Re: [Quilt-dev] Patching binary files

[Jean Delvare]

Hi Aidan,

On Thu, 2024-08-08 at 09:26 +0100, Aidan wrote:
> I need to use quilt for patch binary files, however, quilt rejects
> this.
> 
> Is this a deliberate decision or does it just need implemented?

This is a technical limitation. Quilt relies on GNU patch to apply the
patches and GNU diff to generate them. GNU diff doesn't support binary
files. I don't think GNU patch supports binary files either, the manual
page mentions a binary mode but I seem to understand it's only about
text file line ending conversion, not actual binary files.

As long as GNU diff and GNU patch do not support binary files, quilt
won't support them either.

> Do you have a recommended approach for patches that require source
> code changes and binary file changes?

Git supports both text and binary files.

-- 
Jean Delvare
SUSE L3 Support