NAME

rcsdiff − compare RCS revisions

SYNOPSIS

rcsdiff [ -bcefhn ] [ -rrev1 ] [ -rrev2 ] file ... 

DESCRIPTION

Rcsdiff compares two revisions of each given RCS file and creates output very similar to diff(1). A file name ending in ",v" is an RCS file name, otherwise it is a working file name. Rcsdiff derives the working file name from the RCS file name and vice versa, as explained in rcsintro(5).  Pairs consisting of both an RCS and a working file name may also be specified. 

The options -b, -e, -f, and -h have the same effect as described in diff(1); option -n generates an edit script of the format used by RCS. 

The option −c generates a diff with lines of context.  The default is to present 3 lines of context, but may be changed, for example, to 10, by −c10.  With −c the output format is modified slightly from the normal diff(1) output.  The "context" output begins with identification of the files involved and their creation dates and then each change is separated by a line with a dozen "*" (stars).  The lines removed from file1 are marked with "-" (dashes); those added to file2 are marked with "+" (pluses).  Lines that are changed from one file to the other are marked in both files with "!" (exclamation marks).

If both rev1 and rev2 are omitted, rcsdiff compares the latest revision on the trunk with the contents of the corresponding working file.  This is useful for determining what you changed since the last check in. 

If rev1 is given, but rev2 is omitted, rcsdiff compares revision rev1 of the RCS file with the contents of the corresponding working file. 

If both rev1 and rev2 are given, rcsdiff compares revisions rev1 and rev2 of the RCS file. 

Both rev1 and rev2 may be given numerically or symbolically. 

EXAMPLES

The command:

rcsdiff  f.c

compares the latest trunk revision of RCS file f.c,v and the contents of working file f.c. 

AUTHOR

Rcsdiff was developed by Walter F. Tichy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. 
Revision Number:  3.0; Release Date: 83/05/11.
Copyright © 1982 by Walter F. Tichy.

SEE ALSO

ci(1), co(1), diff(1), ident(1), rcs(1), rcsintro(5), rcsmerge(1), rlog(1), rcsfile(4). 

Hewlett-Packard Company  —  May 11, 2021