Re: [bug-diffutils] [PATCH] cmp, diff, diff3, sdiff: edit and align --help text.

[Jim Meyering]

Karl Berry wrote:
>
> * cmp.c (option_help_msgid, usage),
> * diff.c (option_help_msgid, usage),
> * diff3.c (option_help_msgid, usage),
> * sdiff.c (option_help_msgid, usage): align descriptions in the --help
> output and slightly edit content.
> ---
>  src/cmp.c   |   30 ++++++++------
>  src/diff.c  |  125 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--------------------------
>  src/diff3.c |   49 ++++++++++++++++-------
>  src/sdiff.c |   45 ++++++++++++---------
>  4 files changed, 146 insertions(+), 103 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/src/cmp.c b/src/cmp.c
> index f78f4f6..92b60bc 100644
> --- a/src/cmp.c
> +++ b/src/cmp.c
> @@ -158,15 +158,15 @@ check_stdout (void)
>  }
>
>  static char const * const option_help_msgid[] = {
> -  N_("-b  --print-bytes  Print differing bytes."),
> -  N_("-i SKIP  --ignore-initial=SKIP  Skip the first SKIP bytes of input."),
> -  N_("-i SKIP1:SKIP2  --ignore-initial=SKIP1:SKIP2"),
> -  N_("  Skip the first SKIP1 bytes of FILE1 and the first SKIP2 bytes of 
> FILE2."),
> -  N_("-l  --verbose  Output byte numbers and values of all differing 
> bytes."),
> -  N_("-n LIMIT  --bytes=LIMIT  Compare at most LIMIT bytes."),
> -  N_("-s  --quiet  --silent  Output nothing; yield exit status only."),
> -  N_("-v  --version  Output version info."),
> -  N_("--help  Output this help."),
> +  N_("-b, --print-bytes          print differing bytes"),
> +  N_("-i, --ignore-initial=SKIP         skip first SKIP bytes of both 
> inputs"),
> +  N_("-i, --ignore-initial=SKIP1:SKIP2  skip first SKIP1 bytes of FILE1 
> and\n"
> +     "                                      first SKIP2 bytes of FILE2"),
> +  N_("-l, --verbose              output byte numbers and differing byte 
> values"),
> +  N_("-n, --bytes=LIMIT          compare at most LIMIT bytes"),
> +  N_("-s, --quiet, --silent      suppress all normal output"),
> +  N_("    --help                 display this help and exit"),
> +  N_("-v, --version              output version information and exit"),
>    0
>  };

Thanks for doing that.  I've pushed those changes.
I too find that aligning makes it a easier to read.
For the record, here's the induced difference for sdiff --help:
(old, then new):

$ sdiff --help
Usage: sdiff [OPTION]... FILE1 FILE2
Side-by-side merge of file differences.

  -o FILE  --output=FILE  Operate interactively, sending output to FILE.

  -i  --ignore-case  Consider upper- and lower-case to be the same.
  -E  --ignore-tab-expansion  Ignore changes due to tab expansion.
  -b  --ignore-space-change  Ignore changes in the amount of white space.
  -W  --ignore-all-space  Ignore all white space.
  -B  --ignore-blank-lines  Ignore changes whose lines are all blank.
  -I RE  --ignore-matching-lines=RE  Ignore changes whose lines all match RE.
  --strip-trailing-cr  Strip trailing carriage return on input.
  -a  --text  Treat all files as text.

  -w NUM  --width=NUM  Output at most NUM (default 130) print columns.
  -l  --left-column  Output only the left column of common lines.
  -s  --suppress-common-lines  Do not output common lines.

  -t  --expand-tabs  Expand tabs to spaces in output.
  --tabsize=NUM  Tab stops are every NUM (default 8) print columns.

  -d  --minimal  Try hard to find a smaller set of changes.
  -H  --speed-large-files  Assume large files and many scattered small changes.
  --diff-program=PROGRAM  Use PROGRAM to compare files.

  -v  --version  Output version info.
  --help  Output this help.

If a FILE is `-', read standard input.
Exit status is 0 if inputs are the same, 1 if different, 2 if trouble.

Report bugs to: address@hidden
GNU diffutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/>
General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>


$ src/sdiff --help
Usage: src/sdiff [OPTION]... FILE1 FILE2
Side-by-side merge of differences between FILE1 and FILE2.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.
  -o, --output=FILE            operate interactively, sending output to FILE

  -i, --ignore-case            consider upper- and lower-case to be the same
  -E, --ignore-tab-expansion   ignore changes due to tab expansion
  -b, --ignore-space-change    ignore changes in the amount of white space
  -W, --ignore-all-space       ignore all white space
  -B, --ignore-blank-lines     ignore changes whose lines are all blank
  -I, --ignore-matching-lines=RE  ignore changes whose lines all match RE
      --strip-trailing-cr      strip trailing carriage return on input
  -a, --text                   treat all files as text

  -w, --width=NUM              output at most NUM (default 130) print columns
  -l, --left-column            output only the left column of common lines
  -s, --suppress-common-lines  do not output common lines

  -t, --expand-tabs            expand tabs to spaces in output
      --tabsize=NUM            tab stops at every NUM (default 8) print columns

  -d, --minimal                try hard to find a smaller set of changes
  -H, --speed-large-files      assume large files, many scattered small changes
      --diff-program=PROGRAM   use PROGRAM to compare files

      --help                   display this help and exit
  -v, --version                output version information and exit

If a FILE is `-', read standard input.
Exit status is 0 if inputs are the same, 1 if different, 2 if trouble.

Report bugs to: address@hidden
GNU diffutils home page: <http://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/>
General help using GNU software: <http://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>