[bug-diffutils] bug#33813: GNU diffutils 3.6 – 'diff -y' – Several mark types used as separators instead of one – Inappropriate options combinations

[Ricky Tigg]

Hi address@hidden subscribers.

• Case 1

Commands executed:

$ echo - > a1 && echo + > a2
$ diff -y a1 a2
-                                  |    +

Both terminal,  from which patterns are copied, and text editor document, to which pattern is pasted – see attachment –, use mono-space font. Output resulting from 'diff -y a1 a2' contains tabular and point marks in the same row as separators between left'-sided column and right'-sided column. Would it be suitable according to developers to produce separators relying on a unique mark – tabular or point – ?

• Case 2

As noticeable, the tool Diff allows for options combinations that cannot cohabit together because of their very features. A way for Diff to avoid handling such combinations would be appropriate. Here is an illustration of such combinations:

$ diff -qsy a1 a2
Files a1 and a2 differ
$ diff -yqs a1 a2
Files a1 and a2 differ
$ diff -qys a1 a2
Files a1 and a2 differ

Regards, R.T.

diffutils.x86_64_v.3.6_Option_y_Font_mono-space.png
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