a few lines of code to make it happen.

[draza]

First let me express how pleased I am with the DiffMerge, especially compared to VSS. It is awesome!

Then I would like a to request a few basic features:

1) The window should remember its state. I get bored with maximizing it on every open.
2) When 'Input files are identical' I would like to close it by a single keystroke, preferrably Escape. Now I have to press Esc for the MessageBox and subsequently Alt-F4
3) I would prefer Esc to close the window (as Alt-F4 is not as easily accessible)

Thanks for the feedback.

For 1), we have this on our list, and a number of people have requested it, so we will implement it in the next round of diff features

For 2) & 3), I can't promise that we'll do these. This would break windows conventions for how to exit an app (the diff tool is a separate app), so we will probably keep that the way it is.

thanks again,

Could you please reconsider the ESC key thing? Here's the deal - my workflow is such that I like to enter really detailed commit messages for each of the files in a "changeset". I rarely if ever commit a bunch of files together and then enter a common comment.

Thus, just prior to committing file(s), I diff each and every one of them to see what the differences were exactly. The task is made harder by sometimes many "fake" changed files (like project files that were written to but haven't changed at all). For each of these I have to do the diff, only to be told that there are no differences, and then reach for ALT+F4 to close the window. I know I can generally ignore the files that haven't changed and that if I set "undo check out on unchanged files" that I'll get what I expect, but as I said - I rarely commit in batch.

This could be an option - allow closing with an ESC key. I am a standard follower just as much as the next guy, but for the "tool" windows like this one it is quite convenient to be able to quickly close it. It's not like you'd be the first one to implement this - many "utility" apps (and I consider diff a utility app, not a main function of the Vault) already behave like this.


One other small thing, if possible - please let me choose the font for the diff. I can change everything else - font size, tab size etc, but not the font itself - why not?


Regards,

Drazen

[dan]

OK, I'll relent, and add this as a feature request. Actually, as I read through this post, there are a few to add:

1) Allow escape to close the app

2) Allow user to specify a different font

3) Don't display the "Files are identical" message, but provide some other feedback to indicates this.

I'm not sure when these would be implemented, but we are currently working on a new version of the diff tool that allows hand editing of the content, so hopefully some of these can be snuck in there.

[draza]

OK, I'll relent, and add this as a feature request.

Great news. I already find the tool as-is great, or at least good enough for most of the scenarios. With few small finishing touches like this one it'll become practically perfect for me.

Thanks for the quick reply!

[dan]

Just to follow up on this thread, 3.1.8 now allows you to exit using the ESC key, and also allows you to turn off the "Files are identical" dialog.

3.1.8 is available at http://www.sourcegear.com/vault/downloads.html

[draza]

Just to follow up on this thread, 3.1.8 now allows you to exit using the ESC key, and also allows you to turn off the "Files are identical" dialog.

3.1.8 is available at http://www.sourcegear.com/vault/downloads.html

Just tried it, works like a charm.

This is the reason I am sticking with Vault as my SCC tool of choice - great support and a company that really listens to the customer.

Thanks guys,

Drazen

[draza]

Just to follow up on this thread, 3.1.8 now allows you to exit using the ESC key, and also allows you to turn off the "Files are identical" dialog.

3.1.8 is available at http://www.sourcegear.com/vault/downloads.html

We're up to 3.5 now yet still can't change the font in the ChangeDiff app. All of the other small things I have asked were implemented (which is great!) except for this one.

As far as I am concerned, even a setting in the .config file would be fine. Please, please let me change the font - I HATE courier!

Thanks for a wonderful product,

Drazen